DTP E-Newsletter 193
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DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM

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

In line with our focus this year on the impacts of climate change and human rights, in this issue we provide an extract from an Amnesty International course “Human Rights and the Climate Crisis” which identifies the rights that are impacted by climate change ranging from the right to life to the right to self-determination READ MORE

DTP's Board has adopted a new Strategic Plan for 2024-2027 READ MORE

In this issue we profile Sabela Gayo, provide information about DTP's programs, highlight the activities of DTP alumni, share news from the region, and calls from the UN for your engagement.

 

DTP Programs

BUILDING RESILIENCE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY MOVEMENTS - SHARING LESSONS AND BUILDING COLLABORATIONS IN CAPACITY BUILDING: 28-30 May (TBC). DTP and partners are calling for expressions of interest from DTP alumni interested in participating in a Workshop to reflect and share the lessons from capacity building on advocacy for human rights. The workshop aims to develop collaboration on human rights and democracy capacity building in response to the closing civil society spaces and rise in authoritarianism. If you are interested to learn more/participate please contact [email protected]

32nd ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEOPLES' DIPLOMACY TRAINING PROGRAM: Timor-Leste 12-23 August 2024 – at the invitation of President José Ramos-Horta and in partnership with Global Campus of Human Rights, Justice System Monitoring Project and Human Rights Centre, UNTL – AIPP, FORUM-ASIA, PIANGO and MFA. UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Professor Surya Deva has been confirmed as a trainer. Over 600 Expressions of Interest and over 100 applications have been received. READ MORE Report of 31st Annual Program AVAILABLE HERE

2024 HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY AND DIASPORA PROGRAM: 18-19 May. With the Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS). Two-day workshop in Sydney for Refugee and Diaspora Community Leaders. More information to follow. Report of 2023 program AVAILABLE HERE

UN PERMANENT FORUM ON INDIGENOUS ISSUES – Preparatory Program for Youth Delegates and Side-Event with AIPP. DTP and Oxfam Australia will deliver a short online program to help prepare Australian youth delegates to the UNPFII in April. DTP is partnering with AIPP on a side-event at UNPFII in NY. For more info contact [email protected]

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. We are reaching out to alumni and partners to help lead and guide the series. More information to follow. If you are interested contact [email protected]

DTP NETWORKING AND WEBINARS: To continue engaging and knowledge building with DTP alumni, DTP is planning a series of webinars on issues identified as important. Planning is underway for webinars on Deep Sea Mining, and on Human Rights, Digital Rights and Artificial Intelligence. To express interest and/or suggest webinar topics, please contact [email protected]

REPORT OF DTP ASIAN ALUMNI WORKSHOP/TRAINING - 26-27 JUNE 2023: The report from DTP’s first workshop with DTP alumni in Asia is now available. See key recommendations here. We have started to implement the recommendations with new resource pages on the DTP Website, the focus on climate change and investing in developing alumni network – more information to follow. READ THE REPORT

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

 
DTP's Children's Rights logo. Credit: DTP

Child Rights Webinar Series

24 webinars on the Convention on the Rights of the Child are available here. Each webinar features leading child’s rights experts, practitioners and young people exploring the challenges in realising children’s rights in practices.

READ MORE
 

2023 Annual Report

DTP's 2023 Annual Report is now available. It showcases DTP's activity throughout the past year as we returned to face-to-face programs.

READ MORE
Cover of DTP's 2023 Annual report. Credit: DTP
 

Alumni Profile

Sabela Gayo
Dr Sabela Gayo is a human rights defender and lawyer from the Gayo Indigenous Peoples in Aceh, Indonesia. His focus now is on alternate dispute resolution and mediation, seeking to build peace at the community level. He is the founding President of the Indonesia Dispute Board (IDB) and recently visited the DTP offices in Sydney.
 
"In that DTP training I learnt about human rights and how to advocate on Indigenous Peoples rights. The training taught me how to make our voices heard internationally by using the UN mechanisms including the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of the Indigenous Peoples."
READ MORE
Photo of Sabela Gayo. Credit: DTP
 

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].

