Listen to this interview in English here:
Listen to UNPO's Program Officer Julie Duval's insights into Lao human rights issues here:
The Eureopean delegation on European External Action Services-Asian Division has recently participated in Human Rights dialogue and Governance with the Lao PDR Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Department of treaties and laws, which showed some progress but overall the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) Program Officer Julie Duval, UNPO was not contended with the scopes which has been discussed during the meeting, claiming it did not include the rights of minorities, indigenous people [1] and some lingering human rights issues that are still grim. So what are the progress and what needs to be followed up? Maja Cocjiancic, European Commission Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, said that the EU delegation in Asia Division recent meeting with Lao PDR in Brussel was very promising, as Lao officials has shown some willingness to tackle human rights issues nationwide by enacting legislations through its national assembly as governing by the rule of laws which respecting the international human rights standards.
Maja Cocjiancic said that “ May be Laos faces many challenges in the areas of human rights, mostly related to the freedom of expression and freedom of association. But the country also taken commitment also internationally including for example in the context of UN universal periodical review process where it accepts more than 100 recommendations that it needs to follow up. We work together and engage together in also the framework of UN various documents such as UN Charters also relevant documents in the field of human rights. The human rights is one of the dialogue channel that we use to engage, to look how we could work together to find solutions, we engage on sensitive issues and we addressed them in quite concrete details.”
But it is contradicted to the report by the Human Rights in Asia report [2], which Laos only ratified over 80 treaties and rejected 18, including establishing Independent National Human Rights Institution in line with Paris principles suggested by Canada and Germany, freeing prisoners who peacefully demonstrated, ratifying International Human rights Treaties, abolishing capital punishment, ending restriction of freedom of religion and freedom of expression and association as well as inviting human rights rapporteur to investigate human rights issues in Laos. Treaties which Laos has ratified are racial discrimination, civil and political rights, social, economic and cultural rights, discrimination against women, convention against torture, rights of children-sale of children, child prostitution and pornography and child soldier, disabilities rights, and protection of all person from enforced disappearance.
Maja Cocjiancic asserted that “What we are doing as the European is that we are monitoring closely the legislative agenda of the country base on the reform of the legislation which is an ongoing process stated by the Lao authorities. And we are encouraging the authorities to work with them to adopt appropriate legislation in total respect the human rights standards, specifically the national objective of establishing the rule of laws by 2020. Laos has already adopted 7 out of 9 core human rights conventions, and that we noted we left for it to comply for example the international monitoring mechanisms and reports to respected committee for example on the rights of the child, international covenant of political and civil rights, so we see this as a prose that needed to have a clear rhythm and clear commitment and we are following that.”
Though in recent years, Laos has made some progress in regards to human rights issues which attracted the UN Human Rights Council complimentary, and it has invited special rapporteur on children rights and freedom of religion to investigate these issues in Laos, UN human rights councils report showed alarming issues concerning individual cases and the current policies that still infringe freedom of religion or belief social and political rights of Laos people. Some instances of that are the recent disappreance of Vue Mai and Dr.Sombat Somphone which Lao government said it knew nothing about and Lao dissidents working in Thailand who has criticized Lao government of corruption and illegal logging were prosecuted, jailed and they had to confess their wrongdoing against the communist Lao government. For those who convert to Christian are also forced to reverse their belief and are forced out of their villages.
Maja Cocjiancic maintained that “It is very important to note that the authority is engaging and has shown commitment and has shown progress. Obviously it doesn’t mean that the situation is at where we would like it to be not yet, but we have seen commitment and we have seen ongoing work. Off course quite a lots of things to be done and it is also something that was discussed in the context of human rights dialogue but also in terms of other channels of communication that we have and this is something we will continue to do.”
Radio Free Asia (RFA) has also reported that “Laos has set its targets to graduate from least developed country list by 2024 which UN also promised to help Laos to meet its development goals in 2030 that will make Laos a sustainable, equal and prosperous country which living no one behind and becoming an upper middle income country as its president BounNhang Vorachit stated.”[3]
Maja Cocjiancic “There is a project that financed by the EU together with some other countries called citizen engagement for good governance accountability in the rule of laws and this has as an overall objectives increase tranparancy of the legal system by strengthening this institution in particularly the national assembly that will have stronger scrutinizing roles also empowering civil society. And this project was developed together with various means within Lao’s national assembly but also other development partners and also civil society organisations with a view of providing supports more cohesive and more robust rule base system in the country. So it’s an ongoing process, there are obviously issues that needed to be addressed but also we have seen acts in the rights direction.”
Despite all these promising incidents that has occurred in Laos, Dr. Lee Pao Xiong the CEO of United Hmong Vision, UNPO and the Congress of World Hmong People (CWHP) said that there are still Hmong living in Lao’s jungle especially in Phoubia Xaysomboun Province are being pursued by Lao military and are urging United National Human Rights Council to investigate, do fact finding if there is enough ground for such allegation as well as wants the UN to be the mediator to resolve the conflicts between the Lao government and Hmong Chaofa who use to serve the American Secret War, who have been seen by the authority as traitor before it is too late [4]. Dr. Lee Pao Xiong said he wants justice for Hmong and Lao government should respect Hmong as a human being during his complaint case that is ongoing with the United Nations Human Rights Council. However, Lao delegation to UN has refused point blank that it was a baseless claim, because under Lao’s article number 666-176 every ethnic group in Laos enjoy equal rights and those who discriminate any person will be punish under this Penal Law.
Maja Cocjiancic, European Commission Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations would like to conclude that though there are still many obstacle human rights issues is in progress.
Maja Cocjiancic suggested that “Through our delegation in Vientiane and also incorporation with other partners including UN are obviously following Lao’s participating in important human rights conventions very closely. We are also addressing the important of protection of minorities. When it comes to decree of local NGOs and the conditions under which they can work, the European Union has raised and will keep raising these issues with authorities. Stressing that civil society is not only contributing to the development of the country but also should also have a role in formulating policies which this is an indispensable part of the life of the civil society. During or in the march of human rights dialogue, there was also meeting with Belgium NGO directive in the field of human rights specifically women and persons of disabilities, to organise in a way, exchange of views and practices was appreciated. And there was meeting organised by Lao government in Vientiane with developing partners with international and local NGOs where sensitive were happened and discussed.”#.
[1] https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/hmong/hmv/audiotrack/unpos-insights-laos-human-rights-issues-and-hmong?language=hmv
[4] https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/hmong/hmv/audiotrack/untied-hmong-vision-inc-complaint-case-un-human-rights-council-about-lao-pdr-government?language=hmv
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