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Laos kidnap probe mired in suspicion

Bangkok Post: 15 September 2015

Activist Sombath now missing for 1,000 days

SB & Shuimeng
In this file photo, Lao civil rights activist Sombath Somphone and his wife Shui-Meng are pictured during a 2005 holiday in Bali. The 2012 kidnapping of Mr Sombath, the country’s leading civil rights activist, has revealed the one-party communist Laos, one of the five such regimes in the world, as one of Asia’s most repressive societies. AP

One thousand days after civil society leader Sombath Somphone was abducted at a police checkpoint in Vientiane, Lao authorities say they still have no clues about what may have happened to him.

“It’s been 1,000 days of waiting, 1,000 days of anxiety — and 1,000 days of nothing,” Shui Meng Ng, Mr Sombath’s wife, told a panel held to mark the milestone.

Mr Sombath, a renowned community activist, was last seen on Dec 15, 2012, when he was stopped at a police checkpoint in Laos’ capital city. While his apparent abduction was caught on CCTV camera footage, the probe into the case has stalled.

The video footage shows Mr Sombath being stopped at the police checkpoint and several men forcing him into another vehicle and driving away.

Four days after the activist went missing, a statement from the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged Mr Sombath was stopped at the checkpoint and his jeep was later driven away by another individual. Continue reading “Laos kidnap probe mired in suspicion”

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UN Special Rapporteurs: Draft CSO Decree would Violate International Law

UN LogoOn May 29th, The UN Special Rapporteurs on the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and the situation of human rights defenders sent a letter to the Lao government raising concerns regarding the draft decree on associations and foundations. Excerpts include:

…we would like to bring to the attention of your Excellency’s Government information we have received concerning a draft decree on associations and foundations which would violate international law and standards related to the right to freedom of association and the right to freedom of opinion and expression, if adopted without further changes.

Serious concern is expressed that numerous provisions contained in the draft Decree do not comply with international human rights law and standards pertaining to the freedom of opinion and expression and freedom of association including the ability for associations to operate freely without State’s undue interference.

The full letter is available here.

 

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ONG instan a Laos a investigar “seriamente” la desaparición de un activista

W Radio: 11 Septiembre 2015

Bangkok, 11 sep (EFE).- Un grupo de organizaciones defensoras de los derechos humanos instaron al gobierno de Laos a investigar “de manera seria” la desaparición del activista local Sombath Somphone, cuando hoy se cumplen los 1.000 de su desaparición.

“En Laos ha crecido un miedo entre la sociedad civil de tan solo pronunciar el nombre de Sombath, su desaparición o hasta su trabajo (…) Si esto le pasó ha él, un reconocido activista pro derechos humanos, le puede pasar a cualquiera”, señaló Shui Meng Ng, mujer del activista, en un acto en el Club de Corresponsales de Bangkok.

El 15 de diciembre de 2012, Sombath conducía por una de las avenidas más transitadas de la capital laosiana cuando la Policía le dio el alto.

En las últimas imágenes registradas del activista, captadas por cámaras de seguridad en la zona, se aprecia como Sombath baja del vehículo para hablar con las autoridades fuera de escena.

Acto seguido un desconocido se lleva el vehículo del activista y un grupo de personas monta de manera precipitada en otro coche, aunque los investigadores dicen no poder determinar si Sombath está entre ellas. Continue reading “ONG instan a Laos a investigar “seriamente” la desaparición de un activista”

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1,000 days on, Sombath’s enforced disappearance a clear dereliction of Lao’s international obligations

1000 days11 September 2015

Today marks 1,000 days since prominent Lao civil society leader Sombath Somphone “disappeared” at a police checkpoint on a busy street in Vientiane. We, the undersigned organizations, reiterate our call for the Lao government to intensify its efforts to conduct a prompt, impartial, and effective investigation into Sombath’s apparent enforced disappearance, to determine his fate or whereabouts, and to take the necessary measures to bring those responsible to justice.

At the second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Laos, held in Geneva on 20 January 2015, 10 states made recommendations to Laos to investigate Sombath’s disappearance. In addition, five states raised questions about the issue.

