Martial law imposed to stifle grassroots environmental movements in Prachuab Khiri Khan

The cabinet has declared martial law as of Nov 27 on various areas across the country including several districts in Prachuab Khiri Khan where local people have been fighting against mega-projects including Sahaviriya's planned smelting plant in Bang Saphan and EGAT's coal-fired power project in Thab Sakae.

Sqn Ldr Prasong Soonsiri, chief advisor to the National Legislative Assembly's Committee on Justice, Police and Human Rights and former chair of the Constitution Drafting Committee, said that his committee would discuss the matter.  He had no idea why it was necessary for the cabinet to impose martial law on areas where there are mass movements to protect constitutional rights.

"I will bring the issue for discussion at the committee's meeting next week, and will ask for clarifications from relevant officials whom I am familiar with," he said.

National Human Rights Commissioner Sunee Chaiyaros said that Prachuab Khiri Khan province is notably an area where acute conflicts occur between local people and private companies, state authorities and local administrative bodies.

"Under the circumstances, the cabinet should not have imposed martial law. There's no justification for it.  It infringes on their rights and freedoms.  So far, the local people have always exercised their rights properly under the constitution.  The government must reconsider and revoke this as soon as possible, especially during this run-up to the general elections," she said.

Sunee said state agencies including the Land Department and the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment are in the process of investigating conflicts in the area, but the government declared martial law on coastal areas, despite earlier claims that martial law was imposed only on border areas where there are problems of drugs and human trafficking.

Sunee noted that the imposition might have something to do with the public hearings that Sahaviriya Steel Industries is going to hold on its planned construction of a smelting plant and their request for the Office of Natural Resources and Environment Policy and Planning (ONEP) to approve the new environmental impact assessment report.  The previous EIA report was already approved, but ONEP ordered the company to have it revised as the local people found that the report was flawed.

Jintana Kaewkhao, a local conservation group leader, said that the areas where martial law was imposed were tourist coastal areas where the local people are struggling with large-scale projects that would ruin natural resources.  The government has not protected the natural resources, but declared martial law to hamper the rights of local people and protect the interests of the investors instead.

"Last week, there were police and military personnel all over the area.  One military general was also present at Sahaviriya's public meeting.  I wonder what is happening to the people who want to protect their livelihoods.  I'm terrified by what the government is doing to us," Jintana said.

On Dec 3, about 100 members of the Mae Ramphueng conservation group went to Bang Saphan police station to file a complaint that on the previous night three of their campaign bill-boards against Sahaviriya's smelting plant were destroyed by a group of people wearing red t-shirts.

According to the conservation group members, before pulling down the boards, the group wearing t-shirts fired 4-5 gunshots to scare people away.

Jintana said previously that local activists had hung campaign banners, and the supporters of the steel company were hired to remove them for 2,000 baht per piece.  The conservation group had also filed a complaint with police.    

"Today, we are going to re-erect the boards.  Police should keep watch so that those provocateurs do not destroy them again.  Now the situation here is growing more and more tense, and more violent," Jintana said.

 

Translated by Ponglert Pongwanan

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