» by Heu Yee Leung
The end of the Second World War brought a normative shift in international relations as new emphasis was placed
on the issue of human rights. In response, the European, American and eventually African human rights regimes
were established under the European (1960) and American (1968) conventions and the African Charter (1981)
respectively. Notably half a century on, a substantial part of the globe remains untouched by this trend, namely
the region of Asia and the Pacific.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is one institution from which a Southeast Asian human rights
mechanism could realistically be expected to emerge. It is not only one of the most widely recognized forums for
cooperation within the region but, since its inception in 1967, the association has shown the ability to expand in
terms of membership as well as areas of activity. More recently, it has been proposed that events of the late 1990s
could prove to be important catalysts for further change, with the financial crisis and smoke haze disaster signaling a
new role for ASEAN. However, while the association has evolved considerably, the effect and substance of these
changes remains questionable. As international pressure for the adaptation of domestic policies to give greater
attention to human rights mounts , it will be interesting to see how ASEAN, as possibly the single most important
institution of Southeast Asia, will respond. Moreover as the region becomes more open, both internally through
democratization and externally through greater involvement in the global economy, the way in which member
states confront calls for greater respect for human rights will come into focus.
This essay investigates the prospects of building a Southeast Asian human rights mechanism, specifically through
ASEAN. It will begin by looking at the history and tradition of human rights in the region. Then it will discuss
the origins and development of regionalism in Southeast Asia, highlighting the successes and failures of ASEAN
as well as how it differs from other regional arrangements. Finally, this paper will draw attention to the
implications of these features on the possibility of establishing an ASEAN based mechanism for the promotion and
protection of human rights, arguing that while such a project is not impossible it is unlikely to be realised in the
near future. Furthermore, it is far from obvious to what extent such expansion would be desirable both for the
stability of the association as well as the achievement of human rights objectives.
© Heu Yee Leung 2004. To contact the author write to
» hyleung@mail.com
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