NEWS - Plight of northern hill trib

[Rangoonp@xxxxxxx]

Subject: NEWS - Plight of northern hill tribes deserves immediate attention

The Nation - May 27, 1999

Mailbag

Plight of northern hill tribes deserves immediate attention

I AM astonished at your lack of coverage of a serious and significant
event
happening just around the corner from those of us who live in Chiang
Mai:
the 10,000 or so representatives from hill tribes residing throughout
northern Thailand who are at this moment gathered in a three-week-long
protest in front of the government building of Sala Klang.

This is one of the most noteworthy and newsworthy domestic occurrences
in
recent weeks. The hill tribe men and women who have lived inside Thai
borders for generations are collectively calling for fairness in
obtaining
citizenship and land rights.

The central government far away in Bangkok is not responding. I cannot
report on what exactly the hill tribe people are calling for, nor on the
lack of response from the government agriculture, interior, and forestry
officials, because you, as a major source of information in Thailand,
have
not taken seriously your mandate to report on this urgent and pressing
problem. Is news blackout intentional? If so, why?

Meanwhile, the Akha, Lahu, Lisu, Karen, Hmong and other peoples camped
out
at Sala Klang under huge tents are becoming uncomfortable and
frustrated.
They have left their homes, their land, their daily routines for too
long
and are restless to return. But as yet, little or no dialogue and
negotiation with the government has taken place.

This urban campground of theirs was not designed to support so many
people,
and their living conditions are deteriorating. As the food supply
dwindles,
garbage accumulates, and discomfort is more apparent. Rumours are that
each
hill tribe is planning to build a small, more permanent shelter to allow
representatives from their group to rotate their vigil, in shifts, so
that
the others can go back to work. Rumours are that a government official
may
be coming to talk with them to begin the process of removing the
obstacles
these hill people face when they try to obtain citizenship according to
the
process outlined in the Constitution.

Perhaps you could enlighten us with some rudimentary information: (1)
Where
have the protesters come from? (2) How long has the demonstration been
going
on? (3) What are the hill tribe representatives asking of the

government?
(4) How has the government responded? (5) Why have these people been
forced
to resort to such a difficult and frustrating attempt to get the
government's attention? (6) What are the possibilities for a speedy
resolution?

Susan Offner

Chiang Mai