Category: Lao Government Statements

Vientiane Times: 08 June 2013

The Ministry of Public Security held a press conference in Vientiane on Friday to report on the progress of police investigations into the disappearance of Mr Sombath Somphone.

The Deputy Director General of the ministry’s General Police Department, Colonel Dr Phengsavanh Tiphavongxay, gave the third briefing on police efforts to locate Mr Sombath since he was declared missing on December 15 last year, and the following is the full text of the briefing, exactly as received by Lao media.

[Also available in Lao language at the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

Third briefing on the results of police investigations to locate the whereabouts of Mr Sombath Somphone.

For the purpose of providing further information on the progress of the police authorities’ investigations into the whereabouts of Mr Sombath Somphone, I, on behalf of the committee in charge of the case, would like to inform you of the results of our investigations as follows:

After the two briefings on the results of the investigations to locate the whereabouts of Mr Sombath Somphone that I gave earlier, the committee in charge of the case remains focused on the issue and has continued to investigate and collect information from individuals and organisations concerned from within the country and abroad. The activities undertaken are as follows:

1. We have coordinated and worked with Xamket village authorities of Sikhottabong district, and Xanghuabor village authorities of Xaythany district in Vientiane to collect information on the involvement of the missing person with the Soun Panya Nivet (Ecosystem Knowledge Centre) and Soun Hienhou Suanmai Lao (Lao Horticulture Learning Centre). In addition to this we have also continued to collect information at Nakham village, Sikhottabong district and Khoknin village, Sisattanak district and at some other locations to be used as references for our search operation. Continue reading “Sombath Somphone: Investigation progress report no. 3”

Vientiane Times, 2 March 2013

The Ministry of Public Security held a press conference in Vientiane on Friday to report the progress of the police investigations into the disappearance of Mr Sombath Somphone.

They have released a briefing on their efforts to locate Mr Sombath so far, and the following is the full text of the briefing exactly as received by Lao media.

Second briefing on the result of the police investigations to locate the whereabouts of Mr Sombath Somphone.

For the purpose of further information and proper understanding regarding the ongoing investigations into the incident conducted by the police as assigned by the superior authorities to search for Mr Sombath Somphone, on behalf of the Committee in charge of solving the case I, Colonel Dr Phengsavanh Thiphavongxay, Deputy Director-General of the General Police Department, Ministry of Public Security, would like to provide the second briefing on the result of the investigations as follows:

Following the first briefing on the preliminary result of the investigations to locate the whereabouts of Mr Sombath Somphone on 11 January 2013, we, the Committee in charge of solving the case, continued with great attention to investigate and collect information from individuals and organisations concerned according to the duties and functions of the Committee.

1. On 15-16 January 2013, we continued to collect information related to Mr Sombath from his wife, Mrs Ng Shui Ming, his sister, Ms Phetsamay and his niece, Ms Somchit. We learnt from them that Mr Sombath has close relatives in Khammuan province. Therefore, on 24-25 January 2013, the investigating police authorities coordinated with the provincial police authorities of Khammuan province in collecting information from Mr Sombath’s two brothers and two sisters in Nongbuakham village and Santisouk village, Thakhek district, Khammuan province and could obtain some additional information. On 8 February 2012, the investigating police authorities invited Mrs Ng Shui Meng (Mr Sombath’s wife) and Ms Phetsamay (Mr Sombath’s sister) to come to the Committee with a view to evaluating and discussing together with the Committee ways to continue the search for Mr Sombath and at the same time they were informed of the progress of the investigations. Continue reading “Police report on Sombath Somphone's disappearance”

Vientiane Times, 4 Feb 2013

[Note: The video can be seen here]

(ທ່ານສາມາດອ່ານລາຍງານຂ່າວພາສາລາວທີ່ນີ້.)

The Ministry of Public Security has produced a preliminary report on their ongoing investigations into the disappearance of Mr Sombath Somphone.

Here is the full text of the report as received by the Vientiane Times :
Briefing on the result of the preliminary investigation on the case of Mr Sombath Somphone’s disappearance by Police Colonel Dr Phengsavanh Thipphavongxay, Deputy Director General, General Police Department on 11 January 2013.

• Pursuant to the request for assistance to find a missing person by Ms Ng Shui Meng, spouse of Mr Sombath Somphone, dated 17 December 2012.
• Based on its mandate and legal duty and assignment given by the Minister of Public Security, dated 17 December 2012 to the Department of General Police together with the Vientiane Police Headquarters to conduct the search for Mr Sombath Somphone.
• Based on the establishment of the committee in charge of solving the case in collaboration with the Vientiane Police by the General Police Department No. 1670/PL, dated 20 December 2012.

