According to highly places sources attending drafting sessions, who asked not to be named because they are authorised to do, after marathon discussion over human rights ahead of the Asean annual meeting, the charter drafters headed by Filipino retired ambassador, Rosario Manalo, agreed to advance the proposed formulation to the Asean foreign ministers to determine whether to adopt a body, organ or commission "to promote and protect human rights of the people in Asean."

"The Asean foreign ministers have to decide whatever instrument or name to be used," said one of the sources.

As it turned out the word "mechanism"--widely used in the press and among the civil society organisationshas been completely ignored. The taboo word often referred to the failed attempt of Asean to establish regional human rights mechanism agreed in 1993 in Bangkok. Little progress has been made since then except on issues and rights related women and child as well as migrant workers.

Core Asean members including Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand view a human rights commission as an important pillar in constructing an Asean community and also in compliance with the UN Human Rights Commission.