Tag: Enforced Disappearance

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Accidental Heroine

Bangkok Post: 05 January 2016

Angkhana-2016Not prepared to play the victim even after the recent ruling on the disappearance of her lawyer husband, Angkhana Neelapaijit is dedicating her life to helping others who suffer abuse of rights…

Angkhana was known in security quarters as a daring, stubborn and outspoken widow who has always reminded the world about Thailand’s chronic impunity. She strongly supported the wife of the missing Karen land rights activist Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen on her quest for justice. Angkhana is also a key member of The Sombath Initiative that is looking into the disappearance of Laos’ senior community development figure Sombath Somphone.

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Where can we go?

Logo-Speak Out-Points to PonderWhen a crime is committed, we often go to the authorities for help. But where can we go if the authorities committed the crime?

ເມື່ອເກີດມີອາຊະຍາກຳ, ສ່ວນຫຼາຍ ເຮົາຈະໄປຫາເຈົ້າໜ້າທີ່ເພື່ອຂໍຄວາມຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອ. ແຕ່ເມື່ອເຈົ້າ ໜ້າທີ່ ເປັນຜູ້ກໍ່ອາຊະຍາກຳເອງ, ເຮົາຈະໄປຫາໃຜ?

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ASEAN: More progress needed on the ratification of ICPPED

FIDH-LogoFIDH

(International Federation for Human Rights)

Press release

ASEAN: More progress needed on the ratification of the treaty on enforced disappearances

Paris, 30 August 2015: ASEAN member states must accelerate the process of ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED), FIDH said today on the occasion of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

“By becoming a state party to the ICPPED, states will have a legal obligation to investigate all cases of enforced disappearances and deliver justice to the victims and their families,” said FIDH President Karim Lahidji. “Governments will no longer be able to remain idle and rely on the belief that the passage of time will ultimately render cases of disappearances into obscurity.”

Between 1980 and 2014, the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), transmitted 1,065 cases of enforced or involuntary disappearance to eight of the 10 current ASEAN member states (excluding Brunei and Singapore). Eight hundred and seventy-five (82%) of those cases have remained unresolved. The Philippines topped the list with 625 cases, followed by Indonesia, 163, and Thailand, 81. Continue reading “ASEAN: More progress needed on the ratification of ICPPED”

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Bound by tragedy, 2 women comforted by UN chief’s remark vs enforced disappearance

InterAksyon: 30 August 2015

Shui Meng & Edita Burgos
Edita Burgos and Shui Meng, wife of missing Ramon Magsaysay laureate and Laotian activist Sombath Somphone, find kinship in tragedy. They draw solace from UN SecGen Ban Ki-Moon’s strong condemnation of enforced disappearance, calling it like rain after a long drought.

MANILA – A Filipino mother and a Laotian wife, who have found solace in each other’s company since an encounter in an international forum on desaparecidos, are these days drawing comfort from the United Nations chief’s statement on the International Day of the Disappeared.

For Edita T. Burgos, widow of the world press freedom icon Jose G. Burgos Jr. and mother of missing farmer-activist Jonas, the past eight years since her son was seized while eating lunch at a mall – by men believed to be military agents – have been very difficult.

Shui Meng, wife of Ramon Magsaysay laureate Sombath Somphone, is in town to show her solidarity with other victims of enforced disappearances. She is a guest of the Asian Federation Against Enforced Disappearances (AFAD), where she and Mrs. Burgos met a few months ago.

Sombath is said to have been abducted by Lao government agents, as seen in a video posted on youtube. He remains missing and Shui Meng is pleading with his captors to release him. She expressed hope that the same tragic fate will not befall their family and loved ones. Continue reading “Bound by tragedy, 2 women comforted by UN chief’s remark vs enforced disappearance”

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Enforced Disappearances – Lessons for Korea

Seoul-AFADOn July 29-31, the Citizen’s Alliance on North Korean Human Rights organised a seminar “Enforced Disappearances – Lessons for Korea” in Seoul. Shuimeng Ng gave a presentation on the disappearance of Sombath Somphone, and the challenges faced by families in finding answers in the Lao context. Other presentations included perspectives from Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Guatemala, and many others.

The seminar also focussed on pressuring governments to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED).

Finally, participants joined the growing number of people from around the world who are asking “Where is Sombath?”

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How much more is being hidden?

Logo-Speak Out-Points to PonderIf Lao citizens, Lao media, and Lao civil society organisations, as well as UN and NGO agencies working in Laos, are not able to speak about Sombath Somphone, how many other enforced disappearances, unlawful detentions and other human rights violations are being hidden?

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"Enforced disappearances in the Lao PDR alarming"

afadLaos is a signatory to the main international human rights instruments1 including the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPED); yet, the practice of enforced disappearances in the Lao PDR is alarming.

