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Lack of Progress on Missing Lao Activist’s Case ‘Troubling’

Screen Shot 2013-02-10 at 9.48.27 AM
A 2005 photo of Sombath Somphone in the Philippines. AFP/Somphone family

Radio Free Asia: 11 June 2013

Nearly six months after the disappearance of prominent Lao activist Sombath Somphone, police have reported little progress on his case amid concerns for his safety by fellow activists.

Laos’s Ministry of Public Security said at a briefing on Friday that police were still carrying out investigations to locate Sombath since he was declared missing in December last year, including coordinating with international agencies.

But activists, who have raised concerns that Sombath may have been forcibly disappeared and called for a thorough investigation into his case, said they were disappointed no new developments were revealed.

“We expected some progress, some leads,” a representative from a nongovernmental organization in Thailand said Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“We haven’t seen any new developments. It seems that was all they could say.”

Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contacted by RFA’s Lao Service after the briefing refused to comment on Sombath’s case.

Anti-poverty campaigner Sombath, 61, was last seen in video footage stopping at a police checkpoint in the Laotian capital Vientiane, prompting international concern that his disappearance could be tied to his human rights work.

Lao authorities have denied detaining Sombath and suggested he could have been kidnapped over a personal or business conflict. Continue reading “Lack of Progress on Missing Lao Activist’s Case ‘Troubling’”

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Sombath Somphone: Investigation progress report no. 3

Vientiane Times: 08 June 2013

The Ministry of Public Security held a press conference in Vientiane on Friday to report on the progress of police investigations into the disappearance of Mr Sombath Somphone.

PhengsavanhTiphavongxayThe Deputy Director General of the ministry’s General Police Department, Colonel Dr Phengsavanh Tiphavongxay, gave the third briefing on police efforts to locate Mr Sombath since he was declared missing on December 15 last year, and the following is the full text of the briefing, exactly as received by Lao media.

[Also available in Lao language at the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

Third briefing on the results of police investigations to locate the whereabouts of Mr Sombath Somphone.

For the purpose of providing further information on the progress of the police authorities’ investigations into the whereabouts of Mr Sombath Somphone, I, on behalf of the committee in charge of the case, would like to inform you of the results of our investigations as follows:

After the two briefings on the results of the investigations to locate the whereabouts of Mr Sombath Somphone that I gave earlier, the committee in charge of the case remains focused on the issue and has continued to investigate and collect information from individuals and organisations concerned from within the country and abroad. The activities undertaken are as follows:

1. We have coordinated and worked with Xamket village authorities of Sikhottabong district, and Xanghuabor village authorities of Xaythany district in Vientiane to collect information on the involvement of the missing person with the Soun Panya Nivet (Ecosystem Knowledge Centre) and Soun Hienhou Suanmai Lao (Lao Horticulture Learning Centre). In addition to this we have also continued to collect information at Nakham village, Sikhottabong district and Khoknin village, Sisattanak district and at some other locations to be used as references for our search operation. Continue reading “Sombath Somphone: Investigation progress report no. 3”

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Việt Nam bị tác động lây từ một vụ mất tích tại Lào

Radio France Internationale: 06 Tháng Sáu 2013

Arnaud Dubus / Trọng Nghĩa

Sombath-magsaysay-small
Nhà hoạt động dân quyền Sombath Somphone (DR)

Sự kiện ông Sombat Somphone, một nhà hoạt động dân quyền nổi tiếng tại Lào bị mất tích cách nay nửa năm sau khi bị công an bắt giữ đã khiến chính quyền Lào bị nghi ngờ là có liên can. Vụ này còn gây phiền phức cho quan hệ giữa Viêng Chăng với nhiều nước phương Tây. Sau khi điều tra thêm về vụ này, thông tín viên Arnaud Dubus nhận thấy rằng Việt Nam không ngờ cũng bị tác động lây.

Cách nay gần sáu tháng, ngày 15/12/2012, Sombat Somphone, giám đốc tổ chức phi chính phủ nổi tiếng nhất tại Lào, đã bị công an bắt giữ tại thủ đô Vientiane. Từ đó đến nay, ông hoàn toàn bặt tin. Chính phủ Lào khẳng định rằng họ không hề hay biết hay dính dáng vào vụ bắt cóc này.

