AFAD Conducts a Tree
Planting to commemorate
the
International Week of the Disappeared
"In
the name of Justice, Stop Disappearances!
Ratify the United Nations Convention on the
Protection of All Persons from Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances."
June
1, 2007 -
The Asian Federation
Against Involuntary Disappearances and Claimants 1081 called on all
governments, especially Asian governments to ratify a very relevant
international treaty protecting persons from enforced or involuntary
disappearances, a phenomenon in more than 90 countries, according to the
United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.
Nine member-organizations from India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan,
Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand working directly on the issue of
enforced disappearances from seven Asian countries made their collective
call during a Tree Planting activity at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani
(Monument of Heroes), Quezon City, Philippines.
To note,
the International Week of the Disappeared was initiated by the Latin
American Federation of Associations of Relatives of
Disappeared-Detainees during its first Congress in San Jose, Costa Rica
in 1981. The week is meant to honor the disappeared in forms of
political, cultural and religious activities. This was adopted by the
Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances whose establishment
was inspired by its Latin American sisters and brothers.
His
Excellency French Ambassador Gerard Chesnei, the event's keynote
speaker, expressed gratitude to AFAD for having associated his country
to the event emphasizing the role of France in the adoption by the UN
General Assembly of the International Convention on the Protection of
All Persons from Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. He noted that
the legally binding instrument will satisfy demands of prevention by
specifically prohibiting secret places of detention and justice by
recognizing the right to reparation and truth for victims and their
families. He stated that the strong international commitment, which
France hails, should lead to a large number of signatures and to the
entry into force of the convention at an early date.
Eight
trees were planted by representatives of AFAD member-organizations from
seven countries and by the AFAD Secretariat, which is based in the
Philippines. Mrs. Edita Burgos, mother of a recently disappeared
person in the Philippines, Jonas Burgos, planted the tree on behalf of
the Philippine organization. Each of the representatives of the
member-organizations spoke about the significance of the tree to the
disappeared and their families. Symbolizing life, the trees
represented AFAD's resolve to once again put the broken pieces of the
lives of the families of the disappeared together by its never-ending
search for truth, justice, redress and the recuperation of the
historical memory of the disappeared.
Present
during the occasion was the diplomatic community, e.g. ambassadors of
France, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Sri Lanka and
representatives of the European Union and embassies of Finland and
Sweden. Member of the House of Representatives Loretta Ann Rosales
was also present to express her solidarity. More than twenty people
from the tri-media came to cover the occasion. Family members of the
disappeared in the Philippines and representatives of other NGOs
attended to honor all the disappeared of the world.
The
commemoration of the International Week of the Disappeared recognizes
the global phenomenon of enforced disappearances which necessitates a
global response. The international treaty protecting persons from
enforced disappearances, if entered into force and implemented in
different countries, will give hope that this scourge occurring in many
continents of the world will never happen again.
