Starving villagers to
continue the battle
Prasert without food for 10 days
Anjira Assavanonda, Bangkok Post,
Aug 7, 2000
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| One hunger striker is given a saline drip as
he and other protesters continue their fast in a tent outside
Government House. Two of them were sent to hospital yesterday. _
APICHIT JINAKUL |
Tears
swelled in the eyes of Hai Khanchanta as she recalled how Pak Moon dam
destroyed the river which gave her life.
It was this unbearable grief which drove the
71-year-old grandmother to Bangkok, where she is now risking her life by
going on hunger strike outside Government House.
"I came here because the dam made me poor by
flooding my land. It has taken away fish from the river. I had to sell
everything, my farmland, my cattle, nothing is left. I have no other
choice," she said.
She joined the hunger strike on July 21 to join
500 others in persuading the government to address their grievances.
There are now 472 hunger strikers, said attendant
Somjit Khongthon, of which 287 are male, 215 are female and 174 are over
60 years old. The oldest is 88 while the youngest is 14.
Only one hunger striker from the first group
remains since they began fasting on July 27.
Prasert Phopkhunthod, who has been on the strike
for 10 days, has become weaker but refused a doctor's order to start
taking food.
Alongkorn Polabutr, the PM's secretary, yesterday
said Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai was concerned about the villagers'
health, particularly the women and the elderly.
Despite admitting that she became weak after two
days, Mrs Hai insisted she was unafraid of falling ill since she would
have starved if she stayed at home.
The spirited grandmother was affected by the heat
and the pollution, and frequently came down with a cold or a fever. Lying
on the hard concrete also gave her backache.
"I don't sleep well here. Usually I go to
sleep at 11pm and wake up at around 1am," she said.
Mrs Hai was not the only elderly villager on
hunger strike. Sa-ngiam Polchit, 63, said this was the second time she had
to come to protest in Bangkok. The first was during Gen Chavalit
Yongchaiyudh's government.
"The Chavalit government promised us a
15-rai plot of land or 500,000 baht. But the Chuan government has done
nothing, so we are here to remind them to keep their word," said the
native of Ubon Ratchathani.
Mrs Sa-ngiam, who began the hunger strike two
days ago, said she took water occasionally and a little honey, but was
unable to take glucose from the medical unit.
She also suffered from a frequent cold and
dizziness, after spending nearly one month in the polluted city.
"Bangkok people might get irritated with us
because they don't understand our problems. We would not be here if it
were not for our hardship. It's much more pleasant in rice fields at home
than here," she said.
Mrs Sa-ngiam said she did not want money from the
government, she just wanted the fish and shrimp to return to her river.
Dee Saiboon, 64, also came to protest in Bangkok
because he could no longer fish in the Moon river and did not have enough
to eat.
Mr Dee said he was limited to fishing because he
no longer has enough strength for farming. But the supply of fish and
shrimp gradually decreased since the construction of the dam, and have all
but disappeared now.
Mr Dee said he was weak after two days, but could
continue because he was used to hunger.
"The government caused us trouble, but they
never set eyes on us. They said they've done their best, but still we're
poor. We are people of the state. If we're starving, that means the
country is starving, and if we cannot survive, the government cannot
either," he said.
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