What has ASEAN done?

To make sure I don't forget...
-Khmer Rouge was in Cambodia
-Burma = Myanmar

In a region largely bereft of regional organizations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been the most significant multilateral group in Asia for the past forty-five years.

Since its inception in 1967, ASEAN has largely achieved its initial purpose of preventing Southeast Asia from further outbreaks of war following the Indochina Wars, and has also accomplished several notable achievements in the economic and nonproliferation realms.

Southeast Asian Games

The Southeast Asian Games, commonly known as the SEA Games, is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia. The games is under regulation of the Southeast Asian Games Federation with supervision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia.

And other sport events....
Plus bidding for world cup etc. as ASEAN.

ASEAN Defense Industry Collaboration

Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand have established defense industries. To cut cost and plan to be self-sufficient by 2030, Indonesia and Malaysia have agreed to promote the creation of the ASEAN Defense Industry Collaboration (ADIC).[125] The United States military reportedly has said that ADIC could have additional benefits beyond cost savings for ASEAN members, including facilitating a set of standards, similar to NATO, that will improve interoperability among ASEAN and U.S. militaries and increase the effectiveness of regional response to threats to Asia-Pacific peace and stability.

Yet ASEAN today lags woefully behind its full potential. Unlike other regional institutions, i.e. EU. ASEAN does not maintain a peacekeeping force, have the authority to enforce human rights, or posses a formal mechanism for conflict resolution. Most Western leaders and even many of Southeast Asia's top officials do not consider the organization capable of handling serious economic or security challenges, including disputes in the South China Sea.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Non-ASEAN countries have criticised ASEAN for being too soft in its approach to promoting human rights and democracy in the junta-led Burma. Despite global outrage at the military crack-down on peaceful protesters in Yangon, ASEAN has refused to suspend Burma as a member and also rejects proposals for economic sanctions. This has caused concern as the European Union, a potential trade partner, has refused to conduct free trade negotiations at a regional level for these political reasons. The EU, is however in bilateral talks with several ASEAN nations.

Pledging to promote and protect human rights along with democracy, rule of law and good governance, 10 ASEAN leaders adopted the first human rights declaration in the region amid criticism that it falls short of international principles.

“The adoption of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration [AHRD] at the 21st ASEAN Summit will further
promote peace, security, reconciliation and the protection of human rights in the region,” Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Sunday.

Preparing the declaration was one of the key mandates of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), which was established in 2009.

Critics are especially concerned about the lack of transparency during the drafting process and various clauses that detract from fundamental human rights principles.

Over 60 human rights groups issued a joint statement urging ASEAN members to postpone the adoption.

NGOs have threatened to reject and condemn the declaration if ASEAN insists on proceeding with the adoption. Among the NGOs are very prominent organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and several from Indonesia, including the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras).

“The AHRD is not worthy of its name. The declaration as it stands now unquestionably fails to meet existing international human rights standards, let alone add value to them,” the statement reads.