Editorial REPORT OF THE WORKING GROUP ON ENFORCED OR INVOLUNTARY DISAPPEARANCES (E/CN.4/1997/34) THE DEAD IN BOSNIAN MASS GRAVES REMAIN MISSING LECTURE BY TOINE VAN DONGEN HIJOS FROM ARGENTINA: "IMPUNITY FROM THE PAST EXPLAINS CURRENT VIOLENCE" TESTIMONY OF A. EL MANOUZI (APADM; MOROCCO) TESTIMONY OF LJUBICA BUTULA (FENIX OF CROATIA; CROATIA) "I'M FREED OF A BURDEN, BUT I CAN'T FORGIVE" LIST OF COUNTRIES WHERE COMMITTEES OF RELATIVES OF THE DISAPPEARED' EXIST ADDRESSES OF COMMITTEES THAT WANT TO GET INTO CONTACT WITH YOU CONFERENCES REQUEST FOR COPY
This is the first (double) issue of the Linking Solidarity Newsletter. The moment this newsletter is written, worldwide at least 43,980 families are insecure about the fate of a "disappeared' relative. 43,980 is a number that silences a person, however, in reality this concerns many more families. The "UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances" examined "disappear-ances" in 63 countries in 1996. In about 46 of these countries, relatives have organized themselves to ask for clarification. In the other 23 countries this is too dangerous for the person "disappeared" and also for the relatives. Therefore, it is very likely that "disappearances" which are not officially registered, take place in those countries. This explains why 43,980 is a minimum estimate. These people have "disappeared" but have certainly not been forgotten. People are looking for them. In silence.
REPORT OF THE WORKING GROUP ON ENFORCED OR INVOLUNTARY DISAPPEARANCES (E/CN.4/1997/34)
In April in Geneva, the 53rd session of the "Commission on Human Rights" took place. The "Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances" reported on its activities.
Since the foundation (1980), 4 independent experts are occupied with "disappearances" within the UN Working Group. The Working Group puts pressure on governments; missions are undertaken and as long as there is no secure answer on the fate of the victims, the countries in which the unsolved "disappearances" take place or have taken place remain mentioned in the report. Some victims participated in the opposition, others were journalists, union leaders, students, or part of a certain ethnical group or faith. Governments mostly refuse to take any responsibility, even if their involvement can be proved solidly.
The actual number of unsolved "disappearances" concerns 43,980 persons. In 1996, the Working Group received 551 new charges of "disappearances" coming from 28 countries. These "new disappearances" have taken place in Chad, China, Colombia, Indonesia, Iraq, Mexico, Sri Lanka and Turkey in particular.
On pages 70 and 71 of the report, the Working Group writes the following:
The Working Group wishes to remind governments that authentic cooperation is based on effective action to clarify the outstanding cases and prevent new ones. In this respect the results are very poor.
In addition to assisting relatives and governments in clarifying individual cases of disappearance, in recent years the Working Group, on instructions from the Commission, has assumed the main responsibility for monitoring States" Compliance with their responsibilities under the Declaration on the Protection of all persons from enforced disappearance, adopted by the General Assembly on 18 December 1992. Progress in the implementation of the Declaration seems, however, to be extremely slow. Very few countries have enacted special legislation to make the act of enforced disappearance a specific offense under criminal law or to implement other provisions of the Declaration.
The Working Group reiterates that it is essential to its activities to continue receiving cooperation from non-governmental organizations concerned with the problem of "disappearances". These organizations have proved to be the conscience of the world community and their activities deserve support. At the same time, the Working Group notes with concern that in some cases non-governmental organizations have failed to maintain contact with their source, and in other cases have relegated cases to their archives, thus seriously affecting efforts by the Working Group to follow up on individual cases.
If you wish to contact (again) the Working Group, the address is:
Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances Attn. Ms. Kathryn Hinkle-Babul Palais des Nations CH 1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland Tel: (41-22) 917.1234-907 1234 Fax: (41-22) 917.023THE DEAD IN BOSNIAN MASS GRAVES REMAIN MISSING
(a shortened version of an interview with Manfred Nowak by Petra de Koning)
For three years, Manfred Nowak searched for the "disappeared" in the former Yugoslavia, ordered by the UN. He collected their data and supported identification teams. Many mass graves have not been examined yet and still over 25,000 people are missing. However, Manfred Nowak resigned from the UN Commission for Human Rights in Geneva at the beginning of April.
