นายจอน กล่าวถึงประเด็นที่น่าสนใจจากกรณีที่เกิดขึ้นอีกว่า สปป.ลาวได้ลงนามในอนุสัญญาระหว่างประเทศว่าด้วยการคุ้มครองบุคคลทุกคนจากการ ถูกบังคับให้สูญหายโดยไม่สมัครใจ ขององค์การสหประชาชาติ (The Convention for Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance) ซึ่งในอาเซียนมี สปป.ลาว อินโดนีเซีย และไทย (23 พ.ย.2553) ลงนามในอนุสัญญาดังกล่าวแล้ว แต่ไม่มีผลบังคับใช้ เนื่องจากไม่มีกฎหมายในประเทศรองรับ ทำให้เรื่องเช่นนี้ยังเกิดขึ้นและในไทยเองก็เช่นเดียวกัน
CC: Embassies/consulates of Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia,
Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Thailand, USA
Requesting urgent investigations into the disappearance of Mr. Sombath Somphone and actions to ensure his safety
Excellency,
We, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) trustees, officers and staff, and the Ramon Magsaysay Awardees listed below, are extremely concerned about the safety and well-being of Mr. Sombath Somphone, founder of PADETC and 2005 Ramon Magsaysay awardee for Community Service, who has been missing since about 17:00 on Saturday, 15 December.
There have been news reports that at 18:00 Saturday, Mr. Sombath was stopped by police on his way home and brought to a police station in Vientiane and that later, a man walked out of the station with Mr. Sombath and drove away with him in a white pickup truck. That was reported as the last known sighting of Mr. Sombath.
We urge the Government of the Lao PDR and all relevant authorities in the Lao PDR to immediately and with urgency investigate Mr. Sombath Somphone’s disappearance, and to take all steps possible to ensure Mr. Sombath Somphone’s safety and well-being. His family should be informed as soon as possible after his whereabouts and his situation are known.
Many of us visited Mr. Sombath and PADETC in Vientiane in November 2005 and were very impressed with Mr. Sombath’s work on youth development. We know Mr. Sombath as a kind and gentle community worker who loves his country and his people.
We fervently hope that Mr. Sombath Somphone’s whereabouts will be discovered very soon and that he will be found safe and well. We thank the Government of the Lao PDR and all relevant authorities for all efforts made to ensure Mr. Sombath’s safety and well-being.
