Showing 1 - 6 of 6
Rights, freedoms hang in balance
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 30/12/2023
» The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) capped 2023 by celebrating its 75th birthday just before the year's end. As the seminal UN document on human rights, it is closely linked with the four freedoms: namely, freedom of expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear. Where are we in that long march towards their realisation?
UN review shows human rights flaws
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 17/11/2021
» The international human rights system consists primarily of two parts: international human rights treaties to which countries are invited to become parties on the basis of their consent, and the UN's own jurisdiction, through the UN Human Rights Council, covering all countries even if they do not consent to the coverage. The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) belongs to the latter part of the system and Thailand's recent appearance before this process on Nov 10, in public and online, was eye-opening.
Protecting migrants, refugees in our age of conflict
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 07/01/2020
» There are about 270 million international migrants today who cross borders in search of new vistas. Many such as "expatriates" do well. However, many, particularly those who are pushed out of their homes, are caught in a trap of dislocation, dispossession and coercion, often due to armed conflicts, discrimination and violence. The number of forced migrants now stands at about 70 million people globally -- some 30 million who cross borders as "refugees" and some 40 million forced to move in their country of origin as "internally displaced persons".
Human rights and the Asian riddle
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 08/10/2018
» This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a seminal declaration adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948. This document has spawned several international treaties ("conventions") and it has inspired a vast range of actions worldwide to protect human rights on the basis of equality and non-discrimination.
UN must be resolute on Syria
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 20/10/2014
» The war in Syria is deteriorating by the day and wreaks havoc on the daily lives of the population. In its destructive path, there is a vortex of bloody violations enmeshed with increasing extremism. The underlying challenge is this: What is the role of the UN Security Council in tackling this devastating mess?
Talks the only option in Syria's ferocious conflict
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 26/03/2014
» The conflict in Syria began in 2011. At the time, it was part and parcel of the “Arab Spring”, the awakening of Arab people in their quest for democracy and repudiation of authoritarian regimes. The conflict snowballed into a fully-fledged non-international armed conflict (civil war) at the beginning of 2012 and has since turned into an increasingly ferocious and fragmented war, with civilians bearing the brunt of the maelstrom.