We, the undersigned NGOs call on Member States of the UN Commission on Human Rights to adopt the Draft International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance at the 62nd and ultimate session and to transmit it to the General Assembly for its final adoption.
We fear that the Commission, for reasons of transitional arrangements, would postpone the adoption of the text to hand it to the Council. Yet, we believe that further delaying its adoption would jeopardize it.
Postponing the adoption of such an important text for procedural reasons would be an act of betrayal for the families of victims that have been working for the adoption of the text for many years: building protection for the families of victims cannot be held hostage to transitional arrangements. The Commission has a historical opportunity to adopt the Draft Convention and it should not let it pass.
The Convention fills a huge gap in international law: the absence at the universal level of a treaty addressing the multiple human rights violations and the international crime that is enforced disappearance.
This text, adopted by consensus on 23 September 2005 by the intersessional Working Group established by the Commission, is the result of several years of work of the Working Group. The consensus was reached thanks to the constructive spirit of all delegations. The Draft Convention is now before the Commission for its adoption.
Since 1980, when the first ever independent enquiry mechanism of the Commission on Human Rights, the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances was established, the Commission has made tireless efforts to face this hideous practice of enforced disappearance. In 1992, the Commission adopted the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. In 2006, as this work is nearing its end, it would be incomprehensible if the Commission did not renew its commitment against enforced disappearance and did not adopt the Draft International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
First Signatories
1 International Commission of Jurists, Nicholas Howen, Secretary General
2 Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l’Homme (FIDH), Sidiki Kaba, President
3 Human Rights Watch, Reed Brody
4 SOLIDA (Soutien aux Libanais Détenus Arbitrairement), Wadih Al-Asmar, Vice Président
5 FEDEFAM (Latin American Federation of Associations of Relatives of Disappeared Detainees),
Patricio Rice Membre du Conseil d’Administration,
6 TASSC (Torture Abolition Survivors Support Coalition), Patricio Rice Membre du Conseil d’Administration,
7 International Service for Human Rights, Switzerland, Chris Sidoti, Director,
8 Humanist Committee on Human Rights, Dave Hardy,
9 Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) Malawi, Undule Mwakasungura, Acting Executive Director,
10 Association of World Citizens, Rene Wadlow, chief representative,
11 People’s Empowerment Consortium (PEC), Heru Atmodjo,
12 Indonesian Association of Families of the Disappeared (IKOHI), Indonesia, Mugiyanto, Chairperson
13 May 18 Memorial Foundation, South Korea, Agnes Gurning,
14 Commite of Action Solidarity for Munir (KASUM), Indonesia, Suciwati,member,
15 Prasis, Jakarta, Indonesia, Ayi Bunyamin, Executive Secretary,
16 Global Network for the Prevention of Torture (GNPT), Dhaka, Bangladesh, Mr. Fazlous Satter, coordinator
17 Indonesia’s NGO Coalition for International Human Rights Advocacy (HRWG), Indonesia, Rafendi Djamin,
Coordinator,
18 Nonviolence International - Southeast Asia, Bangkok, Thailand, Alfredo Ferrariz Lubang, Regional Representative,
19 Institute of Advocation for Rehabilitation of The Victims of New Order Regime of Indonesia (shortened in Indonesia LPRKROB), Sumaun Utomo, President,
20 KONTRAS The Commission of Disappearance and Victims of Violence, Indonesia, Coordinator,
21 Asian Federation Against involuntary disappearances
(AFAD), Mary Aileen Diez-Bacalso, Secretary-General,
22 German Forum Human Rights, Theodor Rathgeber,
23 International Association of democratic lawyers, Belgium, Jitendra Sharma, President,
24 International Educational Development to the statement, Karen Parker, Chief delegate to UN,
25 FIACAT, Marie-Jo Cocher, Secrétaire exécutive,
26 LUCIS TRUST, Switzerland, Ghislaine de Reydet, Secretary General,
27 Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de España, Luis Acebal-Monfort, Vicepresident Secretary General,
28 Human Rights Lecturer Constitutional Department, Faculty of Law Airlangga University -Indonesia, R. Herlambang Perdana Wiratraman,
29 Socialist International Women (SIW), United Kingdom, Karin Stasius, Geneva Permanent Representative of SIW
30 Truth and Justice Commission (TJC), Pakistan, Mohammad Farooq Niazi, Chairperson
31 Program ManagerHuman Rights Center Ateneo de Manila School of Law, Philippines, Ray Paolo J. Santiago,
32 Franciscans International, Alessandra Aula,
33 Dominicans for Justice and Peace, Philippe LeBlanc,
34 Nord-Sud XXI, Suisse, Ahmad Soueissi, Directeur Général
35 Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP), India, Parvez Imroz, Patron
36 Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND), Raquel Paca-Santos, Secretary General,
37 Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), Renato Mabunga, Secretary General
38 Coalition Against Involuntary Disappearances (CAID), Philippines, Nilda L.Sevilla, Head Convenor,
39 Peace Advocates for Truth, Healing and Justice (PATH), Philippines, Robert Francis B. Garcia, Secretary General,
40 Institute of Advocation for Rehabilitation of The Victims of New Order Regime of Indonesia (shortened in
Indonesia LPRKROB), Sumaun Utomo, President,