The UN member states could barely finance his investigations and he was also opposed. In particular by the United States but also by IFOR, the Red Cross and commissions of parties in the former Yugoslavia.
According to Nowak, in particular political willpower lacked to expose information. From his reports it becomes clear that the majority of "disappeared" persons is Muslim and especially civilian. Nowak: This again refutes what the Serbs say, namely that there only were military victims in the battle. They say that they also have a "disappeared" persons list, however they do not fuss about that either.
Nowak was astonished to notice that the international community thinks that parties are to solve the problem of the "disappeared" mutually. UN member states obviously think that a little pressuring is satisfactory. And in Bosnia, everything is so "damned political", according to Nowak. "It is incredible how little communal interest these three groups show to solve the crisis. Over and over again the nationalism comes up. On mass graves in which none of their own people is buried they say: these are your dead, I am not interested. A member of the Croatian committee for the "disappeared" said to me: if the clothes of the people lying in the grave show that they were Muslim, I just as easy close the grave again. Only in cases where a switch can be made, they are prepared to open those mass graves."
It is impossible to leave the problem of the thousands of "disappeared" to the parties in the former Yugoslavia, as is the wish of America and other member states, according to Nowak. "In Bosnia it is often said: the war is not our fault but of the international community". In the beginning I said: "we may have done too little, but we did not make this war." Today he feels differently. "Maybe because I am Austrian. The nazis were guilty of killing the Jews. And the Jews did not receive enough support from the rest of the world. The holocaust originated the international protection of human rights and put an end to the idea that it was all a matter of individual responsibility," For three years, he has seen what has happened in the former Yugoslavia from very nearby. "Now I strongly feel that we have failed."
In the spring of 1996, "Linking Solidarity" organised a meeting to which 5 representatives of several committees of family members were invited. Toine van Dongen, a former member of the "UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances", opened the meeting:
Over the years the Working Group has made its working methods more efficient. Paradoxically, the relative impact of the Working Group on the international community has diminished. We do work together with other UN bodies and now there is a rather well-oiled mechanism which allows cases to be passed through to the rapporteurs on torture and extrajuridical executions, or to a country rapporteur.
We invented some special methods. The Working Group started working on the former Yugoslavia from the very first beginning and after my visit in 1993, I proposed to set up a specific mechanism for the area, because we could not deal with so many cases. A process was established in which one person from the Working Group, Manfred Nowak, was made responsible. However, the standards have remained the same for all situations. In Mr. Nowak"s report, he writes in the concluding observations that he has received cooperation of only some countries. Yugoslavia did not respond. Mr. Nowak refers to the 1992 UN Declaration on Disappearances and to the Dayton accords, which specifically asks for resolving "disappearances".
Over the last ten years the European Union has the opportunity to bring pressure to bear collectively. You, the committees of relatives, have to seek access to governments, such as that of the Netherlands. Firstly, you start at associating with other EU countries and then you engage them to have a statement on something that otherwise they would probably not have a statement on. Secondly, there is a collective weight as was witnessed in the pressure on Myanmar, for example. The EU statement also carries great weight in the UN Commission.
I went on mission to countries such as Sri Lanka and Peru. However, for me the work of the Working Group was relatively easy. I do not know myself what it is to have a relative "disappeared".
Hijos from Argentina: "Impunity from the past explains current violence"
(this article was written by Mariano Slutzky for "Internationale Samenwerking")
Hijos is spanish for sons and daughters. In Argentina, this word also refers to the offspring of the "desaparecidos", the people who were kidnapped and killed by the military regime between 1976 and 1983. The father of Martín Ramírez (age 29) was one of the estimated 30,000 "desaparecidos". Together with fellow-sufferers, Ramírez founded Hijos two years ago. "When we talked with each other after the demonstrations, it occurred to us that we had the same problems and questions. What happened to our parents and why? Why aren"t the criminals punished? And: how can we undo the legacy of the dictatorship?"
At this moment Hijos has about 1100 youngsters as a member. There are 17 sections and the average age is 21. Almost every Hijo or Hija has economical problems because after the kidnapping of one or both parents, most of them were placed with family or in shelters and were responsible for their own earnings. "The most important thing is justice", Ramírez tells. "Revenge is not our purpose. That won"t bring back our parents. But the military, police-officers and civilians who violated human rights have to be convicted because their impunity creates dangerous precedents. In Europe, the nazi-criminals were convicted after the Second World War but were measures taken to prevent this terror from happening again?" "We also want the society to learn from the past. There is hardly any open discussion about the consequences of the past for the present. The catholic church, which supported the military executioners actively, has made a hesitating start with it. The top of the church hierarchy has postponed it early, sadly enough", according to Ramírez. Still, he notices slow improvements, for example in the schooling. "This year for the first time, the history classes treat the subject of the dictatorship. But it is dependent on the good will of the history teacher sadly enough. That"s why we take the initiative for lectures and workshops on secondary schools. In addition, we have a column in a national daily newspaper".
