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7/23/2019 3 Years on, Rights Groups Demand Answers on Sombath Somphone Disappearance
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/3-years-on-rights-groups-demand-answers-on-sombath-somphone-disappearance 1/5
3 years on, rights groups demand answers on
Sombath Somphone disappearance
Human rights representatives speak at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) in Bangkok,
Monday.
By ohn !uinley """
#$ the eve of the third anniversary of a%%laimed %ommunity
development leader &ombath &omphone's for%ed disappearan%e, human
rights groups on Monday in Bangkok urged the ao government to
provide information regarding Mr. &ombath's hereabouts and fate.
&ombath as abdu%ted in *ientiane aos on the evening of +e%ember
7/23/2019 3 Years on, Rights Groups Demand Answers on Sombath Somphone Disappearance
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-, /, at a poli%e %he%k0point here he as then transferred to
another vehi%le a%%ording to poli%e surveillan%e video. 1t the press
%onferen%e in Bangkok nely made publi% CCT* footage, found by
&ombath's family, shoed the %ar further south on the road as the %ar
traveled ba%k into the %apital.
Object1 1
representative from the &ombath "nitiative said in a ritten statement,
that the poli%e refused to look at the additional eviden%e from the family,
hi%h,2demonstrates the authorities have absolutely no interest in%ondu%ting a serious investigation, as they so often %laim.3
1%%ording to &am 4ari5, 6egional +ire%tor of 1sia and #%eania for the
"nternational Commission of urists ("C), at the press %onferen%e, 2the
government 7of aos8 has shon no politi%al ill to solve the %ase.3
&ombath's family repeatedly asked the ao government to %he%k the
footage from other CCT* %ameras along the road, but to no avail.
4ari5 ent on to state that, "C believes, 2This %ase is eminently
solvable.3
“ao government has legal obligations to investigate the %ase,3 4ari5
added.
7/23/2019 3 Years on, Rights Groups Demand Answers on Sombath Somphone Disappearance
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&ombath did not engage a%tively against the government. He believed
deeply in people0%entered sustainable development, edu%ation and
youth development and orked to foster these programs for his %ountry.
"n //-, &ombath as aarded the prestigious 6amon Magsaysay 1ard
for Community eadership 91sia's e:uivalent of the $obel ;ri<e9 for his
%ommunity mobili<ation, a%tivism and ork in agri%ultural development
in aos. He himself as raised in a rural village in aos.
The last time the family heard from the ao authorities or re%eived any
ne information from them as almost = years ago. &in%e +e%ember
/=, the family and the publi% have only been told that, 2the
investigation is still ongoing3 a%%ording to aurent Meillan, +eputy Head
of #>%e for the #>%e of High Commissioner of Human 6ights (#HCH6)
for &outheast 1sia. Meillan ent on to say that the enfor%ed
disappearan%e of &ombath has brought about a 2%ulture of fear among
$?# orkers in ao3.
The 1sso%iation of &outheast 1sian $ations (1&@1$) member states have
remained silent on &ombath's disappearan%e. aos has been appointed
the 1&@1$ Chairmanship for /A and should make the &ombath
investigation a maor goal during the up%oming year.
7/23/2019 3 Years on, Rights Groups Demand Answers on Sombath Somphone Disappearance
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Sombath Somphone. Pic: AP.
1&@1$ should not invoke the prin%iple of non0interferen%e hen it %omes
to %ases of enfor%ed disappearan%e. 1&@1$ member states should stand
by their %ommitment to their Human 6ights +e%laration, hi%h states,
2@very person has the right to personal liberty and se%urity. $o person
shall be sube%t to arbitrary arrest, sear%h, detention, abdu%tion or anyother form of deprivation of liberty.3
;hil 6obertson, the +eputy +ire%tor of Human 6ights at%h in 1sia, said
the international %ommunity and %ivil so%iety organi<ations (C&#) need
to keep asking, 2here is &ombathD3
6obertson ent on to say that the 1&@1$ ;eople's Forum in aos ill not
go ahead in /A be%ause of 2la%k of funding.3 He added that the C&#s
refused to %ensor themselves on issues in%luding &ombath's enfor%ed
disappearan%e, dams along the Mekong, land rights, ethni% or indigenous
people, and ?BT %ommunity rights.
“1s aos takes over the %hairmanship of 1&@1$ for /A, *ientiane's
7/23/2019 3 Years on, Rights Groups Demand Answers on Sombath Somphone Disappearance
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leaders have be%ome aggressively regressive hen it %omes to human
rights,3 he added.
The 1&@1$ "ntergovernmental Commission on Human 6ights (1"CH6)
should urge 1&@1$ member states, and espe%ially the ao government,
to uphold human rights, stand by C&#s and be a part of the investigation
of the enfor%ed disappearan%e of &ombath.
Meillan of #HCH6 ent on to say that the absen%e of progress in the
investigation of &ombath %asts an 2ominous shado3 over aos'
governments pledge to a%t.
&tate authorities have denied any role in &ombath's disappearan%eE
hoever, it is idely believed to have been %arried out by poli%e or other
government0linked a%tors.
1bout the author
ohn H. !uinley """ is a Bangkok0based resear%her fo%used on human
rights, refugees, migrants, and development in &outheast 1sia,parti%ularly Burma (Myanmar) and Thailand. He %an be folloed on
TitterGohn:uinley=
Posted by Thavam