We are dismayed by the Lao authorities’ failure to provide any specific information on the status and progress of the investigation since 7 June 2013. This failure has occurred despite the government’s claim in June 2015, during the UPR process, that it was “still thoroughly conducting” an investigation into Sombath’s “whereabouts.” It is not enough for Laos to simply assert it is still investigating the case. Laos’ international legal obligations require it to carry out a prompt investigation and to keep Sombath’s family informed on the progress and status of the investigation. Continue reading “1,000 days on, Sombath’s enforced disappearance a clear dereliction of Lao’s international obligations”

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Statement of Concern on Lao PDR and the ACSC/APF 2016

ACSC-APFTo the Regional Steering Committee ACSC/APF 2015 Malaysia

Mr. Jerald Joseph, Malaysia, RSC Chair
Pengiran Datin Paduka Hajah Mariam Pg Hj Matarsat, Brunei Darussalam, RSC Member Mr. Pen Somony, Cambodia, RSC Member
Ms. Mida Saragih, Indonesia, RSC Member
Dr. Maydom Chanthanasinh, Lao PDR, RSC Member
Mr. Aung Myo Min, Myanmar, RSC Member
Mr. Eduardo C. Tadem, Philippines, RSC Member
Mr. Soe Min Than, Singapore, RSC Member
Ms. Wanun Permpibul, Thailand, RSC Member
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoang Van, Vietnam, RSC Member
Ms. Reileen Dulay, Regional, RSC Member
Ms. Nalini Singh, Regional, RSC Member
Mr. Gus Miclat, Regional, RSC Member

sapaWe, the undersigned, are national, regional and international civil society organisations, networks and alliances working in South East Asian countries, and key movers of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ ASEAN People’s Forum (ACSC/APF) processes through the last ten years, from 2005 to 2015. With you, we have been committed to promoting the ACSC/APF process as a civil society-driven, free and open space for building community and solidarity amongst the peoples of Southeast Asia.

While we have had a demonstrable commitment to the ACSC/APF process, we wish to raise our collective concern on the state of democracy and human rights in Lao PDR, and the difficulties we anticipate in having an ACSC/APF in Lao PDR in 2016. Continue reading “Statement of Concern on Lao PDR and the ACSC/APF 2016”

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ASEAN People’s Forum

Logo-Speak Out-Points to PonderACSC/APF forums held each year are vibrant examples of diverse ASEAN civil society groups and individuals bringing their voice and concerns to the region’s leaders and lawmakers.

In 2014, the gathering was held in Yangon, Myanmar, with some 3000 participants. Three plenaries and 35 panels included nearly 200 speakers.

Only one of these was from the Lao PDR.

The 2015 forum took place April 20-24 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. With over 1,400 participants, this event involved 69 workshops with some 250 panellists sharing their thoughts and analysis.

Again, just one of these was a Lao citizen.

Yet many believe the Lao PDR is suitable to host the next event in 2016.

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1,000 Days without Justice

Press conference and panel discussion

10:30 am, Friday September 11, 2015

Note: This event will be streamed live on: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/fcct-live

FIDH-LogoOn the evening of December 15, 2015, police stopped prominent Lao civil society leader Sombath Somphone at a police checkpoint on a busy street of Vientiane. Shortly after being stopped, CCTV footage showed that unknown individuals forced Sombath into another vehicle and drove away while police looked on. Sombath was never seen again. His fate or whereabouts remain unknown to this day.

September 11, 2015, marks 1,000 days since Sombath disappeared. During these 1,000 days, what has been done to safely return Sombath? What have been the domestic and regLogo-Sombath Initiativeional implications of his disappearance? What are the next steps?

A panel of four distinguished speakers will answer these questions and provide an update on the quest for truth and justice for Sombath Somphone’s disappearance.

Ms. Shui-Meng Ng is the spouse of Sombath Somphone and a member of the Advisory Board of the Sombath Initiative.

Mr. Kingsley Abbott is the International Legal Advisor for Southeast Asia for the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and a former Senior Legal Officer with the United Nations at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.

Ms. Angkhana Neelapaijit is the founder and President of the Justice for Peace Foundation (JPF), a member of the Advisory Board of the Sombath Initiative, and a nominee to the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT).

