- Category: Statements
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Bangkok, 30 August, 2012 : On the occasion of International Day of the Disappeared, the Justice for Peace Foundation (JPF) and the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) commend the Thai government for signing the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance in January this year. Both the JPF and the AFAD further express appreciation to the Thai government for committing to provide reparation to victims of enforced disappearances by the end of this year to victims from the southern boarding provinces from 2004. This commitment is seen as an integral part in the whole process of the government’s commitment to respond to the victims’ families’ need for truth and justice.
- Category: Statements
On the International Day of the Disappeared, the human rights organization Odhikar notes with deep concern the increase in incidents of disappearances in Bangladesh and the inability of the government to deal with such heinous acts – thus reinforcing the politics of intimidation and fear. Odhikar is particularly concerned about the manifested lack of sensitivity to the issue and absence of any steps that could assure the government’s commitment to good governance with regard to disciplining the law and order enforcement apparatus of the country. The enforced disappearance of political leaders is an alarming trend and has already thrown Bangladesh into political instability and uncertainties. The disappearance and killing of labour leader Aminul Islam has significantly reduced the government’s international image and graphically proved again the horrendous state of intimidation and repression suffered by garment workers, who are the backbone of export earnings for the country.
- Category: Statements
Enforced disappearance keeps taking place, with 67 cases reported in Bangladesh after the assumption of office by the Awami League-led government.
International Day of the Disappeared will be observed today in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world.
According to rights group Odhikar, although the number of people who disappeared is high, 67 cases after the Awami League and Jatiya Party-led alliance government came to power in 2009 are clearly of the category of ‘enforced disappearance’ as defined by the international human rights law, particularly the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
- Category: Statements
A Liberating Sacrifice
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
- Martin Luther King
In Philippine history, a number of religious organizations have played an important role not only in building the moral foundation of society, but also in championing the cause of human dignity and liberty especially under the most difficult and trying situations. In the course of championing the cause of human rights, especially of the wretched of the earth, Church people were and continue to be subjected to persecution.
- Category: Statements
Stand United Against Torture
The United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture once again reminds us of all victims and survivors of torture worldwide and of our corresponding responsibility to stand united against torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. It likewise reminds us of all those who disappeared, many if not all of them have been and continue to be victimized by torture.
Torture is an abominable offense under international law. It is absolutely prohibited and unjustifiable under any circumstances in any place in the world. After twenty-five years since the entry into force of the Convention Against Torture (CAT), as a legally binding international instrument against the act of torture, this odious practice is still taking a terrible toll on millions of people around the globe. But despite this global commitment of the United Nations, many States and private individuals or groups acting with the authority, support, or acquiescence of States, continue without qualms to use torture to inflict physical and mental harm on any person in order to get information, secure a confession, exact punishment or extort money – all in the guise of national security or simply form part of a regular conduct of police investigation.
- Category: Statements
Fourteen Years of Avowed Commitment to
End Enforced Disappearances
Following the world’s observance of the International Week of the Disappeared, we, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) commemorate today our 14th founding anniversary. As the regional federation of organizations of families of the disappeared and human rights advocates working directly on the issue of enforced disappearance in the Asian region, we have endeavored for fourteen years to make a strong regional response in the global struggle against the phenomenon of enforced disappearance.
During all these years of building the federation, from a core group of three member-organizations, AFAD has metamorphosed into a pro-active regional human rights organization of eleven member-organizations from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor Leste and serves as the resonating voice of voiceless families of the disappeared in Asia - a region where human rights remain a dim reality and where strong regional mechanisms and pieces of domestic legislation for redress are non-existent. During the last 14 years, the Federation’s very constituents, the organizations of families of the disappeared and other organizations working on the issue of disappearances have relentlessly pursued the cause the disappeared and helped the families seek truth and justice. Admittedly, though we still have to reach out to many countries, taking into consideration the vastness of the Asian continent.
- Category: Statements
Every last week of May, the international community, especially the associations of families of the disappeared, commemorate the International Week of the Disappeared (IWD). Accordingly Odhikar is observing the IWD from 27 May – June 2, 2012. During this week Odhikar condemns the failure of the government of Bangladesh to protect the citizens from enforced disappearance and extends solidarity to the families of the victim.
The IWD was initiated by the Latin American Federation of Associations for Relatives of the Detained-Disappeared (FEDEFAM), during its founding Congress in San Jose, Costa Rica in 1981. Over the past thirty years this event has inspired many organisations world-wide to fight enforced disappearances.
- Category: Statements
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As the world observes the International Week of the Disappeared on 28 May – 02 June 2012, the Philippines undergoes the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland tomorrow, 29 May 2012.
One of the standing Council recommendations to the Philippines is to sign and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. The Philippines neither “accepted” nor “refused” the said recommendation but declared “to consider” it.
It is hoped that the Philippines during the UPR will once and for all decide and sincerely commit to sign and accede to the Convention soonest.