{"id":2367,"date":"2013-12-13T14:06:02","date_gmt":"2013-12-13T12:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/openasia.org\/en\/?p=2367"},"modified":"2013-12-13T14:06:02","modified_gmt":"2013-12-13T12:06:02","slug":"armanshahr-joins-61-signatories-for-a-call-for-a-new-investigation-into-enforced-disappearance-of-sombath-somphone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/openasia.org\/en\/2013\/12\/armanshahr-joins-61-signatories-for-a-call-for-a-new-investigation-into-enforced-disappearance-of-sombath-somphone\/","title":{"rendered":"Armanshahr joins 61 signatories for a Call for a new investigation into enforced disappearance of Sombath Somphone"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"sombath_somphone\"<\/a>

Source: frontlinedefenders.org<\/p><\/div>\n

We, the undersigned 62 regional and international organizations, express outrage over the Lao Government\u2019s ongoing failure to shed light on the enforced disappearance of prominent activist and civil society leader Sombath Somphone.<\/strong><\/p>\n

December 15, 2013 marks the one-year anniversary of Sombath\u2019s disappearance. Sombath was last seen on the evening of December 15, 2012 in Vientiane. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showed that police stopped Sombath\u2019s car at a police post. Within minutes after being stopped, unknown individuals forced him into another vehicle and drove away. Analysis of the CCTV footage shows that Sombath was taken away in the presence of police officers. This fact supports a finding of government complicity.<\/p>\n

Despite the Lao Government\u2019s pledge to \u201cthoroughly and seriously\u201d investigate Sombath\u2019s disappearance [1], the authorities\u2019 probe has been inadequate and unproductive. On January 18, 2013, 65 NGOs signed a joint letter to Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong to express their concern over Sombath\u2019s disappearance. Since then and in spite of widespread international calls for his return, including from the European Union (EU), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) parliamentarians, the USA and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sombath\u2019s whereabouts remain unknown and there has been no progress in the investigation into the circumstances of his enforced disappearance. In addition, the authorities have rejected offers of technical assistance to analyze the CCTV footage.<\/p>\n

For the past 30 years, Sombath has pushed tirelessly for expansion for civil society space and rights of the rural poor and young people to have a voice in the development of Lao society and governance. Shortly before his disappearance, Sombath played a key role in organising the Asia-Europe People\u2019s Forum (AEPF), a civil society forum that preceded the official Asia-Europe Summit Meeting. At the forum, discussions on land and water issues, and poorly regulated FDIs which threatened people\u2019s livelihoods were discussed openly for the first time in Laos.<\/p>\n

Sombath\u2019s enforced disappearance is not an isolated incident. To this day, the whereabouts of nine people, two women, Kingkeo and Somchit, as well as seven men, Soubinh, Souane, Sinpasong, Khamsone, Nou, Somkhit, and Sourigna, arbitrarily detained by Lao security forces in November 2009 in various locations across the country remain unknown. The nine had planned peaceful demonstrations calling for democracy and respect of human rights. Also unknown are the whereabouts of Somphone Khantisouk, the owner of an ecotourism guesthouse and an outspoken critic of Chinese-sponsored agricultural projects that were damaging the environment in the northern province of Luang Namtha. He disappeared after uniformed men abducted him in January 2007.<\/p>\n

The Lao Government\u2019s failure to undertake proper investigations into all these cases of enforced disappearances violates its obligations under Article 2(3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Laos is a State party. The ICCPR states that governments must provide an \u201ceffective remedy\u201d for violations of rights guaranteed by the Covenant, including the right to liberty and security of person.<\/p>\n

We call on the Lao Government to:<\/strong><\/p>\n