In addition to demonstrating, the Hijos-members also take care of each other. Ramírez: "We have our own group for mutual support. By going over the past, there are difficult moments and it helps if you can share them with fellow-sufferers. We accompany each other when one of us is going to search in archives for information about the parents or checks out newly discovered mass graves. Some youngsters then suddenly discover what has happened, because uncles, aunts and other relatives have avoided this subject for years because they were afraid to hurt the youngster. While the lack of information is the most hurting! "
Hijos also focuses on the macabre legacy of the Argentine Junta: the search for more than 500 children who were taken away at the kidnapping of their parents or were born in captivity. These children were placed with families of high-ranking military. "The military adopted the children and in that way the children at least could be raised according to their values and standards". Hijos has established the whereabouts of fifty children, also with the help of DNA-examinations. They found out that at least seven children have been murdered in prison. A museum and a documentation center are high on the priority list of Hijos. "The only public spot that reminds the society of the dictatorial regime is a square with the name of the desaparecido and the author Rodolfo Walsh. The place we have in mind would not only be a lasting remembrance, but also a place where people can get information on fundamental human rights".
TESTIMONY OF A. EL MANOUZI (APADM; MOROCCO)
Still there are more than 100 "disappeared" people and also the cases of 500 "disappeared" Saharawis which have been documented by Amnesty International, after more than 35 years now. In July 1994, the Moroccan government has released prisoners of Tazmamert, however, about ten more persons have "disappeared" between July 1994 and November 1995.
In recent years, there has been a certain amelioration of the human rights situation. We owe many thanks to the civil and human rights organizations abroad, such as Amnesty International. These people are continually bringing the case on the agenda. The important events in 1994 also were the result of foreign pressure, such as from the US presidency. The issue of "disappearances" is now a touchstone for political reform in Morocco and moreover, now a peace process has been started in the Sahara and many prisoners have been released there.
So, a public debate goes on among the civil societies both between the civil society and the Moroccan government and between the government and the US. In the democratic bloc, trade unions have taken up cases. On the one hand, it seems that the problems of the "disappearances" are no longer taboo in Morocco. But still no solid proof can be provided. The Minister of the Interior invited us and other human rights organizations, and the Minister expressed his readiness to help released persons, but said he could not solve cases of "disappearances", which may have been the doings of other departments or services. On the other hand, there also is a negative development. Morocco is now being seen as a democratic country which can stop the wave of fundamentalism which has a negative effect on human rights, as other countries assume that human rights in Morocco just are much better than other countries. One, very well known person in our organization, has been in secret prison for over 18 years and is now intimidated in the same way as he was 20 years ago.
What are the expectations of the relatives of the "disappeared" in Morocco? The cases can only be solved with the support of democratic civil groups and governments abroad. However, also contributions are needed as to the substance and the techniques of our actions, management and logistic support in translating and communication and providing information about international developments on "disappearances". Lastly, we need an integration of international networks.
TESTIMONY OF LJUBICA BUTULA (FENIX OF CROATIA; CROATIA)
For 18 months, my son was nowhere to be found. He appeared to be wounded and then killed at another place later on. In June 1993, our organization was established. This was mainly done by relatives of those who went missing during the war. At the moment we look for 2800 people who are missing from 1991 and early 1992. They are probably all dead. As one general said, who was in charge of the Vukovar killings, they killed 1400 prisoners in a day or so. 260 wounded people and staff were taken from the hospital in Vukovar. They were all killed nearby. Also near Zagreb we have found mass graves, over five years old now. It has proven much easier to identify civilians than soldiers, because civilians have personal belongings and clothes. We are attending one funeral after another. We have been very disappointed with action taken by the International Red Cross, because they cannot do anything without cooperation of the other side and UNPROFOR says that it is not in their mandate. Letters, totaling over 500 pages on my computer already, have been sent to ministers, UN officials and organizations, and to anyone who could help us. The question is however how to make pressure on Serbian side to reveal the truth?
I am being called all the time by relatives who ask me what can be done, because nothing is being done in their region. Many relatives do not believe anyone can help them anymore. Identification is very difficult and very expensive. They think the world is so cold.
