PEF Report: "Refugee Protection in ASEAN: National Failures, Regional Responsibilities"

Published by People's Empowerment Foundation



Countries in Southeast Asia act as origins, transit routes, and destinations for an increasing number of refugees, asylum-seekers, and other forcibly displaced people from the region and other parts of the world. Fleeing conflict, persecution, and other dire circumstances in their home countries, they are continually left vulnerable to a variety of human rights abuses carried out by both state and non-state actors in multiple countries. Sadly, refugee problems are being severely neglected in the context of mixed migration. While regulating the inflows of migrants, governments of popular destination countries lack mechanisms for identifying refugees in need of protection, instead criminalizing them along with other undocumented migrants.

This report aims to highlight key issues and concerns related to refugee protection, or lack thereof, in Southeast Asia by outlining three refugee case studies –-the Rohingya, Khmer Krom, and Lao Hmong -- that reveal several glaring gaps in refugee protection in multiple ASEAN countries. The report considers ASEAN’s recent responses to refugee problems and urges the bloc to affirm refugee rights and strengthen protection throughout the region. Recommendations for developing a regional refugee protection framework are offered to ASEAN.

Click here to read the report