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

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/3-years-on-rights-groups-demand-answers-on-sombath-somphone-disappearance 2/5

-, /, 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

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/3-years-on-rights-groups-demand-answers-on-sombath-somphone-disappearance 3/5

&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

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/3-years-on-rights-groups-demand-answers-on-sombath-somphone-disappearance 4/5

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

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/3-years-on-rights-groups-demand-answers-on-sombath-somphone-disappearance 5/5

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