Sylvia Dlomo-Jele from the Khulumani Support Group, South Africa:
"I'm freed of a burden, but I can't forgive"
(this article was written by Harmen van Dijk and published in "Trouw")
"My testimony relieved me a lot, a burden was taken away from me. All those years I wondered: why was the one whom I loved so much, taken away from me? And why didn't anyone listen to our stories?"
Sylvia Dlomo-Jele testified in April 1996 for the Truth-commission in South Africa. She told the members, presided by former bishop Desmond Tutu, about the murder of her 17 year old son Sicelo in 1988. He is one of the many victims of the apartheid-regime, that"s something Dlomo-Jele is sure of. "I know for sure the police did it. My son was in prison three times. When they released him the last time, they told him: "you think you"re smart, but one day we"ll shoot your head off". Two weeks later he was murdered. I asked the commission to find the persons who did it. I want the man who shot my son to be punished. He has to go to prison. I"m against the death penalty because that would make us the same as they are. But his family must feel what I felt."
Dlomo-Jele knows that punishing the murderers is not the purpose of the Truth-commission which is traveling through the country since April 1996 to collect testimonies. If the offenders confess all their crimes to the commission, they will be granted amnesty and she has troubles with that. "You can"t say to someone who admits to have committed murders: "good, you are free, because you told the truth?" If you can do that, you have never suffered something like that. Forgive and forget, I can"t do that. They have taken everything from me. Who has to take care of me, when I"m old? Most of the people I know want the offenders to be punished."
In the past, we were afraid to go to a judge, even if we had the money to do so. I have never been able to ask anyone to find out who killed my son. The commission helps us with lawyers and gives us protection. The Khulumani Support Group was founded by a group of four women who lost relatives by violence in the township. Now this group of four women supports sevenhundred persons - with very limited means. "I went to all the funerals in Soweto, and visited the families to help them. That"s how the group expanded. And in the back of my mind, I always had the idea that it was good to get to know those people, so I would have support if the same thing would happen to me", Dlomo-Jele tells because she constantly had the fear of her son being murdered.
Her son Sicelo was active in the black student movement. "And if your child was active, you knew his days were counted. He had to go in hiding constantly. I have sent him to relatives in another town at one time but he was arrested there too. The police followed him everywhere."
Two weeks after the third time he was released, Sicelo visited a meeting of the student movement. He was last seen taking a cap. Later Dlomo-Jele heard that he had to cooperate on a documentary of a foreign television-crew. She thinks that to have been the motive for the police to murder him. The next day, she saw the body of her son.
Retrospectively, she is grateful for that because through her work she knows a lot of women whose children are "disappeared" and who are still searching and hoping. "It was painful, but I said: "Thank you my son, now at least I can visit your grave". Considering that I"m better of and if I go to the cemetery, I have the feeling he can hear me. Relatives of the "disappeared" keep on searching, their ears are open all the time and when they hear someone who sounds like their "disappeared" relative, they have a short period of hope again which is awful. My son disappeared for months once and I searched everywhere for him. Finally, I found out he was in prison and I went there a few times to look for him."
Dlomo-Jele spoke quietly about the death of her son, but when she tells about the women who still don"t know where their husbands and children are, tears flow from her eyes. "We don"t have any crocodiles or lions in Soweto who can make people disappear. This is what people do to each other. People who say they believe in God. Isn"t it unbelievable?"
For quite some time, Dlomo-Jele thought that South-Africa was the only country where people "disappeared", were tortured or murdered. The conference of Linking Solidarity that she visited in June 1996 has opened her eyes. She met representatives of human rights organizations from Argentina, the Philippines, Croatia and Morocco, who all told similar stories.
"I have learned a lot. It gives you support, when you hear that people from other countries have experienced the same." During the conference, the groups talked about their methods of working and ways to keep the memory of their dead and "disappeared" relative alive. The Khulumani Support Group had a big remembrance service for all their members. Dlomo-Jele wanted to return quickly, because she was afraid that something might go wrong if she couldn"t keep an eye on it. She expects a lot from it: "hundreds of relatives will come. We will write down the names of the dead and "disappeared" relatives on a big sheet and for every victim we will light a candle. I will hold as many as I can. Just in case there are no relatives to do that for them."
