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Lese majeste prisoner Thanthawut Taweewarodomkul's Letter to Amnesty International; "Please help us"

Tue, 12/06/2012 - 11:17 | by prachatai
Andrew Spooner

After years of waiting for Amnesty International's support, lese majeste detainees hope smuggled letter will bring NGO on board

The following is an English translation of a letter addressed directly to Amnesty International from a political prisoner in Thailand, Thanthawut Taweewarodomkul, who was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment for breaching Thailand's draconian lese majeste law.

Scans of the original hand-written Thai version can be found here and here. It was smuggled out of the Bangkok Remand prison and then to London where it was hand-delivered today (June 11, 2012) to Amnesty International by a former Thai National Human Rights' Commissioner, Jaran Ditapichai. Thanthawat also requested that the letter be published.

In this letter Thanthawat beseeches Amnesty to assist the prisoners and bring their situation to international attention and states, "So far, we have never been contacted by or received any attention from Amnesty International."

Let's hope that situation changes - Amnesty's abandonment of Thailand's lese majeste prisoners is a terrible stain on this highly-respected organisation's reputation and must end as soon as possible.

000

Re: Request for aid for lèse-majesté law and political prisoners in Thailand after September 19, 2006 coup.

Bangkok Remand Prison

May 14th 2012.

Dear Amnesty International,

My name is Thanthawut Taweewarodomkul; I am a 40 years old lèse-majesté prisoner who received a 13-year sentence  – I have been incarcerated for 2 years and 1 month and was not released on bail while awaiting for my trial. At present I have just withdrawn my appeal because I am applying for a royal pardon. 7 other lèse-majesté law prisoners also decided to drop their appeals and chose to apply for the royal pardon as well.

Besides lèse-majesté law prisoners, many others have been arrested and charged during political demonstrations since the 2006 coup – they are now detained in Laksi prison in Bangkok and many other places in Thailand. All of them have been prosecuted because they exercised their civil and political rights to demand democracy as citizens of their country.

But we have never been treated justly; our basic rights such as right to bail, right to be treated with respect and dignity as prisoners of conscience and political prisoners, which are guaranteed by international laws, have been denied. The authorities have physically assaulted many of the prisoners. Many prisoners have been put in very crowded cells and refused proper medical treatment which led to the death of Amphon Tangnoppakul aka Ar Kong who was 62 years and died of advanced stage of cancer on May 8, 2012 – he didn’t receive proper care and medical treatment.

Up until now, we have been suffering physically and mentally from incarceration. Many have been incarcerated for over 2 years without being allowed bail even though the governmental organizations and human right organizations in Thailand and overseas have continually been trying to help out.

So we now hope that Amnesty International, an organisation that is widely respected because of its outstanding human rights work and which has a huge global network, including in Thailand, would be able to help us out.

So far, we have never been contacted by or received any attention from Amnesty International in Thailand at all.  We are deeply sad about this but we still hope that one day, Amnesty International, might start to pay attention to us.

At the moment, Thailand has a democratically elected government and its policy is to create reconciliation in Thailand, a country that has been deeply divided since the 2006 coup.  Many organizations in Thailand and overseas have been working together to create reconciliation as soon as possible.

We, therefore, hope that Amnesty International will be part of this reconciliation process in Thailand by doing everything it can to ensure that the basic rights of incarcerated political prisoners meet international standards. We will be very happy if Amnesty International does this.

Furthermore, we hope to see peace in Thailand as soon as possible. We have always respected and believed in democracy governance with the King as the head of state and we are ready to do everything to make the country become normal again.

Finally, we hope that you will consider lending us some help and we are looking forward to the day you are able to do so.

Respectfully,

Thanthawut Taweewarodomkul

Lèse-majesté law prisoner writing on behalf of 55 incarcerated political prisoners in Thailand.

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#27392 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Tue, 19/06/2012 - 08:02

Amnesty International's


Amnesty International's "NATO: Keep the Progress Going" poster at a Chicago bus stop.

The "progress" in Afghanistan?!

Amnesty’s Shilling for US Wars

The new Executive Director of Amnesty International USA – Suzanne Nossel – is a recent U.S. government insider. So it’s a safe bet that AI’s decision to seize upon a topic that dovetailed with American foreign policy interests ...

Nossel was hired by AI in January 2012. In her early career, Nossel worked for Ambassador Richard Holbrooke under the Clinton Administration at the United Nations. Most recently, she served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Organizations at the U.S. Department of State ...

Nossel would have worked for and with Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Samantha Power and Susan Rice, and undoubtedly helped them successfully implement ... “humanitarian intervention” ...

This cornerstone of President Barack Obama’s foreign policy (which has served mainly to rationalize the launching of war on Libya) is now being hauled out to call for US-NATO military intervention in Syria.

In fact, Nossel is herself credited as having coined the term “Smart Power,” which embraces the United States ’ use of military power as well as other forms of “soft power,” an approach which Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced at her confirmation as the new basis of State Department policy.

“Washington, the theory goes, should thus offer assertive leadership — diplomatic, economic, and not least, military [our emphasis] — to advance a broad array of goals ... ”

Perhaps the AI’s hiring of a State Department shill as executive director of its US affiliate was merely coincidental to how/why its “NATO Shadow Summit ” so closely mimicked the CIA’s latest propaganda assault ...

Good NGOS and non-profits that want to maintain the trust in their humanitarian work tend to be very careful to maintain their independence from any government, let alone any war-making government. When NGOs, even good ones, become entwined with the US/NATO war machine, don’t they risk losing their independent credibility?

