Summary Information
Abstract
Record Group 6 documents Asia Watch's (AW) three-branched program of
documentation, campaigning, and lobbying in order to promote the observance of
internationally recognized human rights norms throughout the region. Utilizing this
paradigm, for example, AW tackled such difficult issues as economic aid and
democratization efforts; the plight of political prisoners and refugees; the
advancement of the freedom of expression, the suppression of political violence in
Indonesia and Sri Lanka; and the effect of AIDS and prostitution on women. In the
late 1990s, AW expanded its mission by seeking allies within the NGO and business
communities in Europe and Japan in order to bring more direct pressure on human
rights offenders.
At a Glance
| Call No.: | HR#0002 |
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| Bib ID: | 7748599 View CLIO record |
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| Creator(s): | Human Rights Watch (Organization) |
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| Title: | Asia Watch
records,
1978-1997
[Bulk, 1987-1997].
|
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| Physical description: | 152.5 linear ft. (122 record cartons)
|
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| Language(s): | In Chinese,
Dutch,
English,
Filipino,
Indonesian,
Japanese,
Korean,
Persian,
Tamil,
and Vietnamese.
|
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| Access: |
This collection is located off-site. Please consult the Rare Book and Manuscript
Library for further information.
The records of Human Rights Watch are restricted and require the permission of the
organization to view, copy, and/or publish. If you wish to request boxes from this
collection, please send an email to rbml@columbia.edu detailing the collection,
series, and box numbers in which you are interested. Once Human Rights Watch has
reviewed the request, the scholar and the Rare Book and Manuscript Library will be
contacted with specific instructions.
More information » |
|---|
Arrangement
Arrangement
This Record Group is arranged into 6 series:
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Description
Scope and Content
Materials include correspondence and e-mail communications, mission reports,
testimonies and interviews, addresses and contact lists, confidential interoffice
memos, legal and advocacy material, internal planning and policy material,
declassified government and United Nations documents, published and unpublished
human rights reports from individuals and fellow non-governmental organizations
(NGOs), press clippings and news releases, and maps. Another category of documents
consists of HRW reports and briefing papers, as well as press releases and open
letters to heads of state, governments and various government agencies.
Materials related to missions contain unpublished information on sources, cases, and
the state of affairs in various countries. They include professional and personal
mission notes taken by AW country researchers during investigative missions,
testimonies by and interviews with victims of various human rights abuses,
pre-mission and post-mission memos, addresses and contact lists.
Thematically, these documents deal with the various political and social transitions
in Asia. The papers comprise such human rights advocacy initiatives as the attempt
to alleviate the plight of political prisoners and refugees; the promotion of
freedom of expression; the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre; the
suppression of political violence in Indonesia and Sri Lanka; and the effect of Aids
and prostitution on women.
Series 1: Robin Munro, China Files, 1979-1993
This series contains files relating to Robin Munro's work as HRW/Asia Watch
chief China researcher from 1989 to 1998. The alphabetically arranged files
focus predominantly on the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and their
aftermath. Files include materials on dissident intellectuals, drafts of
articles and press reports.
Series 2: Country Files, 1978-1997
Country files are arranged alphabetically and represent the following
nations: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma,
Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Maldives, Malaysia,
Mongolia, Nepal, New Caledonia, North Korea, Pakistan, Philippines,
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tibet, and Vietnam. The files contain
correspondence, mission notes and predominantly research files utilized in
the compilation of Asia Watch publications and reports produced from 1987 to
1997.
Series 3: General Files, 1988-1997
General files are arranged alphabetically by subject. Subject files consist
of newsletters, press releases, reports and project materials dealing with
women's issues and the World Bank.
Series 4: Jeannine Guthrie, Sri Lanka Files1985-1997
This series consists of subject files associated with Jeannine Guthrie's work
as a research associate for Sri Lankan issues and later as NGO Liaison. The
files are arranged alphabetically and comprise such issues as military
operations, refugees, and women's rights.
Series 5: Fraser Wood, China Files, 1989-1992
Fraser Wood worked as a research associate for Human Rights Watch/Asia from
1989 to 1992. This series is arranged alphabetically by subject. The files
contain materials associated with groups affected by the aftermath of the
Tiananmen Square Massacre such as journalists, political prisoners, and
students.
Series 6: Mickey Spiegel, China Files, 1985-1991
Mickey Spiegel has been with Human Rights Watch since 1990 with
responsibilities for work on China and Tibet. Among the reports she has
authored and coauthored are a series on religious freedom in the People's
Republic of China, a directory of political prisoners, and profiles of
Tibetans in exile. This series is arranged alphabetically by subject.
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Using the Collection
Offsite
Access Restrictions
This collection is located off-site. Please consult the Rare Book and Manuscript
Library for further information.
More information and link to off-site request form
The records of Human Rights Watch are restricted and require the permission of the
organization to view, copy, and/or publish. If you wish to request boxes from this
collection, please send an email to rbml@columbia.edu detailing the collection,
series, and box numbers in which you are interested. Once Human Rights Watch has
reviewed the request, the scholar and the Rare Book and Manuscript Library will be
contacted with specific instructions.
Restrictions on Use
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish material
from the collection must be requested from the Curator of Manuscripts/University
Archivist, Rare Book and Manuscript Library (RBML). The RBML approves permission to
publish that which it physically owns; the responsibility to secure copyright
permission rests with the patron.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Human Rights Watch Records, Record
Group, Box Number; Center for Human Rights Documentation and Research, Rare Book and
Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
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About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries. Rare Book and
Manuscript Library; machine readable finding aid created by Columbia University
Libraries Digital Library Program Division
Processing Information
Papers processed 2008 Christopher M. Laico
Finding Aid written 2008 Christopher M. Laico
Machine readable finding aid generated from MARC-AMC source via XSLT
conversion November 26, 2012
Finding aid written in English.
Finding aid adheres to that prscribed by
Describing
Archives: A Content Standard
2012-11-26
xml document instance created by Christopher M. Laico
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Subject Headings
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
All links open new windows.
Subjects
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History / Biographical Note
Historical Note
This Record Group contains the records of Human Rights
Watch/Asia (AW). Established in 1985, Asia Watch monitors and promotes the
observance of internationally recognized human rights in Asia. Since its founding,
AW has kept refining a three-pronged strategy of documentation, campaigning, and
lobbying to expose abuses in the region. By the late 1980s, this strategy came to
fruition with regard to China. To illustrate, even before the Tiananmen Square
Massacre, AW had been working with Chinese human rights groups to support efforts to
record the plight of Chinese political prisoners. In early May 1989, in turn, an AW
mission traveled to Beijing in order to speak with pro-democracy demonstrators.
These labors were combined with first-hand reports and lobbying campaigns before
Congress. Asia Watch China Specialist, Robin Munro, for example, wrote an eyewitness
account of the Tiananmen Square Massacre. AW executive staff, in turn, became vocal
advocates for sanctions against China on Capitol Hill. Finally, AW set up a branch
headquarters in Hong Kong. This office enabled AW to tap into the extensive
information-gathering network in Hong Kong. It also facilitated work on behalf of
pro-democracy activists who escaped there after the massacre.
Through the 1990s, through their three-pronged model, AW
had expanded the number of countries it covered, the issues it addressed and the
advocacy techniques it employed in the region. AW, for example, began seeking allies
within the NGO and business communities in Europe and Japan in order to bring more
direct pressure on human rights offenders in Asia.
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