EMG
Myanmar’s Parliament will review human rights commission bill by the end of this month, according to Director Aung Myo Min from Department of Human Rights Education.
The bill was harshly criticized by civil organizations for not meeting international standards.
Civil organizations met with MPs in Nay Pyi Taw to discuss the bill and key facts pointed out by the MPs will be discussed at the parliament, he added.
“We met with 60 MPs in Nay Pyi Taw. We accepted the key facts they pointed out. Eight MPs signed up to discuss the bill at the parliament. But the bill is not so badly created though it did not meet international standards. It would be better if added with public voices,” he said.
According to the bill, the proportion of government-appointed members in the commission’s member selection board is very high, allowing only one member to participate in the board from non-government organizations.
According to the draft bill, the commission can inspect a local prison on a condition that it must acquire permission to do so in advance. The civil organizations pointed out there are less chance to make a successful investigation on that condition as the prison officials can make prearrangements to hide the truth.
The bill said the commission can request any required information from government departments on a condition that it has no right to acquire information if the departments says it’s confidential.
The civil organizations pointed out that it’s in opposition to Paris Principle, the first International Workshop on National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights held in Paris.
The state-owned media revealed the content of the bill bill on July 7 this year.
democracy for burma 