NGO: Bangkok meeting a failure as delegates avoid discussion of key migrant issues

[ExPratt]

Parliamentarians from ASEAN member states, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar expressed serious concern after a meeting on irregular migration in Southeast Asia failed to address in any meaningful way the root causes of the region’s migrant crisis.

Lawmakers from ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) said May 29 they were dismayed and disappointed that representatives from ASEAN member states failed to publicly discuss the persecution of the Rohingya, “shamefully bowing to pressures from a military government directly responsible for some of the most shocking and heinous policies of persecution in the world today.”

-“It’s just another case of ASEAN doing as ASEAN does: lots of talk with little genuine substance or resolve to take any action whatsoever on the root causes of this crisis,” said Charles Santiago, chairperson of APHR and Malaysian Member of Parliament. -

full article

http://www.mizzima.com/news/ngo-bangkok-meeting-failure-delegates-avoid-discussion-key-migrant-issues?

[thaibeachlovers]

Anyone surprised?

[MrJohnson]

ASEAN is a toothless tiger. Always has been and always will be. It is about facilitating trade and business and very little else. The ASEAN Education Secretariat is a case in point. Lots of hot air (and money) for very little to show.

The launch of the Asean Economic Community at the end of December will like opening a bottle of flat champagne.

[ExPratt]

Strange as Thailand was :Lauded: by the US on the same subject yesterday

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/829348-us-lauds-thailand-for-giving-out-quake-relief-fighting-illegal-fishing/

[h90]

ASEAN is a toothless tiger. Always has been and always will be. It is about facilitating trade and business and very little else. The ASEAN Education Secretariat is a case in point. Lots of hot air (and money) for very little to show.

The launch of the Asean Economic Community at the end of December will like opening a bottle of flat champagne.

But that is actually good. I prefer that to the way the European Union goes.