December 14, 2014 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird issued the following statement today on the second anniversary of the disappearance of Sombath Somphone, a prominent civil society leader in Laos, who was last seen at a police checkpoint in Vientiane on December 15, 2012:
“Canada is concerned that after two years, the Laotian government has been unable to provide further information on Mr. Sombath’s whereabouts. We call upon Laos to respect its international commitments, and to fully and transparently investigate and report on Mr. Sombath’s disappearance. We urge the Laotian government to do everything possible to ensure that Mr. Sombath is safely reunited with his family without delay.
“I am also deeply concerned by the chilling effect that this incident has had on civil society and non-governmental organizations in Laos. Civil society plays a vital role in working to resolve critical social and economic issues, including those related to good governance and the rule of law. I urge the Government of Laos to ensure that civil society organizations have the freedom to perform their critical role.”