The disappearance of Muslim human-rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit two years ago was symbolic of how justice had also "disappeared" during the tenure of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said yesterday.

In a statement marking the second anniversary of Somchai's disappearance on March 12, 2004, the group said he had taken a high-profile role in defending people arrested for alleged participation in violence in Thailand's four southern, predominantly Muslim, border provinces.

Five policemen from Bangkok had allegedly abducted the lawyer, an investigation concluded.

"The investigation failed to explain what happened to Somchai after the assault and who was responsible," said Brad Adams, HRW's Asia director. "It's clear there has been a cover-up by senior police officials that must be independently investigated."

"It's not only people in the deep South disappearing, but justice here is likewise disappearing," said Sunai Phasuk, HRW's Thailand representative, adding that the failure to solve Somchai's case or other "disappearances" had left Muslim communities in the South with the perception that there is no justice for them.

HRW said despite many reported "disappearances" related to the Thai government's counter-insurgency operations in the southern provinces, Somchai's case was the only one to lead to a prosecution or receive significant public attention.

The Rehabilitation Committee set up by the government to help provide assistance and compensation to families affected by the violence in the South has already confirmed the "disappearance" of 21 other Muslim men.

Most of the cases took place between January 2004 and November last year. The latest case was the disappearance of four young men at Pakaharang sub-district in Pattani in November. However, the committee has made no public comment about these cases.

The mothers and wives of the 21 men on Friday decided to break their silence about their disappearances at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

One mother, who asked not to be named, cried as she told how her son was the family's breadwinner and that his disappearance had left the family in dire straits. She asked the NHRC to help search for her son.

Four Muslim widows, who are from Songkhla's Saba Yoi district and Baan Nien in Yala province, told the NHRC their families were discriminated against over compensation because the authority considered their husbands to be militants. The four men disappeared on April 28, 2004.

HRW strongly urged Thai authorities to take all necessary steps to stop the practice of enforced "disappearances", including making enforced disappearance a criminal offence and to support the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance when it is up for adoption by the UN General Assembly.

Subhatra Bhumiprabhas

The Nation