Asian Federation Against 
What's Happening
AFAD Statement on Banning Mary Aileen Diez-Bacalso to Enter India
Mary Aileen Diez Bacalso, the Secretary General of Asian Federation Against involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) was banned to enter India on the night of 17th August 2014 at the Mumbai International Airport. Aileen Bacalso is also the Focal Person of the International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances with 52 members worldwide.
On 11th August, Aileen Bacalso had tried to apply for visa from the Indian embassy in Manila. While her papers were complete her application was not accepted on the pretext that time was too short but they looked at the documents and were completely aware that she was travelling on 17th August to India.
Prosecute Palparan under Anti-Disappearance Law!
Fugitive human rights violator, Retired General Jovito Palparan, has been arrested in the Philippines on Tuesday, August 12. Palparan is wanted for the 2006 disappearance of two University of the Philippines (UP) students, Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno. He has been hiding for 3 years.
Letter to Sombath
Dear Sombath,
I heard about your enforced disappearance six days before the passing into law of Philippine Anti-Enforced Disappearance Act of 2012, the first ever anti-enforced disappearance law in Asia. I have worked on the issue of enforced disappearance for a couple of decades. Each case means a life stolen from the disappeared and his or her family; it means that a part of society has been forcibly taken from it, thus tearing apart its very fabric and causing devastating consequences to the disappeared that you are, your loved ones and the society where you belong. When the most-awaited enactment of draft anti-disappearance law came after more than 16 years of struggle for it to see the light of day, I had the ambivalent feeling of joy that we finally have this law in the Philippines but also mixed with pain because the list of desaparecidos of the world lengthened further by your enforced disappearance…..