Nhiều nước vẫn rất hoài nghi về các tuyên bố đó : Liên Hiệp Châu Âu và Hoa Kỳ đã ra thông báo kêu gọi chính quyền Lào tiến hành một cuộc điều tra đàng hoàng và cho công bố kết quả. Tuy nhiên, chính phủ Lào vẫn bám chặt lập luận ban đầu, theo đó vụ ông Sombat mất tích là hệ quả của một cuộc « tranh chấp kinh doanh », nhưng không cho biết thêm chi tiết.

Arnaud Dubus, Thông tín viên RFI trong khu vực, vừa ghé Vientiane trong một tuần lễ, để điều tra về vụ mất tích bí ẩn này. Trước hết anh gắn liền vụ việc này với hoạt động của nhân vật Sombat Somphone.

Arnaud Dubus : Sombat Somphone là một giám đốc tổ chức phi chính phủ nổi tiếng nhất của Lào. Qua học ở Mỹ vào thập niên 60, ông sau đó đã trở về Lào, thành lập một tổ chức mang tên là PADTEC, chuyên đào tạo thanh niên ở các vùng nông thôn.

Một trong những nhiệm vụ của tổ chức này là làm cho mọi người nhận thức rõ về quyền lợi của họ được ghi trong luật pháp của Lào. Nhờ những cống hiến tận tụy của mình, Sombat đã được trao giải thưởng Magsaysay rất có uy tín của Philippines, thường được gọi là “giải Nobel hòa bình châu Á.” Continue reading “Việt Nam bị tác động lây từ một vụ mất tích tại Lào”

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Scholars Call on Australian Government

Australian-FlagOver 40 scholars and researchers have called on Bob Carr, the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs, to take stronger action. While acknowledging efforts to date, the letter states “As concerned citizens and engaged scholars…we have seen the limits of a quiet approach, and now appeal to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to take a more assertive stand on Sombath Somphone’s disappearance…”

Specifically, the signatories call on the Australian government to:

  1. Make a public statement about Sombath Somphone’s disappearance, calling on the Lao government to do everything in its power to account for his disappearance without further delay;
  2. Place the plight of Sombath Somphone at the front end of all Australian trade, investment, and donor discussions with the Lao PDR, until Mr. Somphone is located and released to his family;
  3. Request the Lao authorities to publicly reaffirm the legality and legitimacy of the work being done by Lao civil society in favour of sustainable development and social justice, in order to counter the serious intimidation which has been provoked by Sombath Somphone’s disappearance;
  4. Continue to impress upon the Lao authorities the need to meet their obligations under International Human Rights Law, and to uphold the rule of law within Laos as affirmed under the Constitution of the Lao PDR, amended in 2003.

The full appeal can be read here.

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Clarification from US Embassy

Screen Shot 2013-05-26 at 15.22.48 PMIn response to speculation that Sombath may carry a US passport, the US Embassy in Laos has issued a letter to his wife stating the embassy has…

“…conducted an extensive search of our U.S. passport database and have found no record that Mr. Sombath Somphone has ever applied for or been issued a U.S. passport.”

The letter can be seen here.

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Public seminar in Tokyo

Tokyo Seminar-01The Institute of Asian Cultures, Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan is hosting a public seminar “What is Politically Enforced Disappearance?: Development and Human Rights Issues in Recent Abduction Cases of Thailand and Lao PDR” on May 25. The case of Sombath will be presented alongside that of Somchai Neelepaijit in Thailand. Details are available at the Sophia University Website or in this flyer.

A press release from Mekong Watch on this seminar can be seen here.

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Five Months On, Demand for Accountability and Action

5mth statement bannerLaos: Five Months On, Demand for Accountability and Action in Sombath Somphone’s Disappearance Intensifies

Bangkok/Manila/Jakarta (15 May 2013) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Focus on the Global South, The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) and the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) reiterated their call on the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and ASEAN governments to break the silence and take action on the disappearance of Laotian development worker, educator and Magsaysay award winner Sombath Somphone. The appeal was made as civil society organizations, respected world leaders and the diplomatic community, friends and family marked the fifth month of Sombath Somphone’s disappearance today.

