Support
for dam protesters grows
BY PENNAPA HONGTHONG
The
Nation
PAK Mool Dam protesters
yesterday increased pressure on the government to push for the approval of
a neutral committee's recommendations to solve the conflict over the dam.
"The resolutions
should be respected by the government because they came from the committee
established by the government itself," said one of the protesters.
Protesters have said
they will begin a hunger strike tomorrow if their demands are not met.
More than 100 protesters have volunteered to join the hunger strike,
mostly children and the elderly.
Government
representatives say the resolutions will be considered but refused to
promise approval of all of them.
"We will make a
decision based on principles, not threats from protesters," Prime
Minister Chuan Leekpai said.
"Don't use children
and old people to put pressure on the government. It will change nothing
in our eyes," Deputy Prime Minister Banyad Banthadthan said.
The protest gained
international support yesterday when a group representing 74 environmental
organisations from 21 countries announced in Washington, DC, that their
members would also stage a hunger strike in the US capital beginning at
5pm yesterday (4am today Bangkok time).
In Japan representatives
of 10 environmental groups yesterday sent an open letter to the Thai
Embassy in Tokyo calling on the Thai government to address the protesters'
grievances.
Academics, student
organisations and activists around Thailand have joined in pressuring the
government on behalf of the protesters. Four students in Bangkok shaved
their heads to show support for the protesters' demands.
The protesters say the
construction of the Pak Mool Dam has hurt their livelihood, fishing, by
preventing fish in the Mekong River from swimming up the Mool River to
spawn. They have demanded that the dam's gates be opened to allow the fish
to migrate.
The number of protesters
in Bangkok yesterday increased to about 3,000 after 500 more villagers
from the North arrived. About 300 slum residents in Bangkok also joined
the protest.
Bangkok's middle class
also joined the effort. The Club of Businessmen for Society donated
Bt100,000 and large amounts of food. Ban Krut villagers also sent food to
the protesters.
Yesterday morning
hundreds of protesters left the protest in front of Government House to
march to the Ministry of Agriculture, where they were prepared to demand a
meeting with the Minister of Agriculture Prapat Pothasuthon. However, they
were blocked from entering the ministry, and one was injured while trying
to climb a tree to jump the fence.
Members of the group
said they wanted to meet Prapat to hear his views on forestry and land-use
issues. The gathering dispersed after the villagers were promised their
request would be forwarded to Prapat.
PM's office Minister
Supattra Masdit said the Cabinet's decision would be announced after its
meeting today and broadcast live on TV channel 11.
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