- Category: Statements
SOLIDARITY MESSAGE
The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) congratulates our colleagues and friends from the Komisi Untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan or The Commission for “the Disappeared” and Victims of Violence (KontraS) on their organization’s fourteenth anniversary.
As one of the most active member-organizations of our federation, KontraS is committed to the work for human rights. Fourteen years in its struggle for human rights, KontraS has withstood the tests of time – overcoming the consequences of the series of raids in 2002 and 2003 and worse still, witnessing the brutality of the assassination of its founder, Munir. Such commitment is one of AFAD’s sources of strength for our regional federation.
- Category: Statements
Although Spain’s Amnesty Law of 1977 seems to be a protective blanket of General Franco’s surviving supporters of his regime, it only provides for an amnesty for political crimes – and the crimes under international law committed in Spain in the past do not amount to political crimes. The Spanish Magistrate Baltasar Garzón did comply with the obligations of Spain under international law when he decided to investigate and prosecute the former Chilean head of state, Augusto Pinochet in October 1998.
The investigation initiated by Judge Garzón on the crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the Civil War by both parties to the conflict and the Franco regime is righteous because this is an attempt to correct a historical blunder. There are no wounds to open as opposed to some claims because the wounds of the families of the victims of human rights violations and enforced disappearances are still open and are in fact, festering- even after 41 years since the death of Francisco Franco. Two years after his death, the Government of Spain passed the Amnesty Law – though it ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights few months before that.
- Category: Statements
Enforced Disappearance in Thailand must end Now!
Eight years have passed but truth and justice for the disappeared prominent Thai human rights lawyer, Somchai Neelaphaijit still remain very elusive. Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit was forcibly disappeared on 12 March 2004 in Bangkok, Thailand. At the time of his disappearance, Mr. Somchai was working on torture cases committed by Thai security officers in the southern province of Thailand, which was then placed under martial law.
Despite efforts of Atty. Neelaphaijit’s family to bring his case at the national and international attention and to put those responsible to the bar of justice, only one of the five police officers who were arrested and prosecuted for their alleged involvement in the disappearance was convicted to a three-year imprisonment in January 2006. What added insult to injury was the verdict of Appeal Court on 11 March 2011, which suddenly reversed the decision of the Court of First Instance for lack of sufficient evidence and ruled that the wife and children of Somchai Neelaphaijit are not eligible to exercise their rights as the aggrieved party. This decision is nothing but a denial of his family’s right to uncover the truth and to seek justice.
- Category: Press Releases
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As complacency prevails, impunity continues unabated, no more an “eye for an eye”
On 12 March 2004, Mr. Somchai Neelapaijit, human rights lawyer, became a victim of enforced disappearance. His last clients were alleged offenders in the gun robbery case taking place in January 2004 in Narathiwat Province, in Thailand’s Deep South, and they were complaining about their being tortured to confess. Eight years passed, and his family and civil society organizations have to continue to demand justice done to the disappearance of Mr. Somchai and the torture of his clients. But the demands have fallen on deaf ears. Worse, 14 victims of torture while being held in custody by officials including Mr. Somchai’s three clients, have been sued back for making false reports by the high ranking police officers, who could have been involved with the enforced disappearance of Mr. Somchai and given consent to the torture of his clients.
- Category: Statements
Empower the Women-Victims, End Impunity for Enforced Disappearance
Today, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) joins the world in celebrating the 101st anniversary of the International Women’s Day. The AFAD as a regional federation of eleven member-organizations from different Asian countries pays tribute to all women and their indispensable role in society particularly in the struggle to end enforced disappearances worldwide.
- Category: Open Letters
Office of the President,
Temple Trees, 150, Galle Road,
Colombo 3, Sri Lanka
His Excellency President Rajapakse,
The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) is a regional federation of human rights organizations working directly on the issue of enforced or involuntary disappearances.
We are alarmed over the recent disappearance of Mr. Ramasamy Prabaharan on February 11, 2012. Armed men wearing civilian clothing reportedly abducted Mr. Prabaharan outside his home on Central Bank Road, Wellawatte, Colombo 6. The incident happened around 3:30 in the afternoon wherein an estimate of seven armed men with rifles and shot guns seized Mr. Prabaharan in his neck and forced him inside a white van with registration number 254-2106. The van reportedly drove towards the area of Dehiwela. After the incident, Mrs. Prabaharan immediately reported the abduction to the Wallewathe Police Station registered under complaint number 224/222/GCIB.
- Category: Press Releases
Davao City -- It has been almost a month since retired Maj. General Jovito Palparan went into hiding after the Malolos Court issued a warrant of arrest for his alleged involvement in the disappearance in 2006 of two UP student-activists, Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno. It undeniably shows that flight means guilt.
The authorities fail to capture him. This reveals not only the inability of the present government to protect the human rights of the people but also how pervasive the climate of impunity in the country is. It is unbelievable that the authorities remain clueless of Palparan’s whereabouts. Either they are doing a sloppy job or they are just too soft in dealing with him.