Amid ongoing concerns, MPs call for ASEAN’s joint action in protecting FoRB in SE Asia

Lawmakers from across Southeast Asia called for ASEAN’s joint action in ensuring freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all people in the region, amid ongoing inter-communal tensions, religious intolerance, as well as discrimination and persecution based on religion or belief.

“Despite commitments by ASEAN member states to protect FoRB, across the region there are still those being discriminated due to their religion or belief, or those being denied their rights to freedom of religion or belief,” said Kasit Piromya, a Board Member of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) and former Thai Member of Parliament (MP). “For example, Rohingya Muslims continue to suffer systemic violence, discrimination and segregation, while Vietnamese religious minorities have faced long-standing persecution on the grounds of their religion or belief.”

“We are still seeing governments in the region enforce repressive laws, criminalize blasphemy, limit civic space, and implement legislation that violates human rights, including the right to FoRB. Linked to this, we are alarmed by the sharp increase in hate speech, some of which has translated into hate crimes and physical violence,” said Piromya. “We call on authorities to undertake greater solidarity and joint actions to tackle these challenges and ensure FoRB for all.”

On 2 December, APHR and the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religionor Belief (IPPFoRB) hosted a virtual meeting of regional lawmakers aimed at increasing collaboration to advance FoRB in Southeast Asia. The meeting was attended by seven lawmakers from Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore, Philippines and Thailand, as part of the Southeast Asia Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (SEAPFoRB), a working group of parliamentarians committed to improving FoRB protection in the region.

SEAPFoRB members discussed issues including the rise of religious intolerance, hate speech and violence extremism, the discrimination and persecution of religious minorities, increased etho-religious nationalism, and the politicization of religion. Some challenges have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly scapegoating and hate speech against religious minorities, and increased restrictions on religious worship under the pretext of social distancing, SEAPFoRB members said.

“As outgoing chair of ASEAN, Vietnam has failed to showcase leadership to its neighbors in protecting its citizens’ rights to FoRB,” said Piromya. “During its chairmanship, Vietnam has continued the intimidation, harassment, physical violence, destruction of property, and imprisonment against religious minorities, solely for peacefully exercising their religious beliefs.”

The mounting challenges for FoRB in the region appear likely to persist as we welcome Brunei Darussalam as the incoming chair. In 2019, Brunei introduced the Syariah Penal Code, which restricts people’s right to freedom of religion and imposes punishments that constitute torture, cruel and inhumane treatment under international law.

Moving forward, SEAPFoRB parliamentarian members have committed to engage ASEAN mechanisms, use their parliamentary mandates, and create broad partnerships to continue to advocate for greater respect of the right to freedom of religion or belief in the region.