Editor’s Note (updated 26/09/2024): In a previous version of this article, we reported allegations regarding two executions in Myanmar, based on statements from ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights and Forum Asia. Recent reports from The Irrawaddy suggest that these allegations may be part of a disinformation campaign by the Myanmar junta. We urge our readers to approach this information with caution.

FORUM-ASIA and ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) have strongly condemned the Myanmar military junta for the execution of pro-democracy activists Maung Kaung Htet and his wife, Chan Myae Thu, on 23 September 2024.

The couple was executed at 4:00 AM Myanmar time for their alleged involvement in the October 2022 Insein Prison bombing in Yangon. These executions are part of an escalating crackdown on dissent under the military’s rule.

Mary Aileen Diez-Bacalso, Executive Director of FORUM-ASIA, criticized the use of the death penalty as a tactic to instill fear and silence opposition, noting that the executions were carried out without due process. She called for immediate international action to hold the junta accountable for its ongoing human rights abuses.

Echoing these concerns, APHR also condemned the executions, expressing deep condolences to the families of the victims.

Mercy Chriesty Barends, Chairperson of APHR and a member of Indonesia’s House of Representatives, urged ASEAN foreign ministers to take a stronger stance. “Break the silence now. ASEAN foreign ministers must speak up against the SAC execution policy,” Barends said. She highlighted that Chan Myae Thu was the first woman executed by the junta since its February 2021 coup, according to the Women’s Peace Network.

APHR Board Member and Philippine parliamentarian Arlene D. Brosas voiced grave concerns about the death penalty being used to suppress dissent in Myanmar.

“We are gravely concerned that the death penalty is being used to silence persons with dissenting views in Myanmar,” she said, pointing to the broader implications for human rights in the country.

Both FORUM-ASIA and APHR expressed alarm over the junta’s plans to execute five more political prisoners—Kaung Pyae Sone Oo, Kyaw Win Soe, San Min Aung, Zayyar Phyo, and Myat Phyo Pwint—on 24 September 2024.

These individuals were sentenced to death in May 2023 following a closed-door civilian trial at Yangon’s Insein Prison. The five were accused of involvement in a 2021 shooting on the Yangon Circular Railway that resulted in the deaths of four police officers. APHR reported that these prisoners were subjected to brutal torture and sexual violence and denied access to legal counsel during their detention.

APHR Co-Chairperson and former Malaysian parliamentarian Charles Santiago called for immediate action. “This must stop. ASEAN foreign ministers must denounce such an unjust act. They must be united to push the SAC to terminate their execution and release them from prison,” Santiago urged.

The planned executions come amid a broader wave of repression in Myanmar. Since resuming executions in 2022 after a 40-year moratorium, the military junta has increasingly used the death penalty as a tool to suppress dissent.

That year, four pro-democracy activists were executed following convictions on terrorism charges, with their trials condemned for their lack of transparency and due process.

According to APHR, the military junta plans to execute over 120 more detainees in the coming weeks, many of whom are activists and human rights defenders.

APHR reports that 15 of those facing imminent execution are women human rights defenders. The organization highlighted the arrest and detention of more than 27,000 people since the junta seized power in February 2021, alongside allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and even genocide committed by the junta.

As Myanmar’s crisis deepens, both FORUM-ASIA and APHR have called for the international community, particularly ASEAN, to step up efforts to end the impunity under which the junta operates.

Barends and Santiago emphasized that merely condemning the junta’s actions is no longer enough. There is an urgent need for concrete international measures to hold Myanmar’s State Administration Council (SAC) accountable and prevent further atrocities.

The Myanmar military has faced mounting criticism for its widespread human rights violations since the February 2021 coup, which toppled the democratically elected government.

The junta has cracked down violently on protests, arresting thousands of political opponents, activists, and civilians in what rights groups describe as a campaign of terror aimed at stifling all forms of dissent.

FORUM-ASIA and APHR’s calls for intervention focus on preventing further executions and ensuring that the international community holds the junta responsible for its human rights abuses.

Both organizations have stressed the importance of united action by ASEAN and global powers to prevent the Myanmar crisis from escalating further.

A coalition of environmental, human rights, and Indigenous organizations is urging the European Union (EU) to classify Malaysia’s Sarawak state as “high risk” under its new anti-deforestation regulation. Sarawak, home to millions of hectares of ancient rainforests, faces severe deforestation risks and violations of Indigenous peoples’ rights, according to a joint assessment by groups including Human Rights Watch, RimbaWatch, and SAVE Rivers.

The call to action comes ahead of the EU’s pending decision to categorize regions based on their deforestation risks under the new law.

The EU Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR), set to be enforced from January 2025, aims to curb the import of commodities like timber and palm oil linked to deforestation and human rights violations.

Sarawak’s history of deforestation, especially for timber and oil palm plantations, makes it a significant concern. A high-risk designation under the EUDR would lead to stricter import checks and increased due diligence requirements for EU companies dealing with products from Sarawak.

Land Rights Violations and Deforestation Concerns

The coalition’s analysis highlights Sarawak’s controversial land laws, which undermine Indigenous land rights while promoting commercial exploitation of the state’s forests.

According to Luciana Téllez Chávez, senior environment and human rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, Sarawak’s land code places “insurmountable obstacles” on Indigenous communities’ ability to gain legal recognition for their ancestral lands.

These laws allow companies to operate with impunity, often disregarding Indigenous land claims. The coalition argues that Sarawak’s record justifies a “high risk” classification, which would necessitate increased oversight of timber and palm oil imports into the EU.

Sarawak’s ambitious plans to expand industrial timber plantations, aiming to establish one million hectares by 2025, are another point of concern.

Achieving this goal would require converting over 400,000 hectares of naturally regenerating forests between 2022 and 2025. This trend poses a significant threat to biodiversity and the rights of Indigenous peoples.

Deficiencies in Certification and Transparency

Despite Sarawak’s reliance on the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS), civil society organizations have flagged significant flaws in the program.

Local activists argue that MTCS does not adequately protect Indigenous rights or prevent deforestation. Celine Lim, managing director of SAVE Rivers, emphasizes that logging continues on Indigenous lands without proper consultation or consent, further eroding trust in certification standards.

Additionally, Sarawak’s opaque land management practices hinder transparency. The state has not made available comprehensive data on Indigenous lands or disclosed the locations of leases granted to logging and palm oil companies.

This lack of transparency prevents Indigenous communities and civil society from holding companies and the government accountable.

EU’s Role in Enforcing Sustainable Practices

Under the EUDR, the European Commission will classify regions as “low, standard, or high risk” by the end of 2024.

A high-risk designation for Sarawak would mandate EU member states to triple their customs checks on imports of wood and palm oil products from the region.

EU-based companies would also need to conduct more rigorous checks to mitigate environmental and human rights violations linked to these products. This process would require close collaboration between the EU and Malaysian authorities to reduce risks and ensure compliance with the new regulation.

Sarawak’s timber and palm oil exports to the EU have been significant in recent years. According to a Sarawak government report, the state exported at least MYR 37.3 million (€7.8 million) worth of timber to EU countries like the Netherlands, France, and Greece in 2023.

The EU remains the third-largest market for Malaysian palm oil exports, underscoring the importance of Sarawak’s compliance with international sustainability standards.

Challenges in Malaysian Government Response

The Malaysian government has pushed back against the EUDR, criticizing its definitions and monitoring processes.

The government contends that industrial timber plantations, which involve replacing natural forests with single-species plantations, should not be classified as deforestation. Critics argue that this stance overlooks the environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity associated with such practices.

Adam Farhan, director of RimbaWatch, warns that Malaysia may be attempting to bypass EU restrictions by downplaying the scale of deforestation in timber plantations. Farhan stresses the need for stringent due diligence on Malaysian forest-risk commodities.

The federal government has mandated that palm oil plantations established after 31 December 2019, on deforested land, cannot receive sustainable certification under the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) standard.

However, enforcement remains uncertain, as states hold jurisdiction over land and forest administration. Civil society groups are urging the Malaysian government to strengthen its oversight mechanisms and improve its sustainability certification programs to meet EU requirements.

International and Local Advocacy for Reform

In May 2024, the coalition of civil society organizations submitted recommendations to Malaysia’s federal Plantation and Commodities Ministry, urging reforms to align with international human rights and environmental standards.

Key recommendations include incorporating the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into federal legislation and introducing laws to prevent strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), which are often used to silence critics of deforestation practices. The government has not yet responded to these calls.

As the EU moves forward with its anti-deforestation law, the decision to designate Sarawak as high risk could have far-reaching implications for Malaysia’s timber and palm oil industries. Environmental groups argue that strong enforcement of the EUDR is necessary to prevent further forest loss and protect Indigenous communities’ rights in Sarawak.