No protests allowed when ASEAN discusses human rights in Phuket

The Nation’s print edition (15 July 2009) has a noteworthy set of stories on its front page of the National Affairs section.

One headline is “Human Rights High on Agenda at ASEAN Summit” and concerns the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Phuket needing to agree the terms of reference for an ASEAN human rights body. Human rights has seldom been high on the ASEAN agenda and the human rights body has been heavily criticized. As the story explains, “the proposed Asean body has been widely criticised for being toothless in protecting rights in member countries.”

What is noteworthy and lamentable is that this story, which at least engages human rights, surrounds an insert box with this headline: “No Protests Allowed.”

In the online version, this story appears at the end of the abovementioned story. We quote it in full:

“The resort island of Phuket will be off-limits to all protests during the summit next week, when even the delegates and media representatives will be under restrictions.

People have a right to express opinions about Asean – but not in Phuket next week, the Foreign Ministry’s Director of Asean Affairs Department Vitavas Srivihok said.

The island will be under the Internal Security Act and the military, which is in charge of security, will deploy some 10,000 troops there. It will set up checkpoints throughout the island to prevent disruption of the meetings.

Delegates and journalists will not be allowed to move freely in restricted areas near the meeting venue.

All vehicles are required to register before entering the island and unregistered vehicles will not be allowed to cross Sarasin Bridge from the mainland, an official said.

The Internal Security Operational Command (Isoc) is in charge of vehicle control. Registration of vehicles is between 8am-6pm only, meaning vehicles arriving on the island after dark will be in trouble at security checkpoints.

Is it too obvious? ASEAN leaders will sit down to discuss human rights in a situation where the host government has restricted the freedom of assembly, movement and media and effectively put the military will be in charge.