Morning Star flag in front of a blue sky. Credit: Free West Papua Campaign

INDONESIA / WEST PAPUA

Wensislaus Fatubun shares news of the torture and death of young Papuan man, Werinus Murib, by the Indonesian army. The torture has been condemned in Indonesia and internationally and the Indonesian army has apologised and reports arresting 13 soldiers believed responsible. WARNING: Graphic and disturbing content.

READ MORE
In a statement today by advocacy group Family Frontiers and its Malaysian Mothers' Network, the Malaysian mothers raised concern about the Malaysian government's Bill — the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024 — which was tabled yesterday. — Picture courtesy of Family Frontiers

MALAYSIA

Bina Ramanand shares the concerns of Family Frontiers and its Malaysian Mothers' Network that the government’s constitutional amendment that grants citizenship to overseas-born children Malaysian citizenship is not retroactive.

READ MORE
Environmental Defenders Eco Dangla III and Joxelle "Jak" Tiong. Credit: APNED

PHILIPPINES

Myrasol dela Cruz shares news of petition for the release of Surface Environmental Defenders Eco Dangla III and Joxelle "Jak" Tiong who are the 22nd and 23rd enforced disappearances under President Marcos Jr’s regime.

SIGN THE PETITION
Painting of people smuggling. Credit: UNODC @ Yasser Rezahi

SOUTH EAST ASIA

Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna shares new UNODC Report “Migrant Smuggling in Southeast Asia” analyses smuggling of migrants by land, sea and air within Southeast Asia, with a focus on Myanmar, Indonesia, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), Viet Nam, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Somalia.

READ MORE
Stil from the documentary Myanmar: the rebel army. Credit: ARTE Reportage

MYANMAR

Ravi Tissera shares documentary on the growing resistance to the Myanmar military coup over 3 years ago. The documentary is produced by ARTE, France and brings new attention to the resistance and efforts to restore democracy in Myanmar.

WATCH THE MOVIE
Nukila Evanty, Chairwoman of the Indigenous Peoples' Initiative (IMA) and Executive Director of the Women Working Group (WWG), at the 2024 Global Summit for Disaster Risk Reduction in Nairobi, Kenya. (Source: Special)

GLOBAL

Nukila Evanty recently participated in the 2024 Global Summit for Disaster Risk Reduction in Nairobi. She was on a panel regarding local wisdom of Indigenous Peoples.

READ MORE
Biak Papua Indigenous Customary Council and the Papua Human Rights Commission convened a group discussion on the recent killings and shooting in West Papua. Credit: Yotam Wakum

INDONESIA / WEST PAPUA

Yotam Wakum shares that the Biak Papua Indigenous Customary Council and the Papua Human Rights Commission convened a group discussion on the recent killings and shooting in West Papua.
 

Partner News
Justice for Wage Theft series 4 cover. Credit: MFA

MIGRANT FORUM IN ASIA The Justice for Wage Theft Campaign, now entering its fourth year, is redoubling its commitment to holding stakeholders accountable for the rightful compensation owed to workers. They have recently released their latest publication. READ MORE

BUSINESS & HUMAN RIGHTS RESOURCE CENTRE documents campaign to stop abuses of workers in the fishing industry in which one out of every five fish is caught through illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and where migrant workers including children are held in slave-like conditions READ MORE

FORUM-ASIA launched their new website. VISIT THE SITE
 

News from the Region
Make Forward Party members. Credit: Fortify Rights

THAILAND Fortify Rights condemns attempts to dissolve the Move Forward Party which won the most votes during Thailand’s elections and says the move makes Thailand ineligible for the UN Human Rights Council READ MORE

INDONESIA/WEST PAPUA In a rare move, the Indonesian military has apologised for the torture and killing of Werinus Murib (see alumni section) and detained 13 military personnel READ MORE
 

UN News and Calls to Contribute
UN headquarters in Geneva with flags of the world in front of the building. Credit: World Vision UK

UN Special Rapporteur on the situation in Myanmar reports Myanmar’s military government is escalating violence against civilians as it faces more setbacks on the battlefield from a range of pro-democracy and ethnic armed groups READ MORE

UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders warns that the continued State efforts to repress and criminalise environmental protests, including direct action and civil disobedience, are a threat to fundamental freedoms and democracy itself READ MORE

Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement calls for inputs: Justice, accountability and redress - Report of the International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement, deadline 24 May READ MORE
 

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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