US Issues Report On Brunei Human Rights

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US Issues Report On Brunei Human Rights
By Narissa Noor & Azaraimy HH

Bandar Seri Begawan - The 31st edition of the US Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2007 gave a relatively positive overview of the human rights issues in the Sultanate.

The latest report highlighted the country's strong commitment to family values within the society, the high standard of living, government funding for children's welfare and providing children a healthy and nurturing environment.

Medical care for citizens is widely available, and education is free and compulsory.
It stated that Brunei had no record of its government or its agents committing arbitrary or unlawful killings, including politically-motivated disappearances or prisoner mistreatment, adding that prison conditions met international standards.

On corruption, the police force and the Internal Security Department (ISD) were found to be free of corruption practices.

The Human Rights Report reported on the release of five persons detained in 2004 under the ISA for involvement in a counterfeiting ring. Three other men were also released after serving one year in prison and fined $3,200 (B$5,000) under the Sedition Act for distributing via mobile telephone a satirical video clip depicting immediate members of the royal family.

With regard to fair public trials, it stated the courts appeared to act independently, and there were no known instances of government interference with the judiciary. Released annually by the US State Department, the 2007 report stated that there are no reports of political prisoners or detainees in the Sultanate.

The Borneo Bulletin, the report said, practised self-censorship in its choice of topics to avoid angering the government. However, letters to the editor often included comments critical of government handling of certain social, economic, and environmental issues.

The government, meanwhile, is said to respond to public opinion on topics concerning social or environmental problems and the delay of public services. Furthermore, foreign newspapers were routinely available, although the government must approve their distribution while Internet versions of foreign media were also routinely available.

On Internet freedom, the report highlighted that more than 19,000 households have Internet access and over 176,000 people (nearly half of the population) were Internet users.

With regard to freedom of religion, the report stated that the country's various religious groups coexisted peacefully. It also noted that the government allowed public lion dances to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year.

The latest edition of the Country Reports includes more than 190 countries worldwide and is said to help foster discussion, promote advocacy, measure a country's progress and the improvements that can be made.

The US State Department submits the annual report to the US Congress to comply with the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Trade Act of 1974.

Further in the report, it touched on political participation in which during the year the government held nationwide assemblies of the Mukim and Village Consultative Councils to address social issues at the grassroots level.

According to it, at the end of the year, the Brunei National Development Party (NDP) remained the only registered political party in Brunei.

In March the Brunei People's Awareness Party (PAKAR) lost its registration due to internal leadership disputes. In November the Brunei National Solidarity Party (PPKB), the oldest political party, was deregistered due to its failure to furnish annual reports to the Registrar of Societies.

NDP, as had the other parties prior to deregistration, pledged to support the monarch and the government.

On transparency in the country, the report affirmed that during the year the Legislative Council approved, and the government published, a summary of the fiscal year government budget.
On the treatment of women in the country, it stated that in 2007 there were 111 reported cases of domestic violence against women, resulting in 10 convictions and 101 ongoing investigations.
Education, meanwhile, is free, said the report. It added that education is compulsory, and universal for the first 12 years, after which it is still free but no longer compulsory.

The report said that in January, Brunei became a member of the International Labour Organisation.

Brunei's law prohibits forced or compulsory labour, said the report, and this included child labour. There were no reports of violations of child labour laws.

There is however some isolated reports of non-payment of wages and little or no time-off for some foreign domestic workers, the report said. During the year, the Labour Department recorded 26 complaints by domestic helpers and 108 complaints by corporate/garment workers against employers who failed to pay salaries.

Sixteen of the complaints by domestic workers and 60 of the complaints by corporate/garment workers were resolved, largely by employer compensation payments. Eighteen complainants withdrew their complaints, while the remaining cases were still under investigation. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

We Bruneians are blessed but let us not narrow our vision just to our country and forget the pains of the other citizens of the world.