Sombath Somphone & Beyond Project: 15 December 2015
From Thai youth to Laos friends,
We, the youths of Mekong, has come together for Sombath Somphone and Beyond Project since 2013 after the tragedy that occurred to our uncle Sombath Somphone on the fifteenth of December 2013 in Vientiane, Laos. From what we have heard, seen, and witnessed, we come to realize that the lifetime commitment and dedication either in the fields of education or development uncle Sombath has been doing is for nothing but peace in this region.
We, too, believe in peace. This is why we have come together and organized various activities in the past three years from Concert for Peace, Tea Talks, Finding Sombath Around the World, Peace Talks under the title “Liberty, Freedom, Same Same but Different”, a peace journey “Two Years, I remember” from Bangkok all the way to Mekong in Nhong – Khai province, with academic forums to raise awareness for every activity that we held. We have a dream to make peace come true. Peace that allows freedom of expression. Peace that protects one another person. Peace that permits the state and law to fairly govern us. As small action as this might seem to be, we hope this rock we cast will create many ripples across the water. Continue reading “Message from Thai Youth to Lao Friends”
European Development Partners reiterate their strong commitment to promote better lives and the exercise of constitutional human rights for all Lao citizens. We welcome Laos’ acceptance of some of the recommendations of the most recent Universal Periodic Review and we are open to the dialogue on how concerted measures by the government could address its recommendations. In particular, we welcome the government’s reassurance to thoroughly investigate, and report on, the 2012 disappearance of Mr. Sombath Somphone, consistent with international practices and standards. Mr. Sombath has now been missing for over 1,000 days. His disappearance remains an issue of great concern for us. His family is desperately seeking for answers.
