December 20th - The United Nations General Assembly approved our International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. This has become a most welcomed news for us all after years of drafting the text and lobbying and campaigning for the Convention as the instrument which will soon write off disappearances in the future. This gives us more reasons to celebrate the end of a fruitful year.

Upon the foundation of our Federation of Asian human rights organizations working directly on the issue of enforced disappearances in 1998, it has joined FEDEFAM and other regional formations in the fight against impunity; in the struggle against disappearances. Bound by solidarity and universal pain, the Asian families of the disappeared have joined the Latin American families of Desaparecidos and the rest of the victims in the world in demanding justice to each and every member of their families who have been secretly detained, tortured and made to suffer tremendously. The strength of their joint efforts has been the prime mover of our every march for " aparicion con vida;" (or surface the disappeared alive) of each step we took towards truth, justice, redress and recuperation of historical memory.

From the moment French Ambassador Bernard Kessedjian pounded his gavel saying yes to the drafted text of the Convention on September 22, 2005, we have since rejoiced for the successful series of approvals these past months. We have much to thank the French government for its important role in bringing before many governments the significance and urgency of our cause.

AFAD finds the coming of this great news very timely as it has just finished its Third Congress in Kathmandu, Nepal. All member-organizations came envisioning a world without disappearances. And we have all been gathered together by the call to "forge a global respect for the Right Not to be Disappeared," in line with our consistent effort to institutionalize the protection of all persons from enforced disappearances throughout the world.

This renewed international recognition of every person's right to life has provided a good ending to this eventful chapter in our struggle. And now as we come closer to the New Year, we hope that 2007 will bring more than just empty sunbursts of fireworks but a brighter and more substantial illumination of hope in the ratification and signing of the Convention. We call upon all governments to put an end to suffering, impunity and disappearances by ratifying and signing the Convention and later, by implementing it through effective national legislations. We challenge them to commit more than just paper but concrete actions!

We have achieved much this year but we know we still have much to accomplish in the coming year. But most certainly, with your support we can and shall achieve more!

Congratulations to us all!

Always in solidarity,

MUGIYANTO, Chairperson
MARY AILEEN BACALSO, Secretary-General