Protesters, politicians try to keep lines open
HOPING to build on the
dialogue opened at Thursday's
public forum, protesting
villagers yesterday petitioned
to meet directly with Prime
Minister Chuan Leekpai.
Moreover, such political
parties as Chat Thai, Chat
Pattana, New Aspiration,
Seritham and Thai Rak Thai
have offered to meet and
discuss their respective
policies with core protest
group the Assembly of the
Poor (AOP).
A public meeting between
villagers and political parties is
scheduled for today.
Chuan said the forum was a
good beginning for government
representatives and protesting
villagers to engage in talks.
Protest leader Pakdi
Chanthajied said the forum on
rural grievances has been well
received by the public.
"Many people have come out
to support the villagers after
they realised that the
government lacks sincerity in
tackling rural problems," he
said.
Deputy Agriculture Minister
Newin Chidchob and Deputy
Science Minister Pornthep
Tejapaibul had been vague in
their explanations of
government policies, Pakdi
said.
Government representative
Amnuay Patise said the forum
was a success because it
helped create an atmosphere
conducive to talks.
"Early in their protests, the
villagers were agitated and
hostile towards the
government. They used violent
tactics to press for their
demands. Now they show that
they are ready to negotiate,"
he said.
"It is important that the AOP
proceed with talks without its
lingering doubts about the
government's good faith," he
added.
Regarding the issue of
encroachment on public land,
Amnuay said the government
had already agreed to the
villagers' demands and it was
time for implementation.
Deputy Interior Minister
Vatana Asavahame will travel
to Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa
Ket and Chaiyaphum
provinces to speed up
implementation of solutions to
the problem, he said.
But he acknowledged that the
government and the protesting
villagers were still divided
about how to tackle forestry
problems.
"Both sides remain apart
because of conflicting
interpretations of a Cabinet
resolution on forestry affairs,"
he said.
The AOP has said that the
June 30, 1998 resolution
prohibits the participation of all
parties involved in the
mediation process on forest
encroachment, Amnuay said.
The assembly has yet to
understand that the Forestry
Department should have the
mandate to tackle forestry
problems, he added.
In a related development,
Newin has threatened to file a
libel suit against protest leader
Laothai Nilnual, who at the
forum accused the deputy
minister of encroaching on
Khao Kradong national park in
Buri Ram province.
But a group of Chiang Mai
University academics issued a
statement reprimanding Newin
for his comments about
hill-tribe people.
Newin had said at the forum
that 90 per cent of the hill-tribe
people living in the North are
not Thais.
Meanwhile, the government
might not have enough time to
address grievances relating to
dam construction, Amnuay
said.
"This government agrees that
social impact studies should
be done on dams that are still
on the drawing board and it will
forward the recommendation
to the next government," he
said.
However, he questioned the
practicality of studies on dams
that had been built decades
ago.
Several leading academics
and non-governmental
organisations have urged the
government to agree to the
demands for long-term
solutions for those people
affected by dams.
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