AFAD 25 Years Video Teaser

This AFAD video teaser is an opening salvo of the yearlong campaign and fight Against Enforced Disappearances and for the Protection, not Persecution, of Human Rights Defenders, across Asia.

a continuing crime
a disappearing act

What's Happening

The landmark in addressing the case of enforced disappearances has been made by Indonesia when in September 2009, the Indonesian Parliament (DPR) issued a recommendation to the Government, including to the President of the country related to the cases of disappearances of 23 pro-democracy activists that happened in 1997-1998, namely:

  • The establishment of Ad Hoc Human Rights Court;

  • The search of the 13 still disappeared activists;

  • The delivery of the rights to compensation and rehabilitation to the families of victims, and;

  • The ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances.

The International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearance (ICAED) supports the call for the Human Rights Council to conduct an international investigation to look into the worsening human rights situation in Sri Lanka.

ICAED members now meeting in Geneva express deep concern over the Sri Lankan government’s brazen attacks against human rights defenders and falsely maligning their work by linking them to the supposed revival of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Morever, the ICAED is also concerned of the on-going cases of enforced disappearances in the country and the still unresolved cases that happened at different period of the country’s history.

Today, as the United Nations commemorates the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) reiterates its strong condemnation against the arbitrary arrest and detention of Balendran Jeyakumari and her 13-year old daughter and the intensifying intimidation and harassment against Ruki Fernando and Father Praveen after their release from detention.

Balendran Jeyakumari’s husband disappeared during the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). After the war, her son disappeared after surrendering to the Sri Lankan army.

The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) is greatly concerned with the arrest and detention of Balendra Jeyakumari, active campaigner against enforced disappearances in the northern Kilinochi district of Sri Lanka yesterday. AFAD also calls on probation officials who are holding her daughter to ensure her safety.

Based on media reports initially gathered, Ms.Jeyakumari was arrested after being held in her house for hours on the grounds of hiding a criminal hunted by the police. Her case is said to be covered in the country’s tough anti-terrorism law. However, her background as active campaigner in the search for disappeared relatives especially her missing 15 year-old son gives us reason to doubt the authenticity of the police case against her. Ms. Jeyakumari and her daughter, based on media accounts, have been in the forefront of protests demanding truth from government on the details of their relatives who disappeared during and immediately after the war. In fact, during the visit of British Prime Minister David Cameron in the North of Sri Lanka last year, she and her daughter were prominently captured in media reports as part of those leaders mobilizing the relatives.

The Federation

AFAD map