On behalf of the Working Group on Justice for Peace (WGJP) and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), we would like to invite you to attend an Art Exhibition on The Disappeared and Their Families to mark the 6th anniversary disappearance of prominent Thai human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit.
The one-day exhibition commencing at 09:30 a.m. will be held on 12 March 2010 at the Chula Nareumit House in Chulalongkorn University. A draft programme is attached for your information.
Ms. Angkhana Neelapaijit, wife of Somchai Neelapaijit and Chairperson of the WGJP, will launch a summary report highlighting the continued pursuit for truth and justice in relation to her husbands enforced disappearance.
On the occasion of the 6th anniversary of Somchai Neelapaijits enforced disappearance, the Art Exhibition marking the event will also underscore the heinous nature of disappearances in Thailand, as well as the broader problem of impunity in relation to serious human rights violations.
We sincerely hope that you will be able to join us, and would appreciate if you could confirm your attendance by Tuesday 9 March to WGJP, by tel: 02 975 9975; by fax: 02 975 9975; or by email: info@wgjp.org.
Yours sincerely,
Angkhana Neelapaijit, Chairperson, Working Group on Justice for Peace
Roger Normand, Asia-Pacific Director, International Commission of Jurists
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CONCEPT NOTE
6TH ANNIVERSARY DISAPPEARANCE OF SOMCHAI NEELAPAIJIT
12 March 2010
Chula Nareumit House, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok
Theme
A short event on 12 March 2010 to commemorate the 6th anniversary of the enforced disappearance of prominent Thai human rights lawyer, Somchai Neelapaijit and to highlight the failure of Thai justice system in providing truth and reparation to the victims of the case, as well as to call for protection from any future enforced disappearance in Thailand.
Background
Somchai Neelapaijit has been missing since 12 March 2004, when he was last seen in Bangkok being forced into a car with a group of men. At the time of his disappearance, he was Chairman of the Muslim Lawyers Association and Vice-Chairman of the Human Rights Committee of the Law Society of Thailand, and was representing five Muslims accused of terrorism-related activities in Thailands
southern border provinces.
Although Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced the Governments intention to ensure swift and meaningful progress in investigations and to bring to justice the perpetrators of Mr. Neelapaijits enforced disappearance, no substantial progress has been made in the case, which was accepted as a special case by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) since July 2005. Somchai Neelapaijits fate remains unknown and no one has been held accountable in final judgment for the crime of his enforced disappearance. Meanwhile, key witnesses to the case and their families have been subjected to intimidation and threats, and continue to worry on a daily about their safety.
On 12 January 2006, the Criminal Court convicted a senior police officer of coercion and assault but not of the enforced disappearance itself and was sentenced to three years imprisonment despite evidence presented at trial indicating that a more serious crime has been committed. Pol. Maj. Ngern Thongsuk of the Crime Suppression Division was released on bail pending his appeal. It was subsequently reported in the Bangkok Post on 19 September 2008 that Pol. Maj. Ngern Thongsuk
had gone missing in a flood. Following such reports, Angkhana Neelapaijit, wife of Somchai, requested the police to investigate the whereabouts of the officers body, which was never found. This has led to beliefs that Pol. Maj. Ngern Thongsuk has fled the country after having been released on bail pending appeal of the Criminal Court decision.
In 2009, Angkhana Neelapaijit petitioned the Civil Court to declare her husband disappeared so that she could take control of his assets. The Civil Court took up the petition and declared Somchai Neelapaijit disappeared on 18 May 2009 as he had been missing for five years.
In the four and a half years that DSI has accepted investigative responsibility of this case, there have only been attempts to unearth evidence from the Maeklong River in Ratchaburi province. To date, four 200-litre-drums that are believed to have been used for destroying the body of Somchai have been excavated. Some human bone fragments have also been uncovered, but they were found to not match the DNA of
Somchai Neelapaijit after forensic testing.
More recently, one of the key witnesses Mr. Abdulah Abukaree in the criminal case relating to Somchai Neelapaijits enforced disappearance, disappeared on 11 December 2009 whilst under the DSI witness protection scheme. The presumption that a witness to an enforced disappearance has himself been forcibly disappeared has further shaken peoples trust and confidence in the efficacy of the justice system to hold perpetrators of crimes liable will be gravely eroded.
The event commemorating the 6th anniversary of Somchai Neelapaijits enforced disappearance will (i) highlight the failed pursuit of truth and justice, and the weaknesses of witness protection in this particular case; (ii) underscore the serious nature of enforced disappearances in Thailand; and (iii) represent public and highprofile efforts at seeking justice for an emblematic case in the fight against impunity in Thailand.
Materials
A summary report by the Working Group on Justice for Peace on the continued pursuit of truth and justice relating to Somchai Neelapaijits enforced disappearance will be launched, and the English and Thai versions of the International Commission of Jurists trial observation report on the criminal trial and investigation of the case will be made available.
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