Human rights alliance Karapatan, and organization of families of victims of enforced disappearances, Desaparecidos, warmly congratulate Dr. Edita Burgos, D.D., for being elected as president of the International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances, a global network of organizations and individuals working to put an end to enforced disappearances. Among ICAED’s members are organizations of families of victims, like Desaparecidos, and human rights organizations like KARAPATAN.
It is fitting that the election of Burgos as president of ICAED, through its General Assembly on May 29, 2025, happened on the Week of the Disappeared. Upon accepting the position, Burgos said, “I will accept [being president] as a gift not only to my son, but to all [victims of enforced disappearances].”
It is an important time to remember the disappeared, and express rage that one of the worst human rights violations in the world continue to happen, and with impunity.
We fully support Burgos, also known among friends and families of the disappeared as Mrs. B, in representing families of victims of desaparecidos in the Philippines, and all victims and families of enforced disappearances in different parts of the world. We continue to express rage and concern that such crime is used by states to silence protest and dissent, and to send a chilling effect to those who continue searching and fighting for justice.
Throughout the history of struggles for justice all over the world, we know that fascists and tyrants who robbed the lives and bodies of their people, deserve to rot in the annals of history. We hope that with Burgos at the helm of ICAED, coming from being one of the movers of campaigns against enforced disappearances and human rights violations in the country, there can be significant impact in all our efforts in putting an end to enforced disappearances.
There is more weight and meaning to Burgos’ election to the ICAED as it comes at a time when enforced disappearances continue as one of the stark human rights violations under the Marcos Jr. administration.
To date, we call to surface the 18 victims of enforced disappearances under Marcos Jr., part of 1,918 desaparecidos since the Marcos Sr. dictatorship that remain missing to this day. The Marcos Jr. administration is dead silent about enforced disappearances continue under his watch, enabling further impunity enjoyed by State security forces.
At the same time, the Philippine government has yet to ratify the Convention against Enforced Disappearances. Human rights groups continue to demand that the CED be adopted by the Philippine government. Saying that the country does not need to ratify the Convention because there is existence of a law criminalizing enforced disappearance is extremely unacceptable, when none of the perpetrators of abductions and enforced disappearances have been put to justice.
We stand with ICAED in the call that the Philippines ratify the Convention, and call to a stop to enforced disapperances not only in the Philippine but worldwide.
Mabuhay, Mrs B! Ilitaw ang lahat ng biktima ng sapilitang pagkawala!