We are now consuming more than 150% of what the planet can regenerate. That means we are now consuming one and a half planets. How can that be sustainable, and what will we leave to the next generation? We only have one planet. The policy seems to be let’s get what we can now and let our children clean up the act later!
Sombath Somphone, from his keynote speech at the Asia-Europe People’s Forum, October, 2012
Eldiaro: 08 Julio 2012
La noche del pasado 15 de diciembre, Sombath Somphone volvía a su casa en Vientiane, siguiendo con su 4×4 al coche en el que conducía su esposa, Shui-meng Ng. Ella se adelantó y le perdió de vista, llegó a su casa y se quedó esperando a su marido durante horas. Al día siguiente, Shui-meng Ng fue a varios hospitales y finalmente a la policía, donde le mostraron un video tomado por una cámara de seguridad en el que se podía ver a su marido detenerse en un control de la policía, a otro coche acercarse, a Sombath entrando en él y a unos hombres llegando en moto y llevándose su vehículo. Sombath no ha vuelto a aparecer desde entonces. Continue reading “Desalambre Desapariciones y desahucios en Laos”
Bangkok Post: 04 July 2013
Seree Nonthasoot, Thailand’s representative on the Asean Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), shares his views on the revision to the terms of reference (ToR) for the agency’s five-year blueprint, and the challenges ahead.
What is the challenge in revising the ToR?
The challenge of the process, which is to begin next year, is how far we can expand the scope of the AICHR’s mandate.
While the revision process is under the Asean foreign ministers’ meeting, we are to provide the ministers with our own input. Indonesia has pledged to host meetings to review the AICHR’s ToR and Singapore and Thailand will join the effort.
Thailand is planning to organise a workshop before the end of 2014 to develop a set of best practices for a regional human rights body and to study how other regions around the world function in this regard.
There are some changes too in our training workshops which formerly targeted only court judges. From now on, we will include public prosecutors, attorneys and police officers. This is to establish common ground on human rights-based investigations and judicial process in Asean. Continue reading “Seree tips big shift in rights blueprint”
Bangkok Post: 04 ก.ค. 2556
ดร.เสรี นนทสูติ ผู้แทนไทยในคณะกรรมาธิการระหว่างรัฐบาลอาเซียนว่าด้วยสิทธิมนุษยชน (Asean Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights – AICHR) ได้แบ่งปันความเห็นเกี่ยวกับการแก้ไขกรอบอ้างอิงการปฏิบัติหน้าที่ของหน่วยงานแห่งนี้ในระยะห้าปี และความท้าทายที่จะมีขึ้นต่อไป
อะไรเป็นความท้าทายในการแก้ไขกรอบอ้างอิง?
ความท้าทายในระหว่างกระบวนการที่จะเริ่มขึ้นปีหน้าคือ เราจะสามารถขยายขอบเขตอำนาจหน้าที่ของคณะกรรมาธิการระหว่างรัฐบาลอาเซียนว่าด้วยสิทธิมนุษยชนได้มากน้อยเพียงใด
แม้ว่ากระบวนการแก้ไขเป็นภารกิจของที่ประชุมรัฐมนตรีต่างประเทศของอาเซียน แต่เรามีหน้าที่เสนอความเห็นต่อบรรดารัฐมนตรี โดยอินโดนีเซียรับปากว่าจะจัดการประชุมเพื่อทบทวนกรอบอ้างอิงของคณะกรรมาธิการระหว่างรัฐบาลอาเซียนว่าด้วยสิทธิมนุษยชน ส่วนสิงคโปร์และประเทศไทยจะเข้าร่วมประชุม
ไทยมีแผนการจัดประชุมเชิงปฏิบัติการก่อนสิ้นปี 2557 เพื่อจัดทำชุดแนวปฏิบัติดีสุดสำหรับหน่วยงานด้านสิทธิมนุษยชนระดับภูมิภาค และเพื่อศึกษาว่าภูมิภาคอื่นในโลกปฏิบัติงานด้านสิทธิมนุษยชนอย่างไร
มีความท้าทายอยู่บ้างในการจัดอบรมของเรา ซึ่งเดิมเรามีกลุ่มเป้าหมายเป็นผู้พิพากษาเท่านั้น แต่ในครั้งต่อไป เราจะจัดอบรมให้กับพนักงานอัยการ ทนายความ และเจ้าหน้าที่ตำรวจด้วย ทั้งนี้เพื่อสร้างพื้นฐานร่วมกันของการสอบสวนและกระบวนการไต่สวนที่ยึดหลักสิทธิมนุษยชนในอาเซียน Continue reading “เสรีชี้จะมีการเปลี่ยนแปลงครั้งใหญ่ในแม่แบบด้านสิทธิ”
The Nation: 01 July 2013
The China Post: 02 July 2013
For the past four years, AICHR has completely ignored violation of human rights in member countries. During the first year of AICHR, attempts were made by individual AICHR member to take up right violations such as the Maguindanao massacre. But it was a non-starter.
