Johannesburg. 23 April 2013. Archibishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu joins CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation in expressing deep distress at the disappearance of Laotian human rights activist Sombath Samphone. More than four months have passed since closed-circuit television footage obtained by Mr Samphone’s family showed him being taken away in a car from a police post in Vientiane, Cambodia on 15 December 2012. It is critical that a complete and impartial investigation is carried out into the circumstances behind Sombath Somphone’s disappearance to ensure justice for him and his family.
Following are some additional areas of concern regarding Sombath Somphone’s disappearance and restrictions on civil society activities in Laos.
- Mr Samphone is the Executive Director of the Participatory Development Training Center (PADETC). A public campaign is underway to demand information about his whereabouts. Although government officials have denied knowledge about Mr Samphone’s disappearance, serious concerns persist about the lack of a proper investigation into the case and the resulting failure to apprehend the culprits.
- In December 2012, Anne-Sophie Gindroz, the national director of the Swiss development organisation Helvetas, was expelled from the country for her “unconstructive attitude” toward the Laos government. She was given a 48 hour notice to leave the country. The disappearance of Mr Samphone and the expulsion of Ms Gindroz has led to widespread insecurity among civil society groups engaged in campaigning, lobbying and advocacy work.
- Expressing political dissent in Laos remains an activity fraught with dangerous consequences. Three prominent activists of the Lao Students Movement for Democracy who called for economic, political and social change in 1999 remain in prison. They are Thongpaseuth Keuakoun, founder of the movement (now aged 52) and his compatriots, Bouavanh Chanhmanivong (52) and Seng-Aloun Phengphanh (40).
- Severe restrictions continue to be placed on civil society’s freedoms of expression, association and assembly in Laos. These include legal barriers to participate in organisations engaging in demonstrations or public protests or in any way causing “turmoil or social instability.” Civil Society groups are also subjected to strict state control restricting their ability to engage in political debates. Public criticism of official policies remains stifled with the media being wholly owned and controlled by the state.
CIVICUS calls on democratic governments to: (i) unequivocally demand that the Government of Laos solve the mystery of Sombath Samphone’s disappearance, and (ii) engage the Government of Laos on reforms to comply with its international obligations towards protecting the core civil society freedoms of expression, association and assembly.
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said:
“It is a tragedy that someone with such a deep love for his people could disappear.
I am alarmed to note that in the more than four months since Sombath’s disappearance the police investigation has failed to reveal his whereabouts, despite the existence of closed circuit television footage purporting to show his last known sighting, being led from a police post by two policemen on 15 December 2012.”
I urge the Government of Laos to initiate a further investigation urgently. I am confident that if the government and security agencies renew their efforts and work together on this matter then Sombath can be found and returned safely to his family. Such an earnest effort would undoubtedly shine a positive global spotlight on the peace loving people of Laos and its leaders.
Ours is a moral universe. Injustice is immoral. Those who are behind the ‘disappearances’ of good people cannot have the last word.”
Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah, Secretary General at CIVICUS said:
“Sombath Samphone’s disappearance is symptomatic of the rising repression in Laos. It is highly likely that he is being victimised for being a vocal critic of state sponsored forced displacement of local communities in favour of commercial projects.”
Note to editor:
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation is a global alliance of civil society dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world, especially in areas where’s freedom of association and participatory democracy are threatened. CIVICUS was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Johannesburg. For more information visit www.civicus.org
Archibishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has written to the Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos outlining the blow Mr Samphone’s disappearance makes to campaigns for sustainable development in Laos and abroad. The Archbishop Emeritus wrote that Mr Samphone's commitment to poverty alleviation and sustainable development at home and in the region had been nothing short of inspirational. Mr Samphone had worked extensively with Buddhist monks and elders to set up youth meditation camps and this care for the spiritual core of the Laotian people had touched many in the region and beyond. The Archbishop Emeritus also wrote that Mr Samphone's participation and ability to speak freely at the Asia-Europe People’s Forum (AEPF) in Vientiane, in November 2012, marked an enriching moment for free speech in Laos and allowed an inclusive conversation to take place between all levels of Laotian society.