DTP E-Newsletter 189
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DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM

Building the capacity of Asia-Pacific
Human Rights Movements since 1990

In this first issue of DTP E-News for the year we highlight the activities of DTP alumni, share news from the region, information on new resources and jobs and calls from the UN for your engagement. We profile alumnus Anselmo Lee, who has over 30 years of service to human rights in the region.

We also note that it is the 3rd Anniversary of the military junta’s failed coup in Myanmar and that Myanmar’s civilians, especially women and children continue to bear the harshest impacts of this humanitarian crisis. The need for solidarity for those working for the restoration of democracy is greater than ever.

Finally we were saddened to learn in January of the death of long-time DTP supporter and friend Jim Hart. READ MORE

We wish all our readers a fruitful and safe 2024.

 

DTP Programs

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS - UNDRIP WEBINAR SERIES: DTP, in partnership with Oxfam Australia, is launching a new webinar series on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to begin in March. We will shortly be reaching out to alumni and partners by email for advice and input into the series. More information to follow.

DTP CHILD RIGHTS AND THE NEW GENERAL COMMENT 26 WEBINAR SERIES: The final webinar in the series - Children's Rights and Climate Change: Australia and the Pacific - was held on 12 December. Speakers include Justice Vui Clarence Nelson, former Vice-Chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and Tamara Logan, Save the Children. WATCH HERE

32nd ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEOPLES' DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM: Timor-Leste 2024 – in partnership with Justice System Monitoring Project and Human Rights Centre, UNTL – AIPP, FORUM-ASIA, PIANGO and MFA. More information to follow. Report of 31st Annual Program AVAILABLE HERE

DTP ALUMNI - NETWORKING SURVEY: DTP surveyed its alumni from 1990–2023 on networking. A big thanks to the 250 plus alumni who responded. READ THE REPORT

 

Human Rights Day 2023

DTP alumni marked the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with a number of events hosted in conjunction with Australian Embassies around Human Rights Day.

Australian Ambassador Felicity Volk with DTP alumni at Human Rights Day reception in Nepal. Credit: DFAT

NEPAL

Ambassador Felicity Volk held a reception including DTP alumni and partners in Kathmandu. Alumna Bijaya Shrestha (head of anti-trafficking NGO, AMKAS) spoke at the event, along with Advocate Shankar Limbu (Vice-Chair of LAHURNIP).

READ MORE
Youth panelists at the UDHR @75 event in Colombo. Credit: DFAT

SRI LANKA

DTP alumni along with trainer Ruki Fernando joined Australian High Commissioner HE Paul Stephens for a special event for UDHR@75 in Colombo, engaging young people to reflect on contemporary challenges to human rights. Speakers focused on the important role of civil society and the unique role of youth activists have.

READ MORE
 

Alumni Profile

Anselmo Lee
Anselmo is one of the Asia’s most prominent and experienced human rights advocates, with decades of experience and contributions to human rights and civil society movements in Asia. He is Regional Coordinator at the Asia Civil Society Partnership for Sustainable Development (APSD), board member at the May 18 Memorial Foundation in Gwangju, Korea, and an adjunct professor at Kyunghee, SungKongHoe and Ajou University teaching on human rights and SDGs, global governance and NGOs.
 
"When I participated in the DTP training in 1995, I was in the early stages of my career. DTP training was an eye-opener for me as it bridged the gap between the theories of human rights and their practical application in advocacy... Overall, DTP training formed the foundational knowledge of my understanding of human rights advocacy."
READ MORE
Photo of Anselmo Lee. Credit: Anselmo Lee
 

DTP Alumni in Action

For information about our alumni, click here. If you want to get in contact with any of DTP's alumni, please contact the office at [email protected].

Photo of DTP staff with alumni Sabela Gayo (4th from left) and Yotam Wakum (fifth from left) and Indonesian Dispute Board members. Credit: DTP

INDONESIA

DTP alumni Sabela Gayo and Yotam Wakum visited the Diplomacy Training Program offices sharing about their current work in Indonesia which is focused on alternative dispute resolution

READ MORE
Photo of Binota Moy Dhamai. Credit: Binota Moy Dhamai

AUSTRALIA

Binota Dhamai shares news of UN Human Rights Committee finding that Australia had breached the cultural rights of the Wunna Nyiyaparli.

READ MORE
Photo of Elizabeth Gamarra. Credit: Elizabeth Gamarra

GLOBAL

DTP congratulates Elizabeth Gamarra on her selection for the Atlantic Dialogue in the emerging leaders program

READ MORE
Banners and signs at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 7, 2023. Rights groups have called for the Malaysian government to fulfill their promises to mothers of overseas-born children and withdraw certain amendment of the Federal Constitution on citizenship rights. Credit: CNA/Fadza Ishak

MALAYSIA

Bina Ramanand shares Family Frontiers media release highlighting UPR recommendations calling for the Malaysian government to reform the law to guarantee Malaysian citizenship to the overseas-born children of Malaysian mothers.

READ MORE
World Social Forum Nepal logo. Credit: World Social Forum

GLOBAL

Boonthan Verawongse shares invitation to participate in the World Social Forum from 15 to 19 Feb in Nepal (in person/hybrid). Panels will focus on "Peace and Climate", "Democracy and Human Rights, Racism, Fascism, Freedom of Expression in the Digital Age..." and "Feminism, Women's Movements and Diversity.

READ MORE
Military Commander, Major General Izak Pangemanan (fourth from right), said his personnel did not shoot civilians at press conference. Credit: BBC

INDONESIA / WEST PAPUA

Alumni share information on the victims of clashes between the Indonesia military and the West Papua Liberation Army. BBC Indonesia also carried reports of the violence and the deaths of civilians and heightened levels of conflict.

