On 2 October, at the Women's Study Center, Chiang Mai University, CMU Lecturers for Democracy and the Environment held a press conference to "condemn the Burmese junta's inhumane repression of the peoples of Burma who have taken to the streets to demand solutions for their ailing economy".

Chalardchai Ramitanont, a CMU lecturer, expressed his opinions during the meeting and Prachatai believes these should be disseminated.

The problems did not start with the demonstrations that have taken place since last August, but they have been there since Burma became independent. Various human right violations have been inflicted on people from the past to present.

It is not merely a fight by Burmese monks and people against the junta. Their cause deserves international attention and action, particularly among countries which invest and benefit from Burma's rich natural resources and from trade monopolies with Burma. China and India have been identified as the major trade partners. Despite having big stakes in the country's economy, they have so far been reluctant to react to the latest uprisings, fearing that their huge vested interests in their investments in natural gas and other resource extraction would be affected.

In Thailand, academics and activists have been campaigning on the issue for months and those members of the international community which are thought may help solve the problems.

Yet, the killings have continued and I believe that the monks and people will not give in and the use of violence will increase.

It looks as if international intervention may depend on the death toll and this fact saddens me. Some say we have to wait to see how many people have perished to make it worth the intervention. Some international organizations and governments often base their decisions on the number of people who vote or express their interest in pressuring for engagement or on the death toll before they make any move. And for me this kind of thinking is itself a human rights violation.

But here we have struggles by Burmese monks and people which chiefly focus on economic issues and their well being which have been threatened together with deteriorating human rights abuses.

To be part of solving the problem, we may individually sign petitions. That may not be enough. In Chiang Mai, we have founded a group among academics, and NGO and human right activists to plan extra activities in addition to signing various online petitions.

To make pressure effective we need to steer it towards those closest to us and those whose interests our boycott may affect. To pressure China or India may not work well. Demonstrations in front of the Chinese Consulate may not produce any reaction from them.

Therefore, we have decided that we have to put pressure on Thai actors, and of course, the government must be one of the targets. We have to follow up what happened after the Thai Premier made a statement at the UN General Assembly, i.e., is the Thai EXIM Bank still disbursing loans to Burma after this?

Enterprises that stand to gain the most economically from Burma include PTT PLC and PTTEP PLC. We need to monitor their reaction to this current situation in Burma. How do people feel about investing in the construction of dams in Burma? How do people feel about supporting those who abet human right abuses and destroy democracy? We are funding murderers who could kill even Buddhist monks and the questions have to be tossed back to PTT and PTTEP.

Should PTT fail to response to this issue, we may stop buying gas from their gas stations or reduce the consumption of natural gas since this gas is the blood and breath of the peoples in Burma. The natural gas you buy is indeed the spirit of those who have lost their lives from the repression by the dictatorial junta. The petrol you fill your tanks with is the blood of the peoples of Burma.

We also know that the Crown Property Bureau should be included as a target of our action. This has nothing to do with the monarchy. There are hundreds of thousands who stand to gain from the fund, the CPB, which has major stakes in PTT on one hand and the Siam Cement Group on the other.

It is time for these major economic forces to show their concern for the problems and for them to think that they may gain more economically in an environment free from human rights abuses. They should invest in a democracy rather than be happy to associate themselves and share benefits with robbers and murderers as they do now.

Therefore, we need to sanction them using both economic and ethical measures and target the Thai enterprises that are reaping benefits on the suffering of the peoples of Burma.

For PTT's reaction, read here:

PTT defends Burma business

http://www.bangkokpost.net/Business/06Oct2007_biz32.php

Thai PTT to seal Myanmar gas deal despite protests

http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKBKK6618920071005

Translated by Pipob Udomittipong