UN Logo…However, Laos has failed to prove that an impartial investigation had been conducted in regards with Mr. Somphone’s abduction. Only vague official statements have been formulated so far… This on-going situation demonstrates the Government of Laos’ lack of willingness to cooperate with the WGEID.

From a General Allegation made by the Asian Federation against Enforced Disappearance to the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances.

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800 Days Missing: Global human rights group asks Laos to step up probe on Sombath disappearance

InterAksyon: 24 February 2015

Sombath-012

MANILA – An international human rights group on Monday asked the Laos government to hasten its investigation into the enforced disappearance of prominent civil society leader Sombath Somphone, who has been missing since 2012.

Sombath was a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for community development. The award is Asia’s version of the Nobel Prize.

In its website, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) said the Laos government must turn words into action and step up the investigation into the enforced disappearance of Somphone.

“The Laos government must also publicly disclose the findings,” FIDH and its member organization, the Lao Movement for Human Rights (LMHR), said on Monday.

The two organizations made the call to mark 800 days since Sombath’s disappearance on the evening of 15 December 2012 in Vientiane, FIDH said.

The group said that at the second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Laos, held in Geneva on January 20, 2015, government representative Phongsavath Boupha said that authorities were “still thoroughly conducting” an investigation into Sombath’s disappearance.

“Phongsavath also declared that the investigation committee was “ready to receive suggestions from any interested parties with regard to the ongoing investigation,” FIDH said.

Despite the Lao government’s claim of an ongoing investigation, Vientiane has failed to provide any update on the probe since June 2013, the group said.

“For too long, Vientiane has dragged its feet on Sombath’s disappearance. It’s time for the Lao government to fulfill its international obligations and implement the UPR recommendations concerning enforced disappearances,” said FIDH President Karim Lahidji.“The government must also keep its word and accept international technical assistance in the investigation.” Continue reading “800 Days Missing: Global human rights group asks Laos to step up probe on Sombath disappearance”

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En Asie du Sud-Est, la liste des militants "disparus" s'allonge

RTL Info: 12 Décembre 2014 SM-FCCT-02
Deux ans après la disparition de Sombath Somphone, célèbre militant laotien, sa femme se désespère de savoir ses ravisseurs toujours impunis. Un cas loin d’être isolé en Asie du Sud-Est, où l’enlèvement est fréquemment utilisé pour imposer le silence aux contestataires.

“Faire disparaître quelqu’un est un crime particulièrement cruel. C’est très difficile de vivre avec cette inconnue”, explique à l’AFP lors d’un passage à Bangkok Ng Shui-Meng, Singaporienne à la voix douce, et qui vit au Laos depuis 30 ans.

Sous ce régime communiste autoritaire qui s’ouvre timidement ces dernières années, la disparition, le 15 décembre 2012, du fondateur de l’ONG Participatory Development Training Center (PADETC) a profondément choqué la société civile.

Mais aussi la communauté internationale: des personnalités telles que le secrétaire d’Etat américain John Kerry, le sud-Africain Desmond Tutu ou Hillary Clinton ont réclamé une enquête. Car dans le cas de Sombath, l’enlèvement fait peu de doutes.

Des images prises par des caméras de vidéosurveillance le montrent en effet s’éloignant d’un poste de police avec deux individus non identifiés dans les rues de la capitale Ventiane.

Depuis ce jour, son nom est venu s’ajouter à une liste déjà longue de “disparus” de la région. Continue reading “En Asie du Sud-Est, la liste des militants "disparus" s'allonge”

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Into thin air: Southeast Asia's growing ranks of disappeared

The Daily Mail: 12 December 2014

Two years after Sombath Somphone vanished, the Laotian activist’s wife says his abductors enjoy impunity –- an ugly reality across a region where powerful business interests and murky state actors stand accused of routinely “disappearing” opponents.

Sombath disappeared from the streets of the capital of Laos, Vientiane, after he was pulled over at a police checkpoint.

The disappearances continue in the region: from a Cambodian teenager last seen covered in blood during a labour protest, to an ethnic minority activist who vanished in Thailand after confronting national park officials.

SM-Daily Mail-2014-12-12
Ng Shui-Meng, the wife of missing Laotian activist Sombath Somphone, says his abductors enjoy impunity ¿ an ugly reality across a region where powerful business interests and murky state actors stand accused of routinely “disappearing” opponents ©Christophe Archambault (AFP)

The case of Sombath — an award-winning champion of sustainable development but one who avoided direct confrontation — horrified civil society in Laos, a one-party communist state slowing emerging from decades of isolation.

His disappearance on December 15, 2012 stood out partly because the evidence pointing to abduction was so compelling — and also because a stream of international figures called for his safe return including Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and Desmond Tutu.

“The crime of disappearance is particularly cruel,” Sombath’s wife Ng Shui-Meng, a soft-spoken Singaporean who lived in Laos with him, told AFP in Bangkok.

“It’s very difficult to live with the unknown.” Continue reading “Into thin air: Southeast Asia's growing ranks of disappeared”