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vHomage to the Freedom Defender : Feng SACKCHITTAPHONG
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The Lao Movement for Human Rights (LMHR) learned with sadness the death of Mr Feng SACKCHITTAPHONG, one of the three leaders of the ‘’ Social – Democrat Movement’’, emprisoned for 14 years in a gulag of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (LPDR) for having asked for democratic reforms and denounced dictatorial abuses of the régime.
Physically very diminished after 14 years of detention under inhuman sufferings, he passed away on July 3rd, 2007, in Vientiane, two and a half year after his release obtained after a long mobilization of the Lao diaspora and the international community. The death, at 65 years old, of this dissident – recognized as a prisoner of opinion by Amnesty International – was known by the international medias only on July 18th.
The LMHR and each of its members pay homage to this Freedom defender, Mr Feng SACKCHITTAPHONG, salute his courage and his peaceful struggle of in favour of Freedom, Democracy and social Justice in Laos. They present their deep condolences to his family and his many companions of the ‘’ Social – Democrat Movement’’ who are holding on the hope and the pacific struggle with determination inside Laos.
A former high ranking official of the ministry of Justice, Feng SACKCHITTAPHONG was arrested in October 1990, together with two former ministers Thongsouk SAYSANGKHI and Latsamy KHAMPHOUI, for having claimed, in an open letter to the One Party leaders, a pacific change of the régime and multiparty elections. They were condemned, in a sham trial in November 1992, of fallacious charges for ‘’ preparation of rebellion’’, ‘’ propaganda against the Lao People’s Democratic Republic’’ and for ‘’ written and oral defamation’’, to 14 years detention in a gulag.
The three men were held under extremely painful conditions in the camp of Sop-Hao (North-eastern), where Thongsouk SAYSANGKHI died in February 1998 after having been denied medical care. Misters Feng SACKCHITTAPHONG and Latsamy KHAMPHOUI were released in December 2004, after having purged exactly 14 years of prison.
The LMHR honours the courage of these men, and recalls that other prisoners of opinion and conscience are still held the LPDR, especially among the Lao-Hmongs minority, the Christian leaders, and leaders of the " Student Movement of 26 October 1999".
The Lao Movement for Human Rights, one again, appeals to France, the European Union, Japan and the United States to keep on their pressure on the Lao PDR, in order to obtain the release of every political prisoner or prisoner of opinion, and to push the Lao totalitarian régime to engage reforms and attain freedom, democracy and national reconciliation.
Physically very diminished after 14 years of detention under inhuman sufferings, he passed away on July 3rd, 2007, in Vientiane, two and a half year after his release obtained after a long mobilization of the Lao diaspora and the international community. The death, at 65 years old, of this dissident – recognized as a prisoner of opinion by Amnesty International – was known by the international medias only on July 18th.
The LMHR and each of its members pay homage to this Freedom defender, Mr Feng SACKCHITTAPHONG, salute his courage and his peaceful struggle of in favour of Freedom, Democracy and social Justice in Laos. They present their deep condolences to his family and his many companions of the ‘’ Social – Democrat Movement’’ who are holding on the hope and the pacific struggle with determination inside Laos.
A former high ranking official of the ministry of Justice, Feng SACKCHITTAPHONG was arrested in October 1990, together with two former ministers Thongsouk SAYSANGKHI and Latsamy KHAMPHOUI, for having claimed, in an open letter to the One Party leaders, a pacific change of the régime and multiparty elections. They were condemned, in a sham trial in November 1992, of fallacious charges for ‘’ preparation of rebellion’’, ‘’ propaganda against the Lao People’s Democratic Republic’’ and for ‘’ written and oral defamation’’, to 14 years detention in a gulag.
The three men were held under extremely painful conditions in the camp of Sop-Hao (North-eastern), where Thongsouk SAYSANGKHI died in February 1998 after having been denied medical care. Misters Feng SACKCHITTAPHONG and Latsamy KHAMPHOUI were released in December 2004, after having purged exactly 14 years of prison.
The LMHR honours the courage of these men, and recalls that other prisoners of opinion and conscience are still held the LPDR, especially among the Lao-Hmongs minority, the Christian leaders, and leaders of the " Student Movement of 26 October 1999".
The Lao Movement for Human Rights, one again, appeals to France, the European Union, Japan and the United States to keep on their pressure on the Lao PDR, in order to obtain the release of every political prisoner or prisoner of opinion, and to push the Lao totalitarian régime to engage reforms and attain freedom, democracy and national reconciliation.
