US scores RP rights record

WASHINGTON — The US State Department has included the Philippines in its list of 101 countries with "problematic human rights records."

In a report titled "Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The US Record 2003-2004" released Monday, the State Department said the Philippines generally respected human rights and freedom of religion.

But some elements of the country’s security forces were responsible for extra-judicial killings, disappearances, torture and arbitrary arrest and detention and there were alleged physical abuse of suspects and detainees, the report said.

Other problems noted by the report included widespread corruption in the judicial system and the police force, it said.

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage noted the release of the report coincided with shocking revelations of US human rights violations in Iraq.

"When President Bush expressed his deep disgust and regret (at the criminal abuses of Iraqi prisoners by US soldiers at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison), it wasn’t just his personal reaction as a man of principle. It was also his reaction as the head of state of a country that holds itself to a higher standard, both at home and in our conduct in the world," Armitage said.

"We will indeed hold all who bear any responsibility for these shameful episodes fully accountable," he said.

"At a time when so much world attention is focused on the conduct of American soldiers at Abu Ghraib — and rightly so — we must not forget how much is at stake here at home and around the world," Armitage added.

Unlike country reports on human rights practices covering 196 countries, issued annually by the State Department, The US Record highlights Washington’s efforts to promote human rights and democracy in countries with the worst human rights records.

Armitage said the 101 nations covered were those with problematic human rights records, including "some of America’s most valued allies as well as some of our newest and most important partners in the war on terrorism."

"We hold them all, friend and foe alike, to the same high standards to which we hold ourselves," he added.

The State Department report also said the US Embassy in Manila has sent about 150 personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies to the International Law Enforcement Academy for courses with human rights, ethics, rule of law and anti-corruption components.

The embassy has also coordinated with the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) to train senior executives from law enforcement agencies on ethics, human rights, jail management and US law enforcement standards.

It has also sent senior management officials of the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Bureau of Immigration to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy in Quantico, Virginia for training on similar topics.

The report said the US Department of Homeland Security has provided training to over 1,200 Filipino law enforcement agents and various airport and airline security teams to help them track and identify criminals, including those trafficking in persons.

The US diplomatic mission in the Philippines also said that, at the local level, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has assisted over three dozen municipalities to development and in implementing good governance and anti-corruption programs.

The USAID also supports the Philippine government’s effort to make corruption a high-risk, low-reward activity.

The report said a recently completed project enabled the Department of Education (DepEd) to significantly reduce corruption in the delivery of textbooks.

Only Singapore and Brunei from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were spared criticism in the report.

The report criticized Myanmar’s military junta for continuing to be hostile to all forms of political opposition.

It also accused the junta of extra-judicial killings and rape, forcibly relocating persons, using forced labor, conscripting child soldiers and reestablishing forced conscription of the civilian population into militia units.

The report came as Bush extended for another year trade and investment sanctions on Myanmar and the junta launched a national convention without first releasing democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Over 1,000 people continue to languish in Myanmar’s jails "for the peaceful expression of their political views," the report said.

It also hit out at the "poor" human rights record of Cambodia, Indonesia and Laos.

In Cambodia, the State Department questioned "political killings" and what it called a climate of impunity for violence.

"There were credible reports that some members of the security forces tortured, beat and otherwise abused persons in custody, often to extract confessions," it said.

More than 380 new rights abuse cases were filed in Cambodian courts during the past year, including unlawful arrests, extra-judicial killings and threats and intimidation, as well political threats.

The report said although Indonesia made progress in its transition from decades of repression and authoritarian rule to a more pluralistic and representative democracy, its "overall human rights record remained poor."

Soldiers and police officers committed widespread violations, including extra-judicial killings and torture, notably in provinces of Aceh and Papua, the report said.

It added that "a weak and corrupt judicial system frequently failed to hold violators accountable."

The report noted that the Indonesian military took greater steps to punish human rights abusers within its ranks but — as with the civilian justice system — the punishment in many cases did not match the offense.

In Laos, the security forces were accused of abusing detainees, especially those suspected of insurgent or anti-government activity.

The people of Laos lacked basic freedoms, such as freedom of speech and expression, with the communist government controlling the domestic media, it said. Several political prisoners remain in Lao jails, serving long sentences.

The report cited human rights abuses in Malaysia, which it said resulted from the government’s policy of restriction on certain political and civil rights.

"This policy has led to certain human rights abuses, including detention of persons without charge or trial, limits on the impartiality and independence of the judiciary and restrictions on freedom of the press, association, assembly and religion," it said.

The report said the judiciary had been undermined and accused police of human rights abuses.

The report on Thailand also focused on extra-judicial killings, with the government criticized for the largely unresolved 1,386 narcotic-related deaths during a three-month state sanctioned war on drugs last year.

The Vietnam government was accused of "significantly" restricting freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly and association.