READ MORE
Andress Hamenda and family at receipt of award Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship completion. Credit: Andress Hamenda

INDONESIA

DTP congratulates Andress Hamenda on his recent academic success - award from President Joe Biden on completion of his Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship and being name one of the 40 impactful Chevening alumni as part of the Chevening 40 Years of Impact Celebration.

READ MORE
Photo of Tevita Naikasowalu presenting at the 12th UN Forum on Business and Human Rights

FIJI

Tevita Naikasowalu was a panelist at the Practical Approaches towards Climate Action in the Pacific at last year's 12th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights.

WATCH PART OF HIS PRESENTATION
Participants at GFMD side event. Credit: Sumitha Kishna

GLOBAL

DTP alumni Sumitha Kishna, Ellene Sana and MFA Coordinator William Gois led side-events at the 14th Global Forum on Migration and Development Summit in Jan 2024 with a focus on climate change and migration.

VIEW PHOTOS
A nearly empty street near the Shwe Dagon Pagoda during a "silent strike" to protest and to mark the third anniversary of the military coup in Yangon on Feb. 1, 2024. Credit: AFP

MYANMAR

Last week marked the third anniversary of the coup in Myanmar. A number of alumni were involved in activities marking the anniversary. Some of these include:

  • Myanmar at standstill as silent strike marks third anniversary of coup. READ MORE
  • Joint Statement of Thai-Myanmar Activists on Resilience and Resistance; Reflecting on Three Years Since the Myanmar Military Coup READ MORE
  • Laddawan Tantivitayaitak shared a reel from the opening of the Burma art exhibition "Thread Under Threat: Myanmar Women Out of the 3-Year Coup Shadow" by artist Chuu Wai - organised by SEAJunction at the Bangkok Arts & Cultural Center. WATCH THE REEL
 

Partner News
Casting a voting ballot. Credit: Stock image

FORUM-ASIA and CIVICUS joined other CSOs demanding the release of political prisoners and call for fresh elections following Bangladesh's January election generally seen as tainted READ MORE

ASIA INDIGENOUS PEOPLES PACT call for expression of Interest for Consultancy for Gender Analysis and Review of Safety and Security Policy of AIPP, deadline 16 February READ MORE

ASIA INDIGENOUS PEOPLES PACT and partners holding side event at the 11th Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) - “Securing rights to land, territories and resources (LTR) enables to address poverty, hunger, climate change, and peace and security”, 21 February 11.30am BKK REGISTER HERE
 

News from the Region
Former Thai prime ministerial candidate and ex-Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat (C) speaks to the media outside the Constitutional Court in Bangkok on January 24, 2024, after the court decided to reinstate him as a lawmaker. Credit: Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images

THAILAND ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights welcome the Constitutional Court decision to confirm Pita Limjaroenrat’s seat in parliament while condemning the non-elected Senators vote to bar him from forming the government READ MORE

INDONESIA DTP Advisory Council Member Pat Walsh documents why Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto should be rejected as unfit for office READ MORE

AUSTRALIA DTP Trainer and Queensland Family and Child Commissioner Natalie Lewis joins in condemnation of treatment of children in Queensland watch houses READ MORE

MYANMAR The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar documents security forces indiscriminately and disproportionately targeting civilians and conducts air strikes on places of worship READ MORE

CAMBODIA HRW calls for the immediate release of Ny Nak arrested for criticising Minister of Labor Heng Sour in a post on Facebook READ MORE

MYANMAR/AUSTRALIA Justice for Myanmar reports that Australian-linked mining companies are continuing to help to support the military junta through the junta-dominated mining sector READ MORE
 

UN News and Calls to Contribute
UN Headquarters Geneva under snow. Credit: UN

Application of digital technologies in the administration of justice - Report to the General Assembly on human rights in the administration of justice, deadline 9 March READ MORE

Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples calls for input on his report on Indigenous persons with disabilities, deadline 15 February READ MORE

Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights calls for input to draft Guiding Principles on Sanctions, Compliance (Over-Compliance) and Human Rights, deadline 30 April READ MORE

OHCHR Call for inputs on the solutions to promote digital education for young people and to ensure their protection from online threats, deadline 16 February READ MORE
 

Funding and Job Opportunities

Application for the Obama Foundation's 2024 Leaders Asia-Pacific program is open till 9 February READ MORE

Applications for the Australia Awards Scholarships 2025 to undertake full time undergraduate or postgraduate study at participating Australian universities and Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions are now open. Visit the Australian Embassy website for your country for in-country information sessions. Deadline 30 April READ MORE

Myanmar Research Network at University of Melbourne is calling for expressions of interest for the Myanmar Australia Visiting Fellowship Program, deadline 29 February READ MORE
 

Events

Myanmar Women Parliamentarians Network Regional Exchange on Women’s Political Participation in post-coup Myanmar, 28 March 2024 on Zoom. READ MORE
 

Resources

Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-determination and Liberation: IP Tenurial Rights, Key Initiatives, Issues & Challenges DOWNLOAD HERE
 

Please donate

DTP relies on donations to provide quality training to human rights defenders so that they can promote and protect human rights effectively in their societies. Please help if you can and donate here. Donations over $2 are tax-deductible.

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We want to hear from you

One of DTP's strengths is you, our alumni and networks. If you have news, opinion pieces, resources or examples of best practice to share, or have questions on human rights, please send them to us at [email protected]. Please stay safe.

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Diplomacy Training Program
ABN 31 003 925 148

https://dtp.org.au/

+ (61 2) 9385 3549
[email protected]

DTP acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we work, the Bedegal people of the Eora Nation. We recognise their lands were never ceded, and we acknowledge their struggles for recognition and rights and pay our respects to the Elders – past, present – and the youth who are working towards a brighter tomorrow. This continent always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

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