January 12, 2006
BANGKOK (AFP) - Key countries across Asia suffered serious setbacks in human rights last year, with the most worrying abuses due to wars and political instability, a US-based watchdog said in its annual report.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned abuses were taking place amid conflicts and political unrest in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand, while giants China and India also suffered violations.
HRW said in its report Thursday that Afghanistan was on the "precipice of again becoming a haven" for human rights abusers, criminals and militant extremists.
Last year the Taliban-led insurgency "escalated into open warfare", while rebels carried out more than 80 suicide bombings.
There were also hundreds of attacks on students, teachers and schools during 2006, a sharp rise on previous years.
Much of last year's violence was driven by opium poppy production which exceeded 2005's crop by 60 percent and generated nearly half of the country's income and 92 percent of the world's supply of heroin, the group said.
Abuses were exacerbated by poor governance and corruption of the government of President Hamid Karzai, it added.
In Sri Lanka, an upsurge in fighting between government troops and the Tamil Tigers has "resulted in a dramatic increase in serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law."
Military-ruled Myanmar came in for criticism over its continued detention of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as for gross abuses in its battle against ethnic minorities.
"In the conflict areas, human rights violations such as forced labor for Burmese army units, rape of women and girls, and summary executions continue," the report said.
A military coup in neighbouring Thailand avoided any violence, but HRW said the erosion of liberties that began under ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra had worsened since the takeover.
The group also accused both the government and Islamic separatists in southern Thailand of killings and other abuses in a conflict that has killed 1,800 over three years.
Amid political instability in Bangladesh, HRW said the country's "already poor human rights record worsened, as security forces continued to commit numerous abuses, including extrajudicial killings, excessive use of force, and custodial torture."
India, widely hailed as the world's largest democracy with a vibrant press and civil society, also came in for stiff criticism over officials and security services that abuse their power, especially in areas of conflict such as Kashmir.
In China, the group said that human rights had "deteriorated significantly" last year as the government reacted to rising social discontent with even tighter controls.
China focused particularly on silencing a loosely organised network of lawyers, journalists and activists seeking justice for victims of official abuses, it said.
One cause for cheer was in Nepal, where Maoist rebels declared an end to a decade-long insurgency and signed a peace deal with the government.
"The human rights situation improved markedly" due to the peace deal, HRW said, while accusing both sides of failing to hold their forces accountable for past violations.