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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 tomorrow’s 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.

 
 

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