LIST OF COUNTRIES WHERE COMMITTEES OF RELATIVES OF THE "DISAPPEARED" EXIST
Algeria Argentina Bolivia Bosnia-Herzegovina Brazil Chile China Colombia Croatia Cuba El Salvador Guatemala Haïti Honduras India Israel Lebanon Morocco Mauretania Mexico Namibia Palestine Paraguay Peru Philippines Rwanda Sahara Occidental South Africa Sri Lanka Thailand Turkey Uruguay Venezuela ZimbabweADDRESSES OF COMMITTEES THAT WANT TO GET INTO CONTACT WITH YOU
Country: Bosnia-Herzegovina Name of the organization: Hercegovacki Soko Contactperson: Zdravko Mikulic Address: Mostar Kralja Tomislava 18A Bosnia-Herzegovina Telephone: ++387 88 317 133 Fax: ++387 88 317 133 Language: English Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: Sri Lanka Name of the organization: INFORM Contactperson: Sunilla Abeysekera Address: S. Jayaratna Avenue Colombo 5 Sri Lanka Telephone: ++94 1 584350 Fax: ++94 1 580721 Language: English Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: Sri Lanka Name of the organization: OPFMD Re-Mode-Sri Lanka Contactperson: Mr. Chandra Peiris Address: No. 36/10 Ananda Rajakaruna Mawatha Colombo 10 Sri Lanka Telephone: ++ 94 1 699470 Fax: ++ 94 1 699470 Email: opfmd@slt.lk Language: English Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world, preference Honduras Country: Namibia Name of the organization: National Society for Human Rights Contactperson: Mr. Phil Ya Nangoloh Address: PO Box 23592 Windhoek Namibia Telephone: ++ 264 61 236 183 Fax: ++ 264 61 234 286 Language: English Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: Liberia Name of the organization: Liberia Watch for Human Rights Contactperson: Mr. Thomas A. Bureh Address: Vai Town PO Box 5480 Monrovia Liberia Telephone: ++ 231 221 900 Language: English Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: Somalia Name of the organization: Saacid Voluntary Organization Contactperson: Khadija Ossoble Ali Address: C/O Adra Somalia PO Box 14756 Nairobi Kenya Telephone: ++ 254 2 448392 Fax: ++ 254 2 448391 Language: English Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: El Salvador Name of the organization: Asociacion pro-busqueda de los ninos Contactperson: Ralph Sprenkels Address: A.P. 3211 Centro de Gobierno San Salvador Republica de El Salvador Telephone: ++ 503 222 9067 Fax: ++ 503 222 9067 Email: pronino@es.com.sv Language: Spanish Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: Colombia Name of the organization: ASFADDES Contactperson: Yanette Bautista Address: Cra. 6 no. 14-98 Piso 14 Oficina 14-02 Santafé de Bogota Colombia Telephone: ++ 57 1 2811387 Fax: ++ 57 1 2832364 Language: Spanish Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: Mauretania Name of the organization: Comité de Solidarité avec les victimes de la Répression en Mauretania Contactperson: Mme. Ba Kadiata Malick Diallo Address: BP 3765 Nouakchott Mauretania Telephone: ++ 222 2 568 07 ++ 222 2 594 22 Fax: ++ 222 2 541 33 (Mentioning Lalla Aicha) Language: French Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: Mauretania Name of the organization: Le Collectif des Veuves Contactperson: Mme. Houleye Sall Address: BP 6182 Nouakchott Mauretania Telephone: ++ 222 2 56807 Fax: ++ 222 2 54133 (Mentioning Lalla Aicha) Language: French Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: Morocco Name of the organization: Apadam Contactperson: Mr. Brahim El Manouzi Address: PO Box 24243 3007 DE Rotterdam The Netherlands Language: French, English Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: Argentina Name of the organization: Hijos Contactperson: Mr. Martin J. Ramirez Address: Av. Corrientes 4645 2oB (1195) Buenos Aires Argentina Telephone: ++ 54 1 8673997 Email: Ramirez@abaconet.com.ar Language: Spanish, English Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: Venezuela Name of the organization: Fedefam Contactperson: Ms. Maria del Carmen Pariente Address: Apado. 