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Article

4 Feb 2015

Author:
Kate Hodal, Guardian (UK)

As ASEAN prepares for single market, many worry that human rights may be sacrificed in favour of big business – Guardian report

“Opportunities and fears as Asean prepares for single market”, 3 February 2015

…[A]s some in the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) anticipate lucrative benefits from deeper trade and economic integration, there are mounting warnings that some communities and even whole countries may lose out because of the risk of human rights being sacrificed to the imperatives of big business…In a recent statement the Asean People’s Forum (APF) – Asean’s largest civil society group – listed a number of problems in the region, among them grave human rights violations…state-sanctioned land grabs…modern-day slavery and lack of corporate responsibility and accountability. Even more worryingly, APF says, companies are profiting from investment-friendly protection measures at the expense of citizens – with certain member states allowing corporations to sue governments over local laws that may hinder their business…