Enforced disappearances and abductions

Discontent over malfunctioning democracies and legal systems and the consequent setbacks these shortcomings cause for human rights and the rule of law, as well as aggressively expressed aspirations to resolve such problems, are marked features that define the year 2006 in many Asian countries. Specifically, Asia’s people feel discontent over the authoritarianism of democratically elected […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission has been informed of the alleged abduction and subsequent forced disappearance of Mr. Thares Sodsri (53), a well known environmental activist in Baan Kha Distirct, Rachaburi province during the evening of 30 November 2006. Two weeks before his disappearance, Mr. Thares had reportedly submitted evidence to the Ministry […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you about the prolonged detention of two farmers in Davao Oriental province, the Philippines. Both of them have been detained for almost three years without any progress in their case because the prosecution witnesses failed to appear in court on six occasions. One of […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  AS-299-2006 December 4, 2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission THAILAND: If not Somchai’s bones, whose bones? According to a news report on the website of The Manager newspaper this Monday, December 4, Dr Khunying Porntip Rojanansunant, acting director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science, has said that DNA […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about abduction of a man of Madawachiya, Sri Lanka in a notorious white van incident on 4 September 2006. It is reported that one day before his abduction, Sri Lankan army personnel came to his house to look for him. There is sufficient suspicion […]

PHILIPPINES: Extra-judicial killings, brutal torture, enforced disappearance, a need for an enabling law on torture and disappearance; impartial and independent investigation; collapse of rule of law ————————————- Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you regarding the enforced disappearance of four persons and the brutal torture of two others–one of […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information concerning the forced disappearance of Des Raj Chauhan (also known as Lala), a 24-year-old labourer and resident of Ganapur VDC-6, Banke district, Nepal. Des Raj Chauhan was reportedly arrested by three plainclothes security personnel from Area Police Station, Kohalpur, Banke district on October 31, […]

[RE: UP-20-2005: THAILAND: Human rights lawyer still missing after nearly one year; Action needed today to have case transferred; UP-24-2005: THAILAND: Thai minister refuses to act on missing human rights lawyer case; UP-37-2005: Thai PM orders action on missing human rights lawyer, while court hears of torture; UP-45-2005: Wife of missing human rights lawyer intimidated; […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  AS-269-2006 November 1, 2006 A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission THAILAND: Somchai, Tak Bai, secrets & lies The head of the military junta overseeing the interim government in Thailand, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, on October 31 reportedly said that he has information that the mastermind of the 12 March 2004 disappearance […]

The statement: We reproduce below European Parliamentarian Sajjad Karim’s questions to the European Commissioner for External Relations and her response dated 12 October 2006. The questions address the need for international human rights monitoring. Editor – SLDF Newswire www.lankademocracy.org http://sajjadkarim.org.uk/pages/PQs2.html WRITTEN QUESTION E-3722/06 by Sajjad Karim (ALDE) to the Commission Subject: International monitoring mission for […]

NOTICE: The AHRC have developed a new automatic letter-sending system using the “button” below. However, in this appeal, we could not include e-mail addresses of some of the Pakistan authorities. We encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to those people. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Pakistan authorities are attached below […]

Civil society organizations in Sri Lanka made a great advance during the last week when they were able to identify a group of persons who are allegedly involved in the abductions in Colombo.  On the basis of their information the police at Kotehena have been able to arrest several persons who are said to belong […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding yet another enforced disappearance from Sri Lanka in which a white coloured van without a number plate is involved. The victim is P.K. Don Dilan Pushpakumara (26), an army soldier currently under interdiction who is a resident of Ihala Kandawatte, Meegahatenna, Sri Lanka. […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned by another forced disappearance in the ongoing conflict on the Jaffna peninsula, Sri Lanka. A Tamil ethnic, Mr. Irajeevan Sathiyavagaswaran (aged 32), a computer technician in a government department, has been missing since 11 September 2006 after being abducted by a group of armed […]

www.lankademocracy.org http://www.uthr.org/bulletins/bul41.htm University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna)Sri Lanka UTHR(J) Information Bulletin No. 41 Date of Release: 14th September  2006 The Wider Implications of the Human Rights CONTENTS 1. Refugee Woes ­ A Common Pattern in the North East 2. The Plight of Daily Wage Earners in Jaffna 3. Killings that Cripple a People 4. […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from a reliable source regarding the alleged disappearance of three young men from their home in ongoing conflict area Jaffna, Sri Lanka by Navy officers. The victims’ family and their supportive friends have been receiving constant threats by the Navy officials under the emergency […]

[NOTICE: The AHRC have developed a new automatic letter-sending system using the “button” below. However, in this appeal, we could not include e-mail addresses of some of the Indian and Bangladesh authorities. We encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to those people. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Indian and […]

Dear Friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from MASUM, a human rights organisation in West Bengal regarding the abduction of three fishermen from Khas Mahal Damush by the officers from Bangladesh Rifles on 6 September 2006. Khas Mahal Damush is in Murshidabad District, West Bengal, India. The whereabouts of these persons […]

Maina Sunawar was 15 years old when members of the Nepalese armed forces arbitrarily arrested her. Since this date – February 17, 2004 – she has disappeared. All the evidence indicates that she was tortured to death by members of the military, who have since sought to deny her arrest and cover up her death. […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), through its sister organisation, has submitted details to the United Nations of 12 persons who have allegedly been abducted by the security forces in southern Thailand. They are among some 23 cases acknowledged by the government of Thailand in which the families have been paid compensation, but […]