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Activists Proceed with Thai Conf (r)
- Subject: Activists Proceed with Thai Conf (r)
- From: agptimor@xxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 21 Jul 1994 10:37:00
Subject: Activists Proceed with Thai Conf
/* Written 7:07 am Jul 19, 1994 by apakabar@xxxxxxxxx in gn:reg.indonesia */
/* ---------- "Activists Proceed with Thai Conf" ---------- */
Forwarded message:
>>From julia_read@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Mon Jul 18 20:03 EDT 1994
Date: Tue, 19 Jul 1994 08:58:09 +1000
Subject: Thailand/human rights
To: John MacDougall <apakabar@xxxxxxxxx>
Message-id: <01HEVV4JYMG200DINA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Content-Type: text
Content-Length: 3601
Mail*Link(r) SMTP Thailand/human rights
DATE=7/18/94
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-162130
TITLE=THAILAND/HUMAN RIGHTS (L-O)
BYLINE=DAN ROBINSON
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS IN THAILAND HAVE VOWED TO GO AHEAD
WITH A CONFERENCE THIS WEEK DESPITE EFFORTS BY THAI AUTHORITIES
TO PREVENT IT. V-O-A'S DAN ROBINSON REPORTS FROM OUR
SOUTHEAST-ASIA BUREAU, HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS ARE TRYING TO DRAW
ATTENTION TO PROBLEMS IN EAST TIMOR AND BURMA AS MINISTERS OF THE
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN) GATHER IN BANGKOK
FOR THEIR ANNUAL MEETINGS.
TEXT: A NUMBER OF SEMINARS AND DEMONSTRATIONS ARE SCHEDULED TO
TAKE PLACE IN BANGKOK JUST AS SENIOR OFFICIALS AND MINISTERS OF
SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES BEGIN TO ARRIVE FOR THEIR ANNUAL
MEETING.
A CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY THE SOUTHEAST-ASIA HUMAN-RIGHTS NETWORK
COINCIDES WITH THE ASEAN MEETINGS. ACTIVISTS SAY THIS IS MERE
COINCIDENCE, BUT THE THAI GOVERNMENT DOES NOT AGREE.
AUTHORITIES ARE TAKING STEPS TO PREVENT DEMONSTRATIONS BY, AMONG
OTHERS, DISSIDENTS FROM BURMA AND REPRESENTATIVES OF EAST TIMOR
INDEPENDENCE GROUPS.
THAI NEWSPAPER REPORTS MONDAY SAID 500 EXTRA POLICE WILL BE ON
HAND AT THE BANGKOK HOTEL WHERE THE ASEAN MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
BEGINS FRIDAY. POLICE OFFICIALS WARNED OF TOUGH ACTION IF A
PLANNED DEMONSTRATION BY BURMESE DISSIDENTS OUTSIDE BURMA'S
EMBASSY WAS NOT PEACEFUL.
AS FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE, THE GOVERNMENT WAS ATTEMPTING
TO ENFORCE A REGULATION ON THAI AND FOREIGN NON-GOVERNMENT
ORGANIZATIONS REQUIRING 30-DAY ADVANCE NOTICE.
BOONTHAN VERAWONG IS A KEY ORGANIZER OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS
CONFERENCE. HE SAYS THE PURPOSE OF THE GATHERING IS TO ASSESS
DEVELOPMENTS SINCE LAST YEAR'S WORLD HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE IN
VIENNA.
IN A V-O-A INTERVIEW, MR. BOONTHAN SAYS THAI GOVERNMENT EFFORTS
TO PREVENT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE ARE DUE TO PRESSURE FROM
INDONESIA:
/// BOONTHAN ACT ///
I THINK WE HAVE TO PUSH THROUGH. THERE IS NO REASON FOR
THE GOVERNMENT TO BAN THIS CONFERENCE, BECAUSE WHAT WE
ARE DOING IS UPHOLDING OUR BASIC PRINCIPLES UNDER HUMAN
RIGHTS. IN THIS SO-CALLED DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY, PEOPLE
SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASSEMBLY, THE RIGHT TO
EXPRESSION.
/// END ACT ///
IN AN EDITORIAL PUBLISHED MONDAY IN A BANGKOK NEWSPAPER, ONE OF
THE TIMORESE ACTIVISTS PLANNING TO ATTEND THE BANGKOK HUMAN
RIGHTS CONFERENCE -- JOSE RAMOS-HORTA-- CRITICIZED ASEAN FOR
FAILING TO PRESSURE INDONESIA TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT EAST
TIMOR.
MR. RAMOS-HORTA ACCUSED JAKARTA OF BULLYING IN ITS EFFORT TO
PREVENT A CONFERENCE ABOUT EAST TIMOR LAST MAY IN MANILA.
CONDEMNING -- WHAT HE CALLED -- ASEAN COMPLICITY IN GENOCIDE IN
EAST TIMOR, HE APPEALED TO ASEAN MINISTERS TO DISCUSS EAST TIMOR
DURING THEIR TALKS IN BANGKOK.
A REPORT (REUTER) MONDAY FROM EAST TIMOR SAID INDONESIAN
AUTHORITIES OFFERED TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE ISLAND'S INDEPENDENCE
MOVEMENT.
/// REST OPT ///
THE REPORT SAID THE OFFER WAS MADE BY INDONESIA'S GOVERNOR IN
EAST TIMOR, DURING A SPEECH MARKING THE 18TH ANNIVERSARY OF
INDONESIA'S TAKEOVER OF THE FORMER PORTUGUESE COLONY.
BUT, THE INDONESIAN MILITARY CHIEF FOR EAST TIMOR WARNED
AUTHORITIES WILL CONTINUE TO ACT AGAINST ANYONE BREAKING THE LAW.
HE REPEATED A DENIAL THERE WERE ANY DEATHS FROM LAST WEEK'S CLASH
BETWEEN MAINLY CATHOLIC PROTESTERS AND POLICE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DR/FA/RAE
18-Jul-94 4:08 AM EDT (0808 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America