July 24, 2000
The Honorable Mr. Chuan Leekpai
Prime Minister of Thailand
Fax: 662-2475417 or 66-2801443
Drop charges for
arrested protesters - stop violent police actions open the Pak Mun
gates
We write to express our support for the Assembly of
the Poor (AOP) villagers who have been protesting at Government House
these last two weeks, and at the World Bank-funded Pak Mun dam these last
sixteen months. We were shocked to learn about the use of batons, shields
and tear gas against protestors on July 16-17, especially against the
elderly, women and children. This police violence was unnecessary given
that the villagers were unarmed and non violent. These people are not
criminals. They are exercising their legitimate right to protest.
The members of Assembly of the Poor have been
protesting for 16 months, but
their grievances have been consistently ignored or
downplayed by your government. Faced with this situation, the villagers
have been given no other choice but to demonstrate peacefully in order to
make their voice heard. Therefore, we request that all charges against the
protesters be immediately dropped. Moreover, the government should take
responsibility for the violence inflicted on the Pak Mun villagers last
week and ensure that it is not repeated.
We also strongly urge the Government to comply with
the recommendations made by the committee established by the Interior
Ministry to investigate the issues raised by Assembly of the Poor. The
committee recommended that the gates at Pak Mun Dam be opened for four
months during the rainy season in order to allow fish migration and
restore fisheries in the upstream areas. There are also 15 more issues on
dams and land rights that should be addressed by the government. We
request that during tomorrows Cabinet meeting, the recommendations of
the committee be accepted without any conditions, and the remaining 15
unresolved issues be immediately addressed.
The international community strongly supports the
villagers efforts to recover their lost livelihood and restore the
ecology of the Mun River and will be closely monitoring the situation.
Respectfully yours,
Aviva Imhof
South-East Asia Campaigner
Endorsed by the following organizations:
(74 organizations from 21 countries)
ARGENTINA
Anna Petra
Roge
Grupo
Ecologico Cabayu Cuatia
AUSTRALIA
Melanie
Gillbank
AID/WATCH
Lee Tan
Australian
Conservation Foundation
Associate
Professor Philip Hirsch
Australian
Mekong Resource Centre
Freya Merrick
Environment
Victoria Inc.
Maria Mann
Environs
Kimberley, Australia
John Seed
Rainforest
Information Centre, Australia
BOLIVIA
Rosa Maria
Ruiz
Fundacion Eco
Bolivia
CANADA
Theresa
Wolfwood
Barnard-Boecker
Centre Foundation
Grainne Ryder
Probe
International, Canada
DENMARK
The United
Peoples
FINLAND
Tove Selin
Finnish
Asiatic Society
GERMANY
Barbara Happe
Urgewald
HONG
KONG
Kevin Li
Globalization
Monitor
INDIA
Leo F.
Saldanha
Environment
Support Group, Bangalore
Nandini Oza
Narmada
Bachao Andolan
ITALY
Jaroslava
Colajacomo
Reform the
World Bank Campaign
JAPAN
Yoko Nishida
Citizens for
Saving the Kawabe
Ikuko
Matsumoto
Friends of
the Earth Japan
Satoru
Matsumoto
Mekong Watch
Japan
Masahito
Ujjie
National Dam
Opposition Network,
Toshiko
Niikura and Heather Souter
Rivers!Japan
Kazuyoshi
Okada
Sagami River
Camp-in-symposium
KOREA
Mr. Choi Yul
Korean
Federation for Environmental Movement
MALAYSIA
Dr B T Khoo
Aliran
Kesedaran Negara
Consumers'
Association of Penang, Malaysia
Sem Kiong
Angin
Indigenous
Peoples Development Center, Belaga, Sarawak.
Magick River,
Kuala Kubu Baru
Elizabeth
Wong
National
Human Rights Society
Sahabat Alam
Malaysia (Friends of the Earth Malaysia)
Sam Hui
S.O.S.
Selangor
Third World
Network
PAKISTAN
CREED
Alliance, Karachi
PHILIPPINES
Rey Perez
Asis
College
Editors Guild of the Phils.
Joan Carling
Cordillera
Peoples Alliance
SOUTH
AFRICA
Ed Wethli
Alternative
Information & Development Centre
Liane Greeff
Environmental
Monitoring Group
Victor Munnik
Land &
Rural Digest
Karen
Kallmann
SAFeAGE
(South African Freeze Alliance on Genetic Engineering)
TAIWAN
Radiation
Safety and Protection Association Taiwan
Radiation
Victims' Association Taiwan
Jeff Hou
Taiwan
Environmental Action Network
Sam Hsu
Taiwan Watch
Institute
THAILAND
Pornsuk
Koetsawang
Friends
without Borders, Thailand
Lyn
Goldsworthy, Von Hernandez, Tara Buakamsri
GREENPEACE
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Mr. Pisit
Charnsnoh
Yadfon
Association
UNITED
KINGDOM
Camille
Warren
Manchester
Earth First, UK
Larry Lohmann
and Sarah Sexton
The Corner
House
USA
Mara Giglio
Appalachian
Peace and Justice Network, Ohio
Neil Watkin
Center for
Economic Justice
Caleb
Kleppner
Center for
Voting and Democracy
Carol Hayman
Committee for
Solidarity with Chiapas
Rose Fernando
Congregation
of the Franciscan Sisters
Jeremy Varon
Developing
Voices
Stephanie
Fried
Environmental
Defense
Soren Ambrose
50 Years Is
Enough: U.S. Network for Global Economic Justice
Owen Lammers
Glenn Canyon
Action Network
Paula Palmer
Global
Response
Kevin Murray
Grassroots
International
Richard
Weigel
Hawai'i
Sustainable Lifestyle Network
Rev. Douglas
B. Hunt
Justice
Action
Pat Rasmussen
Leavenworth
Audubon Adopt-a-Forest
Diana Bohn
Nicaragua
Center for Community Action
Doug Norlen
Pacific
Environment and Resources Center
Dr. Donart
Peace &
Justice Committee of Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace Parish, Clinton, Iowa
Edith T.
Mirante
Project Maje,
Portland, Oregon
SAVE
International (Spoonbill Action Voluntary Echo)
A Project of
Earth Island Institute
Heidi Starr
Sierra Earth
First! Nevada City, CA.
Marty
Bergoffen
Southern
Appalachian Biodiversity Project
Leeona
Klippstein
Spirit of the
Sage Council
Maria Lya
Ramos
Washington
Peace Center
Daniel Susott,
MD, MPH,
The World
Family Foundation
URUGUAY
Elizabeth Díaz
Grupo
Guayubira
Teresa Perez
World
Rainforest Movement - International Secretariat. |