The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) is a human rights federation of organizations concerned on the issue of involuntary disappearances in Asia. As a federation, it has its own mandate, constitution, by-laws, orientation and program of action.
AFAD exists on the basis of the members' coimmon concern on the issue of disappearances. The Federation believes that its work has to be conextualized to the overall socio-economic and political situations of the region and the countries concerned.
AFAD recognizes the independence, particularity and internal dynamics of each membe-organization. It coordinates closely with international non-government organizations and maximizes existing mechanisms of government for the advantage of its work. It serves as a source of information to local, regional and regional bodies for purposes of promotion and support.
As a principal guiding objective, AFAD aims to facilitate the search for the disappeared, with the hope of rescuing lives. The specific objectives of AFAD are:
Build, develop and promote international solidarity among organizations of facilities of the disappeared within Asia and among individual representatives where these organizations cannot exist because of intense repression, including the possible formation of support groups from other countries.
Work for the adoption of international instruments in the United Nations systems aimed at facilitating the resolution of cases of involuntary disappearances and preventing recurrence.
Formulate regular updates on the situation of disappearances in Asia and report these updates to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UNWGEID), other appropriate bodies in the international community and organizations from other countries.
Campaign against governments' measures to perpetuate impunity by conducting joint actions either held simultaneously or coordinated at one specific location.
Produce publications promoting international awareness of the grave problems of disappearances and come up with urgent actions on specific cases.
Establish and develop closer and more systematic links among different groups and individuals through a regular news bulletin and develop an e-mail network for matters that necessitate urgent responses.
AFAD is guided by the principles of mutual support among its member-organizations, transparency within the Federation and with other regional formations and sustainability of efforts. Furthermore, the Federation adheres to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the United Nations Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UNDPAPFEID), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Covention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment and Punishment. AFAD also adheres to and promotes the approval of the United Nations Draft Convention on the Protection of All Persons From Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.
AFAD includes organizations of families, relatives and friends of victims of involuntary disappearances in Asia, as well as of the surfaced disappeared and advocates and defenders of the rights of the members and their families. Membership is also open to any organization that adheres to the principles and guidelines of the Federation.
AFAD links arms with the following regional and international formations from the different continents of the world:
Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons
Bund, Amira-Kedal
Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India
| Telephone | (0091) 194-456381 |
| Fax Number | (0091) 194-472958 |
| p_imroz@yahoo.co.in | |
Commission for the Disappeared Victims of Violence
JL Mendut No.3 Jakarta, Pusat, Indonesia
| Telephone | (0062) 21-3145940 |
| Fax Number | (0062) 21-3153881 |
|
kontras_98@hotmail.com makaarim@antisocial.com |
Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance
50 K-8th Street, Bgy West Kamias, Quezon City, Philippines
| Telephone | (0063) 2-4334413 |
| Fax Number | (0063) 2-4350068 |
| find@skyinet.net |
Organization of Parents and Family Members of the Disappeared
No.18, Perea Mawatha, Kohuwala, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
| Telefax | (0094) 1-818306 |
| opfmd@lankanet.jca.apc.org |
43/29 Moo 7 Tambon Kokot, Lumlooka, Pathumdhani 12130, Thailand
| Telephone | (0066) 2-9948513 |
| Telefax | (0066) 2-9948517 |
| nuttaphol@access.inet.co.th |
For more information please contact:
AFAD Regional Secretariat
Rm. 316 Philippine Social Science Center
Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Philippines 1101
Telefax: (0063) 2-4546759
Mobile Phone (0063) 917-7924058
E-mail: afad@surfshop.net.ph
UP P.O.Box #190, U.P.
Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1101
