Silencing of a Laotian Son
Featuring a panel of distinguished guest speakers including
- Ajaan Sulak Sivaraksa, a friend and mentor of Sombath for over 30 years who greatly influenced Sombath’s work on Education and Engaged Buddhism.
- Ms. Cynthia Veliko, Head of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights based in Bangkok.
- Ms. Angkhana Neelapaijit, founder of Justice for Peace, an organization dedicated to supporting victims of Enforced Disappearance and advocating for improved state laws against Enforced Disappearances. Ms. Neelapaijitis is the wife of famous human rights lawyer, Dr. Somchai Neelapaijit who disappeared in 2004.
- Shui Meng Ng, Sombath’s wife and author of the book who has worked tirelessly to seek truth and justice for her husband.
Moderator: Phil Robertson, deputy director for Human Rights Watch (Asia)
‘Silencing of a Laotian Son – the Life, Work and Enforced Disappearance of Sombath Somphone’
A thoughtful portrayal of Sombath Somphone’s 30-year life journey to improve the lives of rural communities in Laos, and his subsequent enforced disappearance on December 15, 2012. The book tells of how Sombath’s ground-breaking community and youth development work earned him widespread recognition as Laos leading development specialist and documents both the Lao authorities’ denial of state involvement in Sombath’s disappearance and his wife’s agonizing struggle to rally international support for his safe return.
Free in-person at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand – FCCT
and live-streamed online: https://www.facebook.com/FCCThailand/