Human Rights in the Asean Region: Coming Full Circle - Revisiting Concepts, Debunking Myths and Assessing Situational Complexities in the Quest for a Regional System

Abstract

The thesis examines the prospects of the establishment of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) human rights body as enshrined in the ASEAN Charter. Currently, the ASEAN high level panel (HLP) is drafting the terms of reference (TOR) for this purpose. The thesis analyses the history and evolution of international human rights law and their relationship to the myth of b Asian valuesb and ties this in with the democratic and national-building experiences of five ASEAN states b Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines to explain the reticent attitude the ASEAN region has towards human rights. The thesis goes on to postulate that international, regional and national initiatives must be seriously adhered to if the success of this regional human rights body and progress on the highly-prized right to development are to be achieved.