Despite the recent conclusion of the 22nd ASEAN Summit (25-26 April) and the 12th AICHR Meeting (6-10 May), no concrete headway has been made in addressing or tackling Sombath’s disappearance and human rights abuses in the region. During the 12th AICHR Meeting, the regional human rights body reportedly discussed the implementation of the recently-adopted ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD), but fell short of taking a position on Sombath’s case, as well as the issue of enforced disappearances in the region. This was despite a recent open letter by the Solidarity for Asian People’s Advocacy – Task Force on ASEAN and Human Rights (SAPA TFAHR), among the many calls from numerous groups and individuals, urging the regional body to do so.

“We deplore the AICHR’s continued silence on the case of Sombath. We understand that the AICHR discussed the AHRD in its latest meeting, but even the AHRD, a document which is below international human rights standards, provides guarantees to the rights to personal liberty and security and prohibits arbitrary deprivation of that right. In this regard, Sombath’s disappearance is an opportunity for the AICHR to act,” said Haris Azhar, Coordinator, KontraS. Continue reading “Five Months On, Demand for Accountability and Action”

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ASEAN rights commission told to probe disappearance of Laotian activist

The Jakarta Post: 11 April 2013

By Margareth S. Aritonang

An activist group wants the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) to stand up for missing Laotian development worker and activist Sombath Somphone.

Sombath was last seen in December when CCTV footage showed him entering an unidentified SUV at a police checkpoint in Vientiane, The Solidarity for Asian People’s Advocacy Task Force on ASEAN and Human Rights (SAPA TFAHR) said in a letter made available to The Jakarta Post.

“Maintaining a veil of silence is neither constructive nor exemplary of a regional human rights body,” the letter said. “Staying silent on Sombath’s disappearance is a convenient but short-sighted approach, because human rights violations related to land, natural resources and the environment are likely to increase as the region embarks on a zealous pursuit of economic development.”

Separately, rights activist Haris Azhar from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) called on the Indonesian representatives on the AICHR to endorse an investigation into Sombath’s disappearance.

“AICHR will turn into useless regional community unless it takes immediate action to search for Sombath,” Haris told the Post on Friday.

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Aktivis Laos Hilang, ASEAN Didesak Bantu Usut

Republica Online: 09 May 2013

logo-asean-_120202090443-433REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Forum Hak Asasi Manusia dan Pembangunan untuk Asia mendesak para perwakilan ASEAN di Komisi Antarpemerintah untuk HAM (AICHR) agar memberikan bantuan dan advokasi dalam pencarian aktivis Laos Sombath Somphone yang hilang sejak Desember 2012.

“Masyarakat sipil Asia Tenggara pekan ini melakukan berbagai kampanye untuk kasus ini dan mendesak Komisi HAM ASEAN yang saat ini sedang mengadakan pertemuan reguler di ASEAN Sekretariat, Jakarta, untuk dapat membantu,” kata Manajer Program Forum Hak Asasi Manusia dan Pembangunan Asia (FORUM-ASIA) untuk ASEAN, Atnike Sigiro di Jakarta, Rabu (8/5).

Sombath Somphone merupakan aktivis terkemuka Laos yang banyak menyumbang pemikirannya dalam bidang pembangunan, kepemimpinan, dan kesejahteraan masyarakat. Atas karyanya, Somphone beberapa kali mendapat penghargaan, seperti Magsaysay Award pada tahun 2005 karena kepemimpinnya.

Dia juga pernah menyumbangkan pemikirannya dalam diskusi bertema interkonekvitas pada Forum Intelektual Asia di Chiang Mai, Thailand pada tahun 2011. Makanya, menurut Atnike, karya Somphone sangat berpengaruh di kawasan Asia Tenggara. Hal tersebut, menurut dia, dapat menjadi pertimbangan untuk AICHR agar dapat berperan aktif dalam mengusut kasus Somphone.

AICHR memiliki prinsip untuk tidak mengintervensi kebijakan negara tertentu. “Saya kira dia tidak hanya aktivis Laos, tetapi juga pemikirannya berkembang ke Asia Tenggara. Maka dari itu ini menjadi bahan yang harus dipertimbangkan oleh Komisi HAM ASEAN,” ujarnya.

Somphone hilang pada tanggal 15 Desember 2012 ketika sedang dalam perjalanan ke Vientiane. Banyak pihak menduga keterlibatan aparat kepolisian dan pemerintah Laos dalam insiden tersebut. Hal itu berdasarkan pada video yang merekam aktivitas Somphone sesaat sebelum dia diduga diculik.

Redaktur : Dewi Mardiani

Sumber : Antara