Disappearance of Lao activist, Sombath Somphone, in December last year was another case in point showing the AICHR’s lack of moral courage. After all, it came after the announcement of ASEAN Declaration of Human Rights one month before his kidnapping.
The entire article can be read by clicking on the blue links above.
Courier International: 28 June 2013
Six mois après la disparition à Vientiane [capitale du Laos] de Sombath Somphone, le fondateur d’une ONG créée pour aider les jeunes des milieux ruraux, le gouvernement du Laos est de plus en plus perçu comme le mouton noir par ses voisins de l’Association des nations du Sud-Est (Asean).
Alors que la Birmanie délaisse progressivement son passé dictatorial, le régime laotien s’enfonce peu à peu dans un autoritarisme obscurantiste.
Le dernier signe de cet anachronisme date de la fin mai, lorsque les autorités du Laos ont renvoyé en Corée du Nord neuf jeunes qui avaient fui leur patrie staliniste. “Pour moi, le régime laotien est une ploutocratie qui vend aux enchères les ressources naturelles nationales au bénéfice d’un petit groupe, en se targuant d’être communiste”, explique un observateur occidental à Vientiane. Continue reading “Disparition d'un militant humanitaire : le gouvernement pointé du doigt”
Following a press briefing on 21 December 2012 by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), another briefing on 21 June 2013 states it is:
…of concern that six months on there seemed to be no progress in investigating the supposed forced disappearance of Sombath Somphone, a human rights activist from the Laos People’s Democratic Republic. He disappeared as he was driving home from the capital of Vientiane on 15 December 2012. Security camera footage supposedly showed his car being stopped by police and then him being driven away by men in plain clothes. The OHCHR was concerned about his safety, as his whereabouts were unknown and no progress has been seen in identifying the suspected perpetrators. OHCHR urged the Government to intensify measures to locate him and to ensure his prompt, safe return to his family. Sombath Somphone had been recognised worldwide for his work on equitable and sustainable development. Reports suggest that his apparent abduction may be related to this.
In an article “Fostering Engagement with Laos While Promoting Human Rights,” on Montana Public Radio, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center expressed:
…we stand together with the friends and family of Sombath as they work to facilitate his return. As we maintain our relationships with governmental and non-governmental organizations in Laos, we work to educate colleagues on Sombath’s disappearance, with the hope that he will soon be returned.
The article also states:
In a stark reminder of the state of human rights in Laos, Sombath disappeared six months ago, as he and his wife were driving separately from his office in Vientiane to their home. A police security video shows him being stopped at a police checkpoint and taken into custody. Despite attention from international observers, the Lao government has failed to explain his disappearance. As the U. S. Embassy in Vientiane stated, “Mr. Sombath is widely admired for his peaceful and constructive focus on improving his country…. Continued inaction on this case by the Lao authorities could erode progress made over the past years and damage the country’s international reputation, potentially raising additional questions about the Lao Government’s commitment to uphold the rule of law and engage responsibly with the world.”
The full article can be read by clicking on the link above.
Parliamentarians who traveled to Laos in January and March have written to Lao leaders expressing “…dismay at the lack of political will to conduct a serious investigation into the disappearance of Mr. Sombath Somphone.”
The lawmakers from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Netherlands further wrote:
During our visits, we were given a number of assurances by parliamentarians and government representatives. These included a commitment to a full, comprehensive and transparent investigation into Sombath’s disappearance on 15th December 2012…
Today, 15th June 2013, marks six long months since Sombath disappeared. He has not yet been returned safely to his family. The investigation reports released by the Lao authorities thus far are contradictory and misleading, indicating the partiality and shallowness of the official investigation…
We call on the Lao Government to urgently undertake a new independent investigation into Sombath’s disappearance and ensure that all steps are taken to locate and rescue Sombath from his captors and return him safely to his family as soon as possible, in accordance with Laos’ obligations under international law…
The full letter, sent to the Lao President, Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and President of the National Assembly can be seen here.
A video of this action is now available here.
Police are suspected of abducting him six months ago
Dozens of Philippine human rights defenders held a “ritual of remembrance” outside the Lao embassy in Manila today to call for the safe return of highly acclaimed activist Sombath Somphone who was abducted six months ago.
Clarissa Militante, of the group Focus on the Global South, said the Lao government should ensure Sombath is found and returned safely to his family.
Some 100 activists from all over Asia, Europe, the United States and Australia sent “messages of hope and support” for today’s event, Militante said.
People sending messages included Larry Lohman, author of the book Carbon Trading: A Critical Conversation on Climate Change, Privatization and Power and co-founder of the Durban Group for Climate Justice.
Anne Sophie Gindroz of the Swiss group Helvetas urged those detaining Sombath to release him soon
Sombath received the UN’s Human Resource Development Award in 2001 for empowering the rural poor in Laos. Continue reading “Rights groups urge release of Laos activist”
