ENGAGE
  • Home
  • Who We Are
  • What We Do
  • Campaigns
    • Mining >
      • Mountains of Resistance
      • The Community
      • Profiles
      • Live Updates
      • News
    • Human Rights
    • Public Health
    • Trade Justice
  • This Engaged Life
  • Donate

Protestors Fight Thai Military Rule From The U.S.

7/26/2015

0 Comments

 

American Thais and Thai supporters demand political rights for students in Thailand.

Los Angeles, CA - Fifty protesters gathered at the Royal Thai Consulate today to denounce Thailand’s military junta and advocate for Thai political rights. Members of ENGAGE, an LA-based nonprofit with close ties to the Thai New Democracy Movement, organized the action demanding that all charges be dropped against the fourteen Thai students who were arrested last month for speaking out against the military coup, and demanding the release of all political prisoners currently detained under the military junta. Under the controversial Article 44 of the interim constitution, Thai civilians cannot assemble in groups larger than five individuals to discuss politics, cannot express discontent with the military coup or current political situation in Thailand, can be detained for seven days without charges or bail, and are tried in military court, as opposed to civil court with no possibility for appeals.

This is the second time this month that a group has gathered here in Los Angeles, adding to a growing movement of Thais and Thai supporters in the U.S. mounting international  pressure on the Thai military to stop its crackdown on citizens. “Our Thai friends are subject to military prison for what we are doing here,” said Rachel Karpelowitz an organizer with ENGAGE who lived in Thailand working alongside the New Democracy Movement. “We are here using the political rights we have to fight for democracy there.” Similar protests have been staged in San Francisco and New York.

The demonstration had a diverse attendance, including members of both the Red Shirts and Yellow Shirts, political factions in Thailand that have clashed in often bloody struggles for power in Thailand. Today, however, members of both sides came together to put their country first. “Right now Thailand is under dictatorship and with this situation people cannot do anything to protect themselves or their community. Even though my friends are no longer in prison, under the dictatorship Thai people are not allowed freedom of speech or assembly,” stated Chutiphong Pipoppinyo, a San Francisco based member of the New Democracy Movement. “It makes little difference whether they are in jail or not, we still aren’t free. In order to free all people we have to release all political prisoners and bring democracy back to Thailand, that is why I have to keep fighting.”

Mike Aguilar
ENGAGE USA
Phone: 323-804-6955
Email : Engagerusa@gmail.com
0 Comments

Released But Not Free

7/9/2015

0 Comments

 

Pressure builds as students are released from prison yet still await trial

Picture
LOS ANGELES, CA (July 9, 2015) -- Following Tuesday’s release of the 14 student activists in the New Democracy Movement (NDM), ENGAGE (Educational Network for Global and Grassroots Exchange) and Thai allies living in the U.S. claim they are prepared to continue applying pressure until their demands are met.

This week, ENGAGE members and their allies staged protests at Royal Thai Consulates in New York, NY, Portland, OR, Los Angeles, CA, and Chicago, IL, delivering a list of demands calling for their respective Consul Generals to denounce the controversial Article 44 of the 2014 Interim Constitution which establishes restrictions on political speech and assembly, as well as the release of their Thai student friends from prison without condition. Their protests were met with confirmation stating that their demands had been forwarded to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok for review.

ENGAGE claimed the students' release as a small victory for the NDM and its allies, yet stated they are prepared to continuing fighting until charges are dropped against the 14 students and justice, political participation, democracy, and human rights are achieved in Thailand.

"Tuesday’s release is a good example of how peoples power can challenge a military junta,” said Jude Peckinpaugh, a member of ENGAGE who recently returned from Thailand. “While our friends are free for now, they still must stand trial in military court and could face up to seven years in prison for expressing their political opinions."

The students’ release is just one small step towards justice in Thailand. While the 14 were freed from custody, the country remains imprisoned by restrictions placed on citizens under Article 44.

“Thailand is still far from free as Article 44 continues to have violent and negative impacts on poor communities throughout the country. Villages like Na Nong Bong (Loei Province), where mining operations continue as normal and villagers voices have been silenced, are among those affected,” reported Mike Aguilar, an ENGAGE member previously living in Thailand. “Therefore, organizing in the United States is of utmost importance as we continue to fight against oppression and apply pressure to the unpopular and illegitimate NCPO.

ENGAGE plans to continue meeting with representatives from consulates throughout the U.S. and maintains that they will continue organizing demonstrations and protests until the New Democracy Movement’s goals are met.

Below is their letter of demands for the Consul Generals in the United States:

We stand today in solidarity with Thai students and villagers who have been deprived of democracy, excluded from political participation, subject to injustice, and stripped of human rights, despite engaging in nonviolent action to have their voices heard under the oppression of Article 44.

As a result of Article 44, Thai civilians cannot assemble in groups larger than five individuals to discuss politics, can be detained for seven days without charges or bail, and are tried in military court, as opposed to civil court with no possibility for appeals. Additionally, Article 44 grants absolute authority to a single entity, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), led by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.

We are specifically concerned with the injustices faced by our friends, students in the Neo-Democracy Movement, and villagers in the Na Nong Bong community in Loei province; the latter have already been experiencing violations of their human rights due to the Tungkum Limited (TKL) gold mine operating in their community. These groups have attempted to organize for their human rights, but have faced oppression from the Thai government under the provisions of Article 44.

Thai citizens do not have the right to speak freely for themselves. Therefore we present the following demands to amplify the oppressed voices of the Neo-Democracy Movement and Na Nong Bong community:
  1. Rescind your support for Article 44
  2. Demand civil, not military, trials for all civilians
  3. Demand the reduction of military harassment on community and student groups
  4. Submit a request for the release of the following 14 students from the Neo-Democracy Movement from prison and for the charges against them to be dropped:
    1. Rangsiman Rome
    2. Chonticha Chaeng-rew
    3. Ratthapol Surasopon
    4. Songtham Kaewpanpruek
    5. Pornchai Yuanyee
    6. Pakron Arrekul
    7. Abhisit Sapnaphana
    8. Jaturapak Boonpatararaksa
    9. Apiwat Suntararak
    10. Payu Bunsophon
    11. Panupong Srithananuwat
    12. Suwitcha Thipangkorn
    13. Supachai Pukrongply
    14. Wasan Sethsitthi

  5. Demand investigation of the May 15, 2014 attack on Na Nong Bong community, and any consequential prosecution of the perpetrators
  6. Demand suspension of the TKL gold mine activities until the environmental, social, and health consequences of the mine on Na Nong Bong community have been investigated and properly resolved
We look forward to your compliance and for a better future for Thailand.

Picture
0 Comments

    Author

    Support Community Rights: Mining Resistance Campaign

    Archives

    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Donate.

Follow us.

DONATE NOW
Become a supporter of ENGAGE today!

    Contact us.

Submit
Proudly powered by Weebly