More than 100 academics, activists, and others on Thursday announced in a joint statement, “Down with the martial law…the power belong to all the people.”
Some of the signatories of the statement are renowned academic, such as Prajak Kongkirati, a renown political scientist from Thammasat University, Prapas Pintobtang and Puangthong Pawakapan, and Pratubjit Neelapaijit.
According to the statement, the group condemns the arrest of the five students in Khon Kaen who flashed 3-fingered salute and wore ‘No coup’ t-shirts to welcome the junta’s leader to the province and calls for the end of the martial law imposition in order to return power to all the people.
Down with the martial law…the authority belong to all the people
(Translated by Prachatai)
The coup d’état on 22 May 2014 staged by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has affected basic human rights and freedom of people severely, especially, when people are being arrested and detained from expressing political discontents against the coup d’état. The suspension of rights and freedom of people, who the NCPO alleged for belonging to the opposite political spectrum, has resulted in about 600 people being ordered to report themselves to the NCPO and 200 others being arrested. Within these numbers are academics, people of the press, activists, and ordinary people. Moreover, 33 activities and seminars were interfered by the military, resulting in an environment of fear and suppression, where people are restrained from expressing ideas freely.
Not to mention, how the martial law [imposed since the coup d’état] has later been used to evict poor people from farmlands (but the investors were allowed to settle in protected areas), such as the eviction of villagers in Ban Noen Din Daeng village of Buriram province, Khon San villager in Chaiyaphum province, Klong Sai Pattana village in Surat Thani and many other communities throughout the country. Moreover, activists campaigning for national energy reform were arrested. People from 12 northeastern organizations who signed a statement against the reform agendas of the coup-maker were detained. Villagers and academics, who campaign against the NCPO’s forestry policy were arrested. In addition, the media has been intimidated and threatened not to publicize information against the NCPO. Cultural activity with a talk show on ‘land issue’ was not permitted to be held. Freedom of expression of students from Kasetsart University who rallied against the construction of Mae Wong Dam was suspended. All these problems, which are concerned with people’s livelihood, cannot be solved without the participation of people who will be affected by its outcomes.
Recently, five students activists from Khon Kaen University were arrested for expressing that they are anti-coup in Khon Kaen on 19 November 2014 in front of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and his ministers who assumed power after the coup d’état although the group has been working to assist villagers in the Thailand’s Northeast for many years.
All in all, as academics, writers, activists, and representatives from different organizations who have signified this open letter we would like to request the followings:
- The martial law should be lifted as soon as possible to guarantee people’s freedom and rights in solving social-political problems
- The power belongs to all the people and we do not accept power from those who have stolen it away from the people
- We stand with student activists from Khon Kaen University and people who have been affected by the NCPO’s policies. We do not accept the use of martial law to press charge on students and other people