Page 9 - Rights beautiful : collection of Professor Saneh Chamarik

Rights Beautiful Collection of Professor Saneh Chamarik

diversity and discrepancies that we are living with. For all this bold and
continuing endeavour, and on behalf of the NHRC of Thailand, I should like
to express our heart-felt gratitude and deep appreciation. Thanks also to all
the initiatives taken in earnest response to the 1993 Vienna Declaration and
Programme of Action, as kindly described in Prof. Vitit Muntarbhorn’s
concept paper on Roadmap for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism,
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prepared particularly for this 3 Workshop. With his clear mind, I must say,
the paper greatly helps clarify to a new comer like myself as to the relevant
issues involved in international dealing. It is indeed encouraging to learn
that the whole idea draws approval right from the beginning at least on
principle from all the parties concerned: governmental, academic, and civil
society. If I am not mistaken, it is also embraced in the current Thai
foreign policy with emphasis on elevating ASEAN onto “a higher plane of
regionalism”, along with “citizen-centred policy” and “mutual trust and
understanding, mutual benefits, cooperation and partnership not just
between the relevant governments but, equally important, between
respective peoples of those countries”, to quote Foreign Minister Dr.Surakiart
2
Sathirathai’s own words. I do not know if this is in exact consonance with
the former ASEAN Foreign Ministers did resolve to do in 1993, following
the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. Hopefully, all this could
be construed in a positive and creative manner towards the ultimate purpose
of human rights protection and promotion. It is our job to pursue the matter
further.

Towards people-to-people mutual learning
In the same vein and in spite of initial achievements, it is also
important to bear in mind that the task of establishing a human rights
regional mechanism is no simple matter. Saying this is not to minimize

2
Foreign Minister Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai’s speech at the Foreign Correspondent Club of
Thailand (FCCT), The Nation, 20 May, 2003.
OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF THAILAND 3