Ms. Debbie Stothard is the Secretary-General of FIDH, the Coordinator of ALTSEAN-Burma, and the Co-Chair of the ASEAN Peoples’ Forum/ASEAN Civil Society Conference (APF/ACSC) Media Committee.

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Civil groups urge end to forced disappearance in ASEAN

Jakarta Post: 03 September 2015

As ASEAN moves toward a single economic community, civil society groups have urged regional governments not to tolerate human rights violations and to address past abuses, including cases of forced disappearance.

In its efforts to become a democratic region, ASEAN still faces unresolved cases of involuntary disappearances. According to the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), some 800 cases of forced disappearances in ASEAN member countries have been reported to the UN.

The Philippines has the most cases filed at 625, followed by Indonesia with 163, Thailand with 71, Laos and Myanmar with two each and Cambodia with one case.

“The figures represent the tip of the iceberg vis-a-vis the actual number of cases, since families and witnesses are fearful of reprisals from state authorities,” AFAD said in a recent statement. Continue reading “Civil groups urge end to forced disappearance in ASEAN”

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광주인권상 수상자 ‘솜바스 솜폰’ 구출 서명 8천700명 동참

Yonhap News Agency: 31 August 2015

5·18 기념재단 “유엔·라오스 정부 등에 서명부 전달, 재조사·구출 촉구할 것”

(광주=연합뉴스) 장아름 기자 = 2015 광주인권상 특별상 수상자이자 3년째 실종 상태인 라오스의 농업과학자 솜바스 솜폰(Sombath Somphone) 구출 서명운동에 8천700명이 동참했다.

5·18 기념재단은 지난 5월 16일부터 지난 10일까지 70여일간 서명운동을 한 결과 총 8천700여명이 참여했으며 서명부를 유엔과 라오스 정부, 우리 정부, 주한 라오스 대사관 등 국제사회 주요기관에 전달할 예정이라고 31일 밝혔다.

서명운동은 솜폰이 수상자로 확정된 지난 5월 광주인권상 심사위원회에서 발의됐으며 광주기독교단협의회, 천주교광주대교구, 5·18 3단체(유족회, 부상자회, 구속부상자회) 등의 협조로 광주 곳곳에서 진행됐다.

서명에 참여한 주요 인사로는 윤장현 광주시장 인재근·박혜자·강기정·장병완·권은희 국회의원 등이 있으며 종교계·시민사회·문화예술계 인사들도 동참했다.

미국의 팀 샤록 기자, 조지 카치아피카스 교수, 바실 페르난도 아시아인권위원회 위원장, 아시아 인권상 수상자인 라티파 아눔 실레가르 변호사, 빈민운동가 와르와 하피즈, 야스다 마사시 JR서일본노조 집행위원장 등 광주를 찾았던 외국 인사들도 서명에 참여했다. Continue reading “광주인권상 수상자 ‘솜바스 솜폰’ 구출 서명 8천700명 동참”

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Rights Groups, Wife of Missing Lao Activist Renew Calls for Progress in Case

Radio Free Asia: 31 August 2015

SB-Magsaysay-08
A 2005 photo of Sombath Somphone in the Philippines. AFP/Sombath Family

Human rights groups and the wife of a prominent civil rights leader who disappeared nearly three years ago have called on the Lao government to adequately investigate the incident and provide information about the case’s progress.

Sombath Somphone went missing on Dec. 15, 2012, when police stopped him in his vehicle at a checkpoint in the capital Vientiane. He was transferred to another vehicle, according to police surveillance video, and has not been heard from since.

Although authorities have denied any responsibility, Sombath’s abduction is widely acknowledged to be an enforced disappearance.

On Sunday — the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances — Sombath’s wife, Ng Shui-Meng, urged Lao authorities to inform her of their progress in the investigation.

“The authorities always say they are investigating, but always without clear answers,” she told RFA’s Lao Service. “I appeal to the government to have pity on my suffering and honestly give me the investigation results.”

She added that governments and state agencies should not commit enforced disappearances.

“It is a crime and a violation of a person’s rights,” she said. Continue reading “Rights Groups, Wife of Missing Lao Activist Renew Calls for Progress in Case”