2444 Carmelitas 1010-A Caracas Venezuela Telephone: ++ 58 2 5640503 Fax: ++ 58 2 5642746 Email: fedefam@true.net Language: Spanish, English Wants to get into contact with organizations from: Haïti, Philippines, Sahara Occidental Country: Brazil Name of the organization: Associacao Maes de Acari Contactperson: Vera Lucia Plores Leite Address: CBDDA Rua Evaristo da Veiga, 35, sala 1803 Centro, Rio de Janeiro CEP 20 100 RJ Brazil Telephone: ++ 55 21 220 9903 Language: Portuguese, Spanish Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: Guatemala Name of the organization: Conavigua Contactperson: Rosalina Tuyuc Address: 8a Avenida 2-29, zona 1 Guatemala Ciudad Guatemala Telephone: ++ 502 42 537914 Language: Spanish Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: Honduras Name of the organization: COFADEH Contactperson: Ms. Bertha Oliva de Natavi Address: Apdo Postal 1243 Tegucigalpa Honduras Telephone: ++ 504 37 9800 Fax: ++ 504 37 9800 Email: cofadeh%sdnhon@sdnhq.undp.org Language: Spanish Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: Chile Name of the organization: AFDD Contactperson: Mireya Garcia Diaz C. & Sola Sierra H. Address: Manuel Rodriguez 33 Santiago de Chile Chile Telephone: ++ 56 6960678 Fax: ++ 56 6988609 Email: fasic@lauca.usach.cl Language: Spanish Wants to get into contact with organizations from: Haïti, Sri Lanka, South Africa, former Yugoslavia Country: Croatia Name of the organization: Croatian Phoenix Contactperson: Ms. Ljubica Butula Address: Ilica 256B 10000 Zagreb Croatia Telephone: ++ 385 1 177 600 Fax: ++ 385 1 177 600 Email: H-Fenix@public.srce.hr Language: English Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: the Philippines Name of the organization: FIND Contactperson: Ms. Aileen Bacalso Address: PO Box AC 546 Cubao 1135 Quezon City the Philippines Telephone: ++ 632 435 00 68 Fax: ++ 632 435 00 68 Email: FIND@phil.gn.apc.org Language: English Wants to get into contact with organizations from: Asia-Pacific Region Country: Mexico Name of the organization: Comadres Contactperson: Miriam Granados Address: Av. San Jéronimo no 137 Col. San Angel C.P 01000 Mexico D.F. Telephone: ++ 52 616 22 98 Fax: ++ 52 616 22 98 Language: Spanish Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: El Salvador Name of the organization: Comadres Address: Pasaje nol Casa no 122 Col. Santa Eugenia San Miguelito San Salvador El Salvador Telephone: ++ 503 2229023 Fax: ++ 503 2229023 Language: Spanish Wants to get into contact with organizations from: all over the world Country: India Name of the organization: Asociation of parents of disappeared persons Contactperson: Ms. Parveena Ahanger Address: Dhobi Mohalla Batamaloo, Srinager 190001 Jammu and Kashmir India Language: English Wants to get into contact with organizations from: Algeria, China, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Turkey & Libanon Country: South Africa Name of the organization: Khulumani Support Group Contactperson: Ms. Sylvia Dlomo Jele Address: PO Box 30778 Braamfontein 2017 South Africa Telephone: ++ 27 11 403 5650 Fax: ++ 27 11 339 6785 Email: csvr@wn.apc.org Language: English Wants to get into contact with organizations from: Chili, Namibia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe Country: Peru Name of the organization: COFADER Contactperson: Ms. Ofelia Antezana Torre Address: Jr. Carabaya 831, Ofc. 406-F Lima Peru Telephone: ++ 51 432 72 66 Language: Spanish Wants to get into contact with organizations from: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Israel/OT, Libanon, Uruguay, former YugoslaviaOn the occasion of the "International Week of Disappearances", in the Philippines a meeting of representatives of several committees of family members of "disappeared" people took place. Committees from Argentina, South Africa, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and El Salvador exchanged experiences together. A report of the conference can be sent for through FIND. (The address can be found on the list of addresses)
If you want to announce a conference or meeting in your country; or if you need help inviting or selecting guests, you can always contact "Linking Solidarity". We can distribute the announcement of the meeting concerned and afterwards you can give an account of the meeting and its results in this newsletter.
In order to make this newsletter more and more a newsletter for as well as by committees of family members, we would hereby like to invite you to submit articles or announcements. Everyone is interested in knowing how other committees organise campaigns, how they keep the memory of the "disappeared" alive or what kind of difficulties they experience on their search. It is certainly possible for other committees to react, giving a useful advice. Furthermore, it will be interesting to know which are the benefits of regional cooperation (like has been realised in Latin America by Fedefam). So please do not hesitate and send your contributions to:
LINKING SOLIDARITY PO Box 114 3500 AC Utrecht The Netherlands Europe Tel: ++31-30-2334027 Fax: ++31-30-2367104E-mail: hom@euronet.nl
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