From the rampant human trafficking in the Malaysia-Thai border, the insecurity of labourers working in the growing informal sectors in the Southeast Asian economy to the ASEAN's reluctance in enforcing human rights protection. These are some of the stories of Southeast Asia captured under the 2009 Southeast Asia Press Alliance (SEAPA) Fellowship. Please click on the title to go to the story's page.

1. Toothless rights body would hurt ASEAN group by Leila Salaverria

No 'biting' is ever required," says Dr. Termsak Chalermpalanupap, ASEAN Director of Political and Security Directorate, describing the role of the ASEAN Human Rights Body. He is responding to criticisms leveled at the AHRB by Southeast Asian civil society organizations who claim that a human rights body without protection powers could not fulfill its mandate. Chalermpalanupap asserts that the body will instead concentrate on consultation, consensus, and respect for sovereignty. These criticisms arise as ASEAN moves to table the AHRB Terms of Reference, which detail the AHRB’s powers and duties, in July at the 42nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting.

2. Hostages and Slaves: The underground world of human trafficking on the Malaysian-Thai border by Wai Moe

“The government has already initiated a few internal investigations, but [the accusations are] baseless,” said Malaysian Home Ministry Secretary Gen Mahmood Adam. Such a dismissive attitude echoes the complacency of Malaysian Border Patrol officials, who work with human trafficking gangs along the Malaysia-Thai border--with Burmese exiles as the currency. Refugees report being transferred from Malaysian detention facilities directly to the gangs, who ask them to bargain with friends or family for their release. If they cannot scrounge up the money, the men are sold as slaves to work on Thai fishing rigs, while the women are compelled into domestic work or are compelled into domestic work or prostitution.

3. Weaving for Survival: Life of Women in East Java by Siriluk Sriprasit

"Home-based workers are invisible to our government," says Sutarti, chairperson of the Association of Indonesian Home-based Women Workers (HWPRI). As much as 93 percent of Indonesian laborers work within the informal economy, rendering them utterly devoid of economic, social, or legal protection. They lack any sort of bargaining power, health care, or formalized system of worker's rights. Most of these 'informal laborers' are women, who set up jury-rigged factories within the home, usually earning less than $2 per day. This article chronicles the struggle of many of these women to be recognized by the government and to forge a place for themselves and their families amid a climate of increasing layoffs, rising prices, and continued prioritization of foreign labor.