41 International Association Against Torture, Fernando Ruiz, Permanent Representative at Geneva,
42 Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Bangkok, Thailand, Anselmo Lee, Executive Director,
43 Earthjustice, Yves Lador, Permanent Representative at Geneva,
44 YAMAJO, yayasan madani jombang, Muslim Abdilla, Executive Director,
45 World Student Christian Federation, Michael Wallace, General Secretary,
46 Amnesty International, Peter Splinter, Permanent Representative at Geneva,
47 Advocacy Forum, Mandira Sharma, Chair Person,
48 Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), Subodh Raj Pyakurel, Chair Person,
49 Himalayan Human Rights Monitoring (HIMRIGHTS), Anjana Shakya, Chair Person
50 Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN), Gauri Pradhan, Chair Person,
51 INHURED International, Gopal Siwakoti, Chair Person,
52 National Human Rights Foundation, Bhwani Kharel, Chair Person,
53 Human Rights Organization of Nepal (HURON), Charan Prasain, Chair Person,
54 Forum for Women Law and Development, Sapana Pradhan Malla, Chair Person,
55 Children Women and Social Service and Human Rights (CWISH), Santa Adhikary, Chair Person,
56 Jagaran Media Centre, Subas Kumar Darnal, Chair Person,
57 Jagaran Nepal, Sarmila Karki, Chair Person,
58 Centre for Victims of Torture, Bhogendra Sharma, Chair
Person
59 Rural Reconstruction Nepal, Rishi Adhikary, General Secretary
60 Association of Families of Disappeared People by the
State, Moti Maya Poudel, Central Committee Member
61 On behalf of NGO Federation of Nepal (Umbrella organization of more than 2000 NGOS in Nepal), Arjun Karki, Chair Person
62 On behalf of Defend for Human Rights Movement in Nepal, Shovakar Bhudhathoki, Coordinator (27 Human Rights organisation’s network)
63 On behalf of Collective Campaign for Peace (COCAP) Network of more than 30 human rights and peace related NGOs network, Bijaya Guidel, Manager,
64 On behalf of Treaty Monitoring Coordinating Committee (Network of 44 Human Rights Organizations), Bidhya Chapagain, Coordinator,
65 On behalf of Federation of Nepalese Journalists, Purna Basnet, Central Committee Member(umbrella organization of more than 5000 journalists of Nepal),
66 On behalf of Dalit NGO Federation, Durga Sob, Central Committee Member (Umbrella organization of more than 300 Dalit Organization),
67 On behalf of Nepal Bar Association, Sambhu Thapa, Chair Person (Umbrella Organization of more than 8000 lawyers of Nepal),
68 Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l’amitié entre les peuples (MRAP), Gianfranco Fattorini, Permanent Representative to UNOG,
69 Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Michelle Arevalo-Carpenter, Human Rights intern,
70 Association for world education, David G.Littman,
71 World Union for Progressive Judaism, David G.Littman,
72 World Alliance of YMCAs, Alexander Geutsch, Representative to CHR,
73 World Young Women’s Christian Organization (YWCA),
74 Pan Pacific and South East Asia Women’s Association International,
75 Pax Romana, Budi Tjahjono, Representative to UN
76 Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court (PCICC), Philippines, Aurora A. Parong, Deputy
Chairperson
77 Christian NGO’s Network in Region of Sumatera, Paul M.Simanjuntak, Executive Director,
78 Nilo Valerio Foundation, Philippines, Daisy Valerio, Executive Director,
79 Alternative Asean Network on Burma, Thailand Debbie Stothard, Coordinator,
80 Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND), Raquel Paca-Santos, Secretary General
81 May 18 Memorial Foundation, Kim Chanho, Director of International Cooperation Task,
82 Asian Human Rights Commission, Hong Kong, Basil Fernando, Executive Director,
83 Relatives Committee of the May 1992 Heroes, Thailand, Adul Khiewboriboon, Chairperson,
84 Organization of Parents and Family Members of the Disappeared (OPFMD), Shantha Pathirana, Secretary General,
85 Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), Philippines, Mary Aileen D. Bacalso, Secretary
General
86 United Nations of Youth, Network Nigeria, Prince Goodluck Obi, National Executive President,
87 Project Maje, Portland, Oregon USA, Edith Mirante, project director,
88 World Student Christian Federation, Michael Wallace, General Secretary,
89 Institute for Planetary Synthesis, Rudolf and Alice Schneider,
90 Humanitarian Law Center and HLC Executive Director, Natasa Kandic,
91 Center for Human Rights Developments, Sri Lanka, N.
Kandasamy, Secretary,
92 Inform Sri Lanka, Sunila Abeysekara, Director,
93 Lawyers for Human Rights Development, Sri Lanka, Attornesy at law K.D.C. Kumarage, Vice Chairman
94 Law and Society Trust 3, Sri Lanka, Ramani Muththettuwegama, Secretary,
95 Odhikar, A.F.Hassan Ariff, President,
96 Association of Humanitarian Lawyers, Karen Parker, President,
97 Golden Misabiko, African Association for the Defense of Human Rights, ASAHO and African Network against Enforced Disappearance RADIF,
98 Collectif des familles de disparu(es) en Algérie, Nassera Dutour,
99 SOS Disparu(e)s, Fatima Yous,
100 Bureau International pour le Respect des Droits de l’Homme au Sahara Occidental (BIRDHSO),Christian Viret, President,
101 Association "Jardin des Disparus" de Meyrin, Geneva-Switzerland, Christian Viret, Président,
102 Comité des Parents des Personnes Enlevées ou Disparues au Liban, Wadad Halwani,
103 Federation of Associations of Former International Civil Servants, Dev Ray
104 World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women, Renate Bloem
105 Ikatan Keluarga orang Hilang Indoneisa (IKOHI) Jawa Timur, Sukiswantoro, Secretary,
106 We Remember, Belarus, Irina Krasovskaya, President
107 Grupo Tortura Nunca Mais/RJ, Brazil, Elizabeth Silveira, President