Following the investigation, information collection, and news from various sources, I, on behalf of the committee in charge of solving this case, would like to brief on the preliminary result of the investigation as follows:

1. There were collaboration and cooperation with various concerned technical departments of the Public Security Ministry and Vientiane Police officers to jointly search for Mr Sombath Somphone, especially to review the information from the CCTV footage of the incident recorded on the date. According to the footage, at 18:03 hours the traffic police conducted a regular random check for car documents, and among those checked cars there was a check on a Jeep resembled to the car reported in the incident. It was found that the driver walked out of the car and went to the area around the back of the Jeep. Continue reading “Police report on the disappearance of Mr Sombath Somphone”

Govt clarifies disappearance of Mr Sombath Somphone

ລັດຖະບານຊີ້ແຈງກ່ຽວກັບກໍລະນີການຫາຍຕົວໄປຂອງທ່ານ ສົມບັດ ສົມພອນ

 Vientiane Times, 04 January 2013

The Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Lao PDR to the UN in Geneva, Yong Chanthalangsy, on Thursday sent a letter clarifying the issue of the disappearance of Mr Sombath Somphone in response to the queries raised by the UN Special Procedures.

The content of the letter is as follows:

As a Member of the United Nations, Laos has always cooperated with the international community, particularly in the promotion and protection of human rights, which is reflected in the country’s implementation of its international obligations and commitments on human rights with achievements being progressively made. Laos is State party to 7 core UN Human Rights Conventions and 2 Optional Protocols. In addition, Laos is also a signatory to the Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Being the fourth nation in Asia to sign this important Convention Laos is currently in the process of preparations for its ratification.

In the implementation of its human rights obligations and commitments the Lao PDR has the Constitution and laws which are in conformity with the treaties to which the Lao PDR is party. Furthermore, Laos has adopted the Legal Sector Master Plan on the Rule of Law by 2020 in order to create enabling conditions for the Lao people to fully enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The Lao government is deeply concerned about the disappearance of Mr Sombath Somphone and attaches importance to the investigations underway in order to find out the truth of this  incident. According to the information from the authorities concerned which was based on the CCTV footage, on the day of the incident, the traffic police were conducting their routine random checks on vehicles at the police post on Thadeua Road in the vicinity of Vatnak village in Sisattanak district, Vientiane. At 6pm the traffic police stopped Mr Sombath’s jeep in order to check his driving licence and car documents as normal procedures. Continue reading “Lao Government statement”

KPL Lao News Agency – 19 December 2012

After having received a notice on the mission of Mr. Sombath Somphone and received the CCTV footage on the incidence from his wife, the authorities concerned of the Lao PDR have checked the initial information obtained, and therefore would like to inform as follows:

On 15 December 2012, the traffic police were conducting their routine random checks on cars at the police outpost on Thadeu road in the vicinity of Watnak village, Sisattanak district, Vientiane Capital. According to the CCTV footage, at 6:00 pm the traffic police stopped the Jeep of Mr Sombath in order to check for driving license and car documents as normal procedures. Being stopped, Mr Sombath walked out from his car to the police to present documents. After the police had checked the documents they returned them to Mr Sombath and continued their duty of checking other cars. Then, a man came on a motorbike parked it near Sombath’s car and rushed to the police outpost direction. A little while after, a man walked to Sombath’s car and was driving it away slowly, according to statement of the Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Missing of Mr. Sombath Somphone, on 19 December.

About 10 minutes later, a pickup truck came with hazard lights flashing. The pickup truck stopped near the police outpost. One man entered the pickup truck and shortly after that another person got on and then got off the pickup truck and then got on the vehicle again.
There was no sign of these two men being forced while getting on the vehicle and it was not possible to identify who they were. Then the pickup truck went away to an unknown destination.

Following the preliminary assessment of the incidence from the CCTV footage, the authorities concerned viewed that, it may be possible Mr. Sombath has been kidnapped perhaps because of a personal conflict or a conflict in business or some other reasons and at this stage the authorities are not in a position to say exactly what has actually happened, why Mr. Sombath has gone missing and who have been involved in the incidence.

In this connection, the authorities concerned are currently and seriously investigating the incidence in order to find out the truth and whereabouts of Mr Sombath.