This film, created in 2012 by PADETC, shows the impact of Sombath’s development concepts in a process of participatory problem solving in a village in Pek District of Xieng Kuang Province. The process is led by high school student volunteers involved in the ‘Youth Development for Drug Prevention in School’ project of the Ministry of Education and Sports. Students collected information about conditions in their communities using Sombath’s sustainable development framework with the four balanced pillars of social-cultural preservation, environmental harmony, spiritual well-being, and economic development. During the process, villagers agreed the issue of land boundaries was a priority problem that urgently needed to be solved. The film shows the process of problem solving, beginning from the root causes that are determined by the people themselves, and that brings hope to the community. You will also feel the warmth of Sombath’s heart towards his own country and listening to the people’s voice.
Where is Sombath Somphone?
The Malay Mail: 10 October 2013
By Dr. Lim Teck Ghee
Today, Thursday, 10 Oct 2013, marks 300 days of the disappearance of Sombath Somphone, one of Lao PDR’s most prominent activists. Sombath is a long-time and good friend. In the late 1970s, he and I were part of a small group of human rights activists and social critics from the Southeast Asian region who met regularly to discuss the situation of our countries (at that time Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Laos, Vietnam and Singapore) and to see how we could support each other in work to advance peace and development in our part of the world.
The outcome of our efforts was a pioneering regional civil society organisation called the Asian Cultural Forum on Development or ACFOD which was set up in 1977. ACFOD’s mission can be seen in the summary below of the organisation’s alternative vision of development which contrasts strongly with the mainstream development thinking prevalent in the region.
ACFOD Mission Statement
- Advocate Holistic Development and to Counter Destructive/ Dehumanised Development.
- Promote Peace, Harmony, Human Rights and Gender Equality and the Conscientisation of People.
- Promote Participatory Democracy and Sustainable Development.
- Respect for Minority Rights and Cultures.
- Foster Humanist and Moral Values as a Core Part of Development.
- Provide the Platform for Grassroots and People-to-People Exchange and Action.
Although we were a small regional grouping with limited resources and hardly any support from our national governments, ACFOD’s member organisations, which included the Consumers Association of Penang of which I was the honorary secretary at that time, pushed hard for this alternative vision of development in our national and regional work.
Sombath’s work in PADTC
Among our group of 15 hard core members, perhaps no one was more committed to an alternative and decentralised vision of development than Sombath. He founded the Participatory Development Training Centre in Laos in 1997 and became a respected voice in his country against authoritarianism and anti-democratic development, winning the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership – one of the most prestigious awards for human development in Asia. Continue reading “Where is Sombath Somphone?”
The European Parliament
…whereas Sombath Somphone, a prominent figure in social development and youth education, disappeared on 15 December 2012 in the capital city of Vientiane…
…whereas there are violations of fundamental freedoms, particularly press and media freedom, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, academic freedom and the rights of minorities in Laos…
The European Parliament
…Expresses its deep concern about the disappearance, safety and well-being of Sombath Somphone…
…Is concerned about the tardiness and lack of transparency of the investigation into the disappearance of Sombath Somphone; calls on the Lao authorities to undertake prompt, transparent and thorough investigations, in accordance with their obligations under international human rights law, and to ensure the immediate and safe return of Sombath Somphone to his family…
…Asks the Lao authorities to reaffirm publicly the legality and the legitimacy of the work for sustainable development and social justice, in order to counter the intimidation provoked by disappearances such as of Sombath Somphone…
…Calls on the EU to put Laos among its priorities for the 22nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council…
…Calls on the Government of Laos to respect the rights of expression and association, the rights of minorities and protect the right to freedom of religion or belief ending all restrictions on the exercise of this right, as recommended at the UN Universal Periodic Review on 21 September 2010…
From Resolution of European Parliament on 06 February 2013
Lonely Vigil for Missing Laotian Activist
The Sentinel: 02 October 2013
Government suspected of complicity in development expert’s disappearance
For Ng Shui-Meng, the past 10 months have been lonely, frustrating and frightening. She has been engaged in a vain struggle to discover what happened to her husband, Sombath Somphone, who almost certainly was kidnapped and murdered, possibly with the complicity of members of the Laotian government.
Shui-Meng refuses to give up, hoping that the 61-year-old Sombath, a popular and internationally known development expert who disappeared last Dec. 6 as he was on his way home to dinner, may still be alive. There are suspicions that Sombath had aroused the antagonism of major land interests over his attempts to protect the interests of the largely rural peasant population.
An estimated 40 percent of the country’s arable lands is now in the hands of foreign interests, studies say. However, his wife says Sombath has never been confrontational and had worked closely with the government to alleviate poverty.
Sombath, recipient of the 2005 Ramon Magsaysay Award and many other prestigious honors, simply vanished as he and Shui-Meng were driving home in separate cars in the Laotian capital of Vientiane. The disappearance has stirred criticism from the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and a wide range of human rights organizations for the government’s apparent refusal to come clean on the case. Continue reading “Lonely Vigil for Missing Laotian Activist”
The Case of Sombath Somphone
New Mandala: 02 October 2013
By Kearrin Sims
This October marks the 4th anniversary of the founding of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission of Human Rights (AICHR). Since AICHR was formed ASEAN has had a mixed track record with human rights. Although there have been some impressive political reforms across the region, particularly in Burma, some states appear to have grown increasingly confident in their ability to commit human rights abuses against their citizens. Nowhere has this been more so than in Laos.
