New Year’s Day Statement
January 2011
NEW YEAR, NEW BEGINNING, NEW HOPES!
The New Year heralds a new beginning. This is the time when, learning
from the lessons of the past year, we leave the past behind. Filled
with optimism, courage and love, we look ahead towards the future. For
the families of the disappeared the world over, New Year is but a lonely
part of the seemingly eternal journey in their search for their
disappeared loved ones. They continue to suffer from not knowing about
the fate and whereabouts of their disappeared loved ones and waiting for
news that may never ever come. They can neither properly mourn nor can
completely move on without a closure. Their anguish is often exacerbated
by economic hardship especially if the disappeared person used to be the
breadwinner.
Despite global developments in human rights, enforced disappearances
still persist in many countries all over the world as can be seen in the
annual reports of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary
Disappearance. This crime takes place when a person is arrested,
detained or abducted by the state or agents acting for the state, who
then deny that the person is being held and thus, placed outside the
protection of the law. The disappeared person is often tortured and in
constant fear for their life, removed from the protection of the law,
deprived of all rights and is put at the mercy of their captors.
Enforced disappearance is a continuing offense until the fate and
whereabouts of the disappeared person are known. Cases occur in 94
countries of the world, according to the 2010 report of the UN Working
Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. Asia, the continent
which submitted the highest number of disappearances reported in recent
years and where this crime is being carried out with brazen impunity.
It has become the most convenient tool of
many states to quell dissent and crash political opposition.
Despite this grim reality, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary
Disappearances (AFAD) welcomes the New Year with renewed hopes in the
light of the recent entry into force of a landmark treaty aimed at
combating this horrendous practice. The International Convention for
the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance entered into
force on 23 December 2010. It has, so far, 21 ratifications and 88
signatories. Ironically, Asia, having the highest number of reported
cases, has the lowest turn out of ratifications and signatories.
The Convention is an effective tool that can help strengthen the state’s
capacity to investigate cases of disappearances, bring perpetrators to
justice and provide reparation to victims and their families. An
independent and impartial treaty body will soon be established to
monitor the Convention’s implementation and to receive complaints from
or on behalf of victims when governments fail to fulfill their
obligations. But the Committee can only receive and consider complaints
when governments recognize its competence.
As the year 2011 ushers in, we are hopeful that we will
seize ample opportunities and more victories in our persevering struggle
for truth and justice. We take this opportunity to renew our
commitment to
unwaveringly and zealously work hand in hand with the families of the
victims and all human rights advocates around the world for better human
rights guarantees and protection.
We extend our wishes to all those who are violated, vilified and
dehumanized to go beyond their victimization and to continue being
transformed from victims to human rights defenders.
We are also hoping that all governments fully commit themselves to human
rights by taking the first step of signing and ratifying the UN
Convention Against Disappearances and enacting a domestic law
criminalizing enforced disappearances to ensure its universal
implementation.
NEW YEAR, NEW BEGINNING, NEW HOPES!
We can only make this happen through our concerted and collective
action.
A Very Happy New Year to One and All!
Signed
by:
 |
 |
|
MUGIYANTO |
MARY AILEEN D. BACALSO |
| Chairperson |
Secretary-General |
