June 29, 2007
DENPASAR -- ASEAN member countries under a cooperation scheme their human rights national commissions declared in Sanur, Bali, on Thursday, agreed to prioritize the handling of migrant workers' human rights violations.
Chairman of Indonesia's human rights commission (Komnas HAM) Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara in reading out the declaration, was quoted by Antara as saying that Malaysia's Human Rights National Commission will pay attention to human rights violation cases of migrant workers of some countries, including Indonesia and Thailand.
However, the Malaysian commission required every migrant worker coming to that country to be in legal possession of an official identity papers so that if they have a problem during their employment they could be defended.
The human rights declaration was followed by statements of each of the countries, including Malaysia by Tan Sri Abu Thalib Othman, Thailand by Mrs Ambhorn Meesook, and the Philippines by Dr Purific Acion Falera.
The meeting entitled "Working Session of the ASEAN National Human Rights Institutions Consultation Mechanism" also agreed to establish communication through annual meetings in the ASEAN member countries, with the names of the hosts in the order of the alphabet.
According to Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara, Indonesia along with Thailand and the Philippines had also called for the attention of Malaysia's Human Rights National Commission to devote its special attention to the migrant worker's cases.
"Since many Indonesian and Thai migrant workers are employed in Malaysia, the relevant local authorites need to devote special attention to the migrant workers' plight," he said.
The declaration would be submitted to a high-level task force forum at Rittz Carlton Hotel in Jimbaran, as input in the formulation of an ASEAN Human Rights Charter.
-- BERNAMA
