Mr. Jeremy Sarkin, Extraordinary Professor of the University of South
Africa, former Chairperson-Rapporteur and incumbent member of the United
Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
(UNWGEID) will visit the country in his personal capacity as a UN expert
on May 29, 2012. He will join the families of the disappeared and other
human rights groups in the commemoration of the International Week of
the Disappeared.
“The families of the victims of enforced disappearance around the world
annually observe on the last week of May the International Week of the
Disappeared following the Latin American tradition to pay tribute to all
desaparecidos,” Mary
Aileen Diez-Bacalso said.
Bacalso is the Secretary General of Asian Federation Against Involuntary
Disappearances (AFAD), a regional human rights organization of families
of the disappeared and human rights advocates working directly on the
phenomenon of enforced disappearance in the Asian region.
“We have invited Mr. Sarkin to help us convince the Philippine
government to immediately sign and ratify the International Convention
for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and to
enact the anti-enforced disappearance law without further delay. It is
done on the occasion of the International Week of the Disappeared and
when the Philippines will be subjected to the Universal Periodic Review
(UPR) at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.”
The UPR is a special UN mechanism conducted every four years by the UN
Human Rights Council (UNHRC) which is composed of 47 UN Member-States to
scrutinize the human rights records of UN Member-States and propose for
recommendations. The Philippines went through the UPR in 2008 and is
scheduled for a second cycle in Geneva on May 29, 2012.
“Disappointingly, until now, the Philippines is not yet a signatory
much less a State-Party to the Convention despite
having cited its signing and ratification as one of its voluntary
pledges in the UN Human Rights Council when it ran for membership in
2007, ” she stated.
Bacalso also pointed out that the relatives of the disappeared in the
Philippines have been lobbying the Philippine Congress for almost two
decades to pass a law defining and penalizing enforced disappearance.
The Philippine Senate and the House of Representatives last year
approved on third and final reading their own versions of the proposed
law. It now awaits the bicameral committee meeting for its consolidation
and submission to the President for signing.
“It is about time for the President to make a strong statement on
human rights by pursuing the rights violators so that victims can get
justice. The anti-disappearance treaty and the anti-enforced
disappearance bill are two legal measures which, if acted upon by the
government, would serve as concrete steps towards ensuring state
accountability and ending impunity for human rights violations,” she
said.
Mr. Sarkin will be attending different activities during his visit. The
visit of any UN officer in the country is deemed official when invited
by governments. The UNWGEID has an outstanding request for an official
invitation from the Philippine government. During his visit, Mr. Sarkin
will meet with relatives of the victims in the Consultative Dialogue
with selected legislators on May 31, 9 a.m. – 12 noon at the
Intercontinental Hotel in Makati. He will then speak before the members
of diplomatic corps, government representatives and non-government
organizations in the National Human Rights Forum on June 1, 9 a.m. – 11
a.m. at Sulo Hotel.
The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) and the
Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance have requested for an
appointment with President Aquino, but to date, Malacanang has not
granted it.
“Giving us an audience is a sign of political will of the Philippine
Government to end enforced disappearance and to end impunity in the
country, ” Bacalso concluded.
Contact Person:
Darwin Mendiola
Landline: 454.6759/490.7862
Mobile: 0915.4689306
Email: afad@surfshop.net.ph
.
