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'Too little, too late' from govt

Todays front page photo
One of around 100 Pak Mool Dam protesters who have volunteered to go on hunger strike receives a medical check-up as part of a screening process to ensure only those in good health are allowed to participate. The protest is taking place outside Government House.

The Nation, Jul 25

THE Cabinet's decision to open the gates of the Pak Mool and Rasi Salai dams yesterday failed to win applause from protesting villagers, who described the action as "too little too late".

There seems to be no end in sight to the conflict between the 3,000 protesters and the government. About 100 men and women yesterday vowed to begin a hunger strike this afternoon to express their dissatisfaction with the government for not adopting all 16 recommendations of a neutral committee established to consider their demands.

The Cabinet agreed to demands that the Pak Mool Dam's gates be opened for four months a year and that the Rasi Salai Dam's gates be opened indefinitely. But it refused to pay compensation to more than 2,000 families affected by the nearby Sirindhorn Dam, which was completed in 1972.

"We cannot pay again those who have already received compensation," government spokesman Akapol Sorasuchart said.

The government also refused to review the Cabinet's June 1998 resolution that has been used as a guideline in implementing forestry boundaries. The villagers said they could not accept the guideline, which they claim was drawn to evict them from the forest.

Conflicts over dams and forest land top the list of grievances that the Assembly of the Poor has demanded that the government address. Two months ago Deputy Prime Minister Banyat Banthadthan appointed a neutral committee, chaired by respected academic Banthon Ondam, to investigate the problems.

The committee suggested the government immediately address 16 urgent cases. Prominent among them was the damage the Pak Mool Dam has caused to the livelihoods of fishermen in the region. However, the government declined to take action on many of the recommendations yesterday.

As a result, protesters from the regions near the Pak Mool and Rasi Salai dams in the Northeast said they would not return home even though the Cabinet had met their demand that the dams' gates be opened.

"We come as a team," said Pranee Nonechan, 42, from Ubon Rachathani's Ban Pak Bung, next to the Pak Mool Dam. "We will remain here and stand by our fellow villagers whose problems have not yet been addressed."

Pranee said her husband, Thongcharoen, was among those who had volunteered to conduct a hunger strike to pressure the government to address the remaining problems.

Two weeks ago police arrested 225 protesters for illegally entering the Government House compound and used batons and teargas on many. The protesters were released on bail.

The protesters demanded that they be unconditionally released. Thongcharoen Sihatham, a village leader from Pak Mool, yesterday insisted that the government confirm that those arrested would not face any legal consequences of their action.

BY SOMROUTAI R SAPSOMBOON,

PENNAPA HONGTHONG, and

SUBHATRA BHUMIPRABHAS

 
 

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