COMMENTARY: End the abuse
By: THONGBAI THONGPAO
Despite the establishment of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) under the 1997 Constitution, human rights abuse is rampant in our country. Less privileged people all over the country are still being taken advantage of by wealthy businessmen, state agencies and officials, and even the government itself, primarily due to their lack of knowledge about laws and civil rights, and because of limited resources and means to protect themselves.
Some progress, however, has taken place in the Northeast, a region long plagued by poverty and lack of education. A seminar on human rights protection was held late last month by the NHRC and Khon Kaen University. The participants were activists from the northeastern provinces and representatives from several universities in the region.
Numerous cases of human rights abuse were reported, mostly by villagers who have been charged with trespassing on public and military land. In a number of cases, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand laid high-voltage power transmission lines over private land, resulting in the landowners not being able to pledge their plots as collateral for loans. In one case, businessmen were allowed to rent land in reserved forests but landless villagers who have lived there forever were arrested for trespassing.
In Udon Thani, villagers affected by potash mining concessioned without their knowledge were arrested when they protested against it. The most pathetic case of all is the arrest of a villager who had just given birth to twins less than a month before. The police kept her in jail at a police station, leaving her babies screaming in hunger.
Villagers were particularly perplexed as to why public prosecutors chose to prosecute them rather than the foreign mining company. Worse, surveys are being conducted for prospective potash mining projects in six other provinces: Khon Kaen, Nong Khai, Sakon Nakhon, Maha Sarakham, Chaiyaphum and Nakhon Ratchasima.
A civil law was also amended during the Thaksin Shinawatra government to reduce the right to land ownership to only 100 metres below ground for the benefit of mining companies. The villagers claim the state arbitrarily did this without consulting them.
In Nong Bua Lumphu, the Irrigation Department dredged Paniang Canal without telling the farmers along its banks, resulting in part or all of their farm land being inundated. Hundreds of farmers already brought the case to the attention of the Administrative Court.
In Ubon Ratchathani, the expansion of the provincial airport left a large number of people homeless. Several crowded urban communities also complained of the lack of access to utilities and infrastructure. The construction of dams in forests were also met with protests by conservationists and affected villagers.
Discussion followed the airing of these grievances. The participating students, both Thai and American, shared their experiences from living with villagers. They all agreed that: “Villagers are the greatest, most wonderful teachers”.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU), to be signed this month, was then agreed upon between the two organisers for close cooperation in promoting human rights, monitoring abuses and strengthening local communities.
Khon Kaen University also agreed to act as a centre to accept complaints, disseminate legal information and hold activities to promote the awareness.
I told the seminar how glad I was to see substantial progress made from when the Northeastern Human Rights Club was founded in 1987. At the time, the members of the club, chaired by me, travelled through the vast, arid land to spread knowledge and laws to people in the region.
At each stop, we issued a card to each participant. On one side, in addition to the name and address of the participant, the name and contact of his “personal lawyer”. On the other side was information about one’s civil rights upon being arrested.
The only drawback was that our club was set up privately, not endorsed by or connected to any government agency. The cooperation between the NHRC and Khon Kaen University is therefore another important step for better human rights promotion and protection in the region.
I also expressed my hope that the move that day was only the start. More such networks should be set up all over the country to help less privileged people and to put an end to abuse at the hand of state officials and the government.
From: Bangkok Post online : Perspective >> Sunday May 04, 2008