Often presented as an idyllic Buddhist nation, the poor track record of human rights abuses in Laos has largely slipped under the radar of the international media. All this suddenly changed, however, following the enforced disappearance of Mr. Sombath Somphone in late 2012. A recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership – one of the most prestigious awards for human development in Asia, and the founder of the Participatory Development Training Centre (PADETC) in Laos, Sombath Somphone (61) amongst the most widely respected development workers in East Asia. In October 2012 Sombath play a key role in coordinating the Asia-Europe People’s Forum (APF), the largest civil society event ever held in Laos. Continue reading “The Case of Sombath Somphone”
A Wonderful Person
In those days…most Laotians left the country, if they could. But Sombath decided to return to his country, and I think he is a wonderful person, very brave. He want to serve his country, and he had been doing so ever since. Bravely, skillfully, humbly, and I have known him all through this years, with much admiration…
…we respect the Lao government and we hope the Lao government will do everything they can to make sure that Sombath is a free person soon, because that will give Lao great credit, since we are now all very serious about ASEAN, but people think of ASEAN in terms of money and economics, but the essence of ASEAN is human dignity, human rights, and deep down, Lao has that…
…and I think Lao would have much reputation sharing with their neighbors that they care for human rights…
…It would be a great pity if he disappeared. It would be too much damage to the Lao government.
Sulak Sivaraksa at Foreign Correspondent’s Club of Thailand on 21 December 2012
A More Balanced Development Model
To truly achieve the vision of our founding fathers of building a nation governed by the people and for the people and guided by the rule of law to bring about ‘peace, independence, solidarity, and prosperity for all Lao’, the Lao leaders and policy makers must shift away from the current predominantly western capitalist development model of economic growth and the ‘get rich quick’ mentality. Laos’ development policy and strategies need to become more holistic and balanced and take into consideration 4 dimensions of (1) economic or livelihood security; (2) cultural integrity and continuity; (3) environmental sustainability; and (4) good governance. It is only by adopting such a balanced development model that Laos can achieve longterm sustainable growth and poverty reduction, which is also the theme advocated by the Asia-Europe People’s Forum (AEPF).
From “Lao Vision Statement and Recommendation for Actions presented to AEPF9.”
Sounding the Alarm: emerging threats to civil society
Maina Kiai, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, included Sombath in his presentation at the High Level Event on Supporting Civil Society at the United Nations in New York on 23 September. The video clip is below. The entire video can be seen here, and the transcript of the speech here.
[wpvideo wcCbCoJh]
Laos : un militant fauché par le régime
Libération: 17 Septembre 2013
GRAND ANGLE: Fondateur d’une ONG de soutien aux paysans, le très respecté Sombath Somphone, 62 ans, a été enlevé il y a dix mois à Vientiane, dans des conditions troubles que les autorités laotiennes, vraisemblablement impliquées, ne cherchent pas à élucider, en dépit des pressions internationales.
Une silhouette familière au volant d’une Jeep, aperçue furtivement dans un rétroviseur. C’est la dernière image que Shui Meng Ng a de son mari, le Laotien Sombath Somphone. Ce 15 décembre 2012 en début de soirée, rue Thadeua, dans l’est de la capitale laotienne, Vientiane, Shui Meng Ng, elle-même citoyenne de Singapour, conduisait sa voiture, précédant le véhicule de son mari de quelques dizaines de mètres. Elle n’a rien vu de spécial. Ce n’est qu’une fois rentrée au domicile familial qu’elle s’est inquiétée de son absence. Depuis, personne n’a revu Sombath Somphone, un directeur d’ONG âgé de 62 ans, unanimement respecté en Asie du Sud-Est pour ses décennies de dévouement dans le domaine du développement rural. Huit mois plus tard, l’impression initiale selon laquelle les autorités laotiennes sont impliquées dans cette disparition est devenue écrasante.
Vidéo et pick-up blanc
«Le Laos est un pays trompeur, nous n’avons pas d’image de répression car la répression n’est pas visible», dit Anne-Sophie Gindroz, qui a travaillé pour l’ONG Helvétas pendant plusieurs années au Laos avant d’en être expulsée en décembre. De fait, cet ancien protectorat français, enclavé entre la Thaïlande, le Vietnam et la Chine, a toujours bénéficié d’une image plus favorable que la Birmanie voisine. Les touristes apprécient l’apparente quiétude de ce pays, souvent décrit dans les guides comme un «havre tropical», riche de ses pagodes bouddhiques, de ses éléphants et de superbes sites historiques, comme le temple de style angkorien Vat Phou. Une image soigneusement entretenue par le régime communiste. Mais les Laotiens et les étrangers qui vivent ici savent que la réalité est tout autre. Continue reading “Laos : un militant fauché par le régime”
ข่าวค่ำ DNN เสวนาพูดสันติภาพรำลึก 9 เดือน สมบัติถูกอุ้ม
นักเขียนดัง “นิ้วกลม” และโตมร ศุขปรีชาร่วมการพูดสันติภาพครั้งที่ 2 เพื่อเสนอมุมมอง ในประเด็นสันติภาพ เสรีภาพและการอุ้มหายสมบัด สมพอน นักกิจกรรมชาวลาวเมื่อ 9 เดือนที่แล้ว.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLIwhR8jfSM