Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
Leaders of the 10 members of
Asean agreed to establish a free-trade zone by 2015, intensify their fight against
terrorism, protect the region’s migrant workers and improve the campaign
against HIV/AIDS. They also agreed to draft a new charter with broad enforcement
powers — a break from the 40-year-old group’s tradition of consensus
and noninterference.<P>“We want to advance the sense of community in
our shared interest to look after each other in terms of justice, economic development
and common security,” President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines
said during her speech at the opening of the meeting.</P><P>Ms. Arroyo emphasized
Asean’s drive to expand trade, “to create one of the world’s greatest
trading blocs.”</P><P>But the group failed to find common ground on Myanmar.
On Friday, China and Russia vetoed a United States resolution at the United Nations
Security Council that criticized Myanmar’s persecution of opposition groups.</P><P>“How
are we going to help you if you are not making progress?” Indonesian president
Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono told Myanmar’s officials late Friday, according
to Reuters.</P><P>Nitya Pibulsonggram, Thailand’s foreign minister, told
reporters on Saturday that Asean should redouble its efforts “to see what
we can do to help one another,” to give the issue what he called “a
regional focus” rather than “have it internationalized.”</P><P>Asean’s
new charter, which will be drafted this year, is expected to include mechanisms
to monitor and enforce agreements among members, along the lines of the European
Union.</P><P>Two years ago, Asean formed a body called the Eminent Persons Group
to provide guidelines for the new charter. On Friday, the group released a list
of 28 recommendations, including the “strengthening of democratic values,
good governance, rejection of unconstitutional and undemocratic changes of government,
respect of the rule of law, including international humanitarian law, human rights
and fundamental freedoms.”</P><P>In a sense, the charter is a bid to remain
relevant as the economic power of China and India grows, something the group itself
acknowledged. “While the Asean charter will bring about a long overdue legal
framework, Asean must reposition itself,” Asean said in a statement. “It
must address the growing challenges and opportunities of regional integration,
the major shifts in the Asian landscape brought about by the rise of China and
India, and Asia’s widening links with the rest of the world.”</P><P>Asean
leaders also signed a counterterrorism agreement that, among other things, makes
it obligatory for each member country to share information about terrorist suspects
and allow their extradition. The accord called on members to disrupt terrorist
financing and to train counterterrorism forces.</P><P>Southeast Asia is home to
some of the world’s deadliest terrorist groups, among them Al Qaeda-linked
Jemaah Islamiyah, which was believed to be responsible for the Bali bombings in
2002, and Abu Sayyaf, a group in the southern Philippines that authorities say
has been behind attacks there in recent years.</P><P>The leaders also signed a
declaration to protect and promote the rights of migrant workers. These include
ensuring workers’ access to services in the country where they work, the
adequate and prompt payment of wages, and decent working and living conditions.</P><P>Thousands
of migrant workers from Southeast Asia, many of whom work in richer Asean countries
such as Singapore, have been victims of abuses such as nonpayment of wages, physical
abuse, and even rape, according to groups advocating migrant-workers’ rights.</P><P>Asean
members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.</P><P><I>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/13/world/asia/13cnd-asean.html?hp&ex=1168750800&en=da2f58be7aa6bf8f&ei=5094&partner=homepage</I>
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