Down to brutal basics in war-torn Ukraine

Visiting rights defender wants to emphasise the human aspects of the war with Russia, writes Anucha Charoenpo

- Anucha Charoenpo

Oleksandra Matviichuk, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 for her efforts to document war crimes, human rights abuses and power abuse, has called on Asian governments to play a greater role in addressing the humanitarian consequences of Russia's war against Ukraine.

In an interview with the Bangkok Post during her first visit to Taiwan, the Philippines and Thailand, Ms Matviichuk, head of the Center for Civil Liberties in Ukraine, said: "You can't be neutral to human suffering. This is not geopolitics, this is a very human question."

She said Thailand should begin a dialogue with Russia to help address urgent humanitarian issues.

Speaking about her visit, she said she wanted to use the opportunity to establish "horizontal ties" between people in Ukraine and those in Asia, to learn from each other and highlight the human dimension of the war.

Her time in Thailand was short, consisting of a public lecture, media interviews and a handful of meetings. "It is a very brief visit," she said, adding she hopes to return to meet more officials and human rights colleagues. Despite the limited schedule, she emphasised the importance of making her voice heard, believing even a short stay could spark dialogue and solidarity.

In Bangkok, she was the keynote speaker at the Institute of Security and International Studies forum entitled "War against Ukraine: Humanitarian Challenges, Peace Prospects and Implications for Asean & Geopolitics in East Asia". Later that evening she met the foreign press at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand (FCCT).