New plan to halt human rights abuse

The Department of Rights and Liberties Protection is close to finishing a national action plan to address human rights abuse by state agencies and business enterprises, a seminar was told yesterday.

Speaking at “National Dialogue on Business and Human Rights 2018: Human Rights System Management”, Pitikan Sithidej, the department’s director-general, said the country has seen a sharp increase in complaints of human rights abuse by development projects undertaken by state agencies and businesses.

She said the proposed action plan will make sure that state agencies and corporations respect human rights and provide access to remedies for those who have suffered abuse.

The national action plan is expected to be forwarded to the cabinet for consideration in June, she said.

According to Ms Pitikan, government agencies and state enterprises will also be expected to come up with clear business plans that do not violate the human rights of communities in which they invest.

The forum, attended by representatives of 55 government and state enterprise agencies, came ahead of a visit by the Working Group on Business Enterprises attached to the United Nations Human Rights Office between March 25 and April 4.

Ekniti Nitithanprapas, chief of the State Enterprise Policy Office, has stressed the need to uphold human rights to avoid threats such as trade bans.

According to Mr Ekniti, the import ban threatened by the European Union over illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and use of slave labour is an example of efforts to hold corporations accountable for their human rights performance.

He said the Finance Ministry, which holds shares in state enterprises, should also play a more active role by keeping investors informed that they have a responsibility regarding human rights and can positively contribute to community development.

Seree Nonthasoot, the Thai representative to the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, has admitted that the extent of such abuses remains a concern.

“Government and state enterprise agencies need to know what risks they face and find tools to mitigate them to comply with the principles on business and human rights,” he said.