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NGO-vandal claims denied
Supoj Wancharoen http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/19Dec2002_news14.html
Senator Jon Ungphakorn has defended NGOs against
government accusations that they torched a camp belonging to Pak Moon dam
protesters in Ubon Ratchathani on Sunday.
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Monday alleged activists had accepted
money from foreigners to incite protesting villagers to resist the
government.
The villagers want the government to keep the dam's sluice gates open
permanently.
Some authorities also suspected Sunday's raid on more than 250 shelters near
the dam site was staged by protesters and their NGO advisers in a bid to
disrupt tomorrow's talks between the prime minister and 30 villager
representatives.
Sen Jon said he did not believe a word of it.
``NGOs have an unwavering determination to help the underprivileged live a
better life so there is no way they will do anything to hurt those people.
``I do not believe NGOs set fire to the camp they helped re-build, together
with the villagers, after their first shelters were torched in November,
2000,'' Mr Jon said.
He backed calls that the gates be opened permanently, to ensure the river's
ecology and fish stocks were restored.
Power supply now exceeded demand so opening the hydro-electric dam's gates
would not result in a shortage, he said. |
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