Dear All,

On the last week of May, families of the victims of enforced disappearance around the world will observe the International Week of the Disappeared following the Latin American tradition.

To commemorate this occasion in the country, the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) in cooperation with the Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND) will hold series of activities to intently bring this human rights issue to public attention and to reiterate its call on 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. We believe that these two legal measures are concrete steps towards ensuring accountability and ending impunity for human rights violations.

Joining us in these activities is Mr. Jeremy Sarkin, the former Chairperson-Rapporteur and incumbent member of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UNWGEID), in his personal capacity as a UN expert who will be arriving in Manila on May 29, 2012.

Mr. Sarkin will meet the families of the victims together with some members of House of Representatives in a public dialogue on May 31, 2012, from nine to eleven o’clock in the morning at the Sulo Riviera Hotel in Matalino St. Quezon City.

The AFAD and FIND in partnership with the Presidential Human Rights Committee, will also organize the National Human Rights Forum on Enforced Disappearance which will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel, Makati City on June 1, 2012, from nine ‘o clock in the morning to twelve o’clock noon. This activity will serve as a venue for the multi-stakeholders dialogue that we hope to pave way for the collective actions in addressing the phenomenon of enforced disappearance in the country.

In this regard, may we earnestly invite you or your representative to join us in these activities wherein representatives from the Senate, the House of Representatives, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Commission on Human Rights, Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the diplomatic community will also be present.

We shall truly appreciate your invaluable presence in these activities as we reaffirm our commitment to the protection of all persons from enforced disappearance and other forms of human rights transgressions.

For confirmation or inquiries on our invitation, you may get in touch with Ms. Mary Aileen Bacalso at (02)-4907862 or e-mail us at afad@surfshop.net.ph.

Thank you and warmest regards.

Very truly yours,
MARY AILEEN DIEZ BACALSO                                              NILDA LAGMAN SEVILLA
Secretary General, AFAD                                                         Co-Chairperson, FIND
Focal Person, ICAED