#27395 - by Andrew Spooner (visitor) () | Tue, 19/06/2012 - 14:14

JFL So Amnesty now support

JFL

So Amnesty now support NATO in Afghanistan but not lese majeste prisoners in Thailand.

Wow.

#27396 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Tue, 19/06/2012 - 14:24

Yeah. All 'immortal'

Yeah. All 'immortal' organizations are eventually subverted. We humans need to learn how to put an end to our creations when they no longer serve their original purpose but have metastasized into something as deadly and out of control as AI. Or HRW. Or Goldman Sachs. Or the Royal Thai Army. Or the US Government. Or ...

#27397 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Tue, 19/06/2012 - 16:12

From The bombing of Lao and

From The bombing of Lao and the browning of one volunteer
by Walt Haney (pdf)

In closing, I offer a personal note on how what I learned about U.S. bombing in northern Laos in the early 1970's has had a dramatic impact on me personally. Though this experience changed me in many ways, one major impact is that I am left with an enduring suspicion of the arrogance of power.

Now, whenever I encounter a dispute between some entrenched authority - be it a large company, influential organization, or well-established scholar - and persons of lesser power, my instinct is always to distrust often self-serving accounts of authority and to give credence, at least tentatively, to the views of those less powerful.

The sum of my life experience tells me the same thing. I cannot imagine anyone thinking otherwise.

#27402 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Wed, 20/06/2012 - 14:37

The Gulf Security

The Gulf Security Architecture: Partnership with the Gulf Cooperation Council (pdf)

The United States should not be quick to rescind security assurances or assistance in response to human rights abuses, but should evaluate each case on its own merits.

I'm sure that a copy of this report has been delivered to Suzanne Nossel and that we will soon hear of the need for 'separate evaluations' of human rights abuses in Bahrain (5th fleet) and Thailand (U-Tapao) among others, from AI.

U-Tapao is on the plate as we speak. The Royal Thai Army has already approved, waiting for a 'decent interval' ... a couple of days apparently ... before the castrated cabinet skips referring the basing of US forces in Thailand to the parliament(!) and rubber stamps the Royal Thai Army Dictat.

#27410 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Thu, 21/06/2012 - 20:38

And now the US government is

And now the US government is adding its weight to the abrogation of the elected government in Thailand by the beneficiaries of the recent Judicial Coup : U-tapao deadline.

The US knows full well that Yingluck has furloughed the parliament in deference to the Royal Thai Army and its Constitutional Court, yet it is insisting on a decision on its request for 'NASA' and 'humanitarian assistance' forces at U Tapao by 26 June. The US is actively working to undermine the authority of the Thai Parliament, trying to force the cabinet alone to usurp powers that belong to the people of Thailand and their parliament. The Royal Thai Army has said that the Council of State can make the decision and the cabinet can 'acknowledge' it!

Not a word of this at Prachatai. It's all touchy-feely news from HRW and AI. One does begin to wonder if the nearly exclusively US derived funding of Prachatai is 'paying off'.

See Amnesty’s Shilling for US Wars and Mercenaries for Empire: Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch for what those closely observing HRW and AI in the US itself have discovered.

U Tapao will only be NASA and Humanitarian Assistance ... the CIA's Air America was a part of USAID, remember?

The ONLY appropriate reply to the USA/Royal Thai Army's 'deadline' is drop dead. NASA and their weather balloons at UTapao ... you don't need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows!

#27411 - by Hobby (visitor) () | Fri, 22/06/2012 - 08:39

If you got yourself onto

If you got yourself onto Twitter you would see that The Nation's, Thanong, has been stoking the flame on this issue for weeks now:)

#27412 - by Hobby (visitor) () | Fri, 22/06/2012 - 08:53

And from Twitter, I was also

And from Twitter, I was also able to see that the Bangkok Pundit mentioned an article in AsiaTimesOnline about the issue
What's all the fuss about?
Looks to me like typical wedge politics by the coup loving (not so) Democrat Party & the usual suspects.

#27414 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Fri, 22/06/2012 - 12:31

I saw the same article on

I saw the same article on Sondhi's rag itself ... written by two other names he uses for his TC, or the Toney Confabulation, these two spouting a line which is the mirror image of 'Tony' what's his name's. One of these 'authors' is also billed as an 'ex US armed forces member' with an Italian last name, for that 'truthy' touch.

#27413 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Fri, 22/06/2012 - 12:21

The issue to me is democracy

The issue to me is democracy in Thailand. Who makes decisions like this? The people ... parliament? Or ... some other entity?

The Democrats had, for the last year of their appointment, been trying to eliminate the clause of the Royal Thai Army's latest charter which called for the parliament to make such decisions. Autocratic to the bone, they feel they should make all such decisions without interference from the unwashed.

The Royal Thai Army and the Ammat are, obviously, of the same opinion. But of course each feels it is the fit arbiter of everything.

Since the Judical Coup, parliament is not in session, and therefore this decision cannot be made now. according to both the Royal Thai Army's 2007 substitution for the Constitution of Thailand and the 1997 Constitution itself.

Yingluck's last cabinet meeting did not take up the matter, as the cabinet has no authority to do so.

The Bangkok Post has been pushing for the Royal Thai Army's decision : welcome home daddy, to the US Armed Forces, the Council of State said so and that's all that counts!

I have read some ascribing their anticipated acceptance of the 'deal' to Thaksin's getting a US passport. I imagine that's Thanong? That's an interesting decision. You get your cake and eat it too : democracy defeated, the US Armed Forces back in Thailand, and someone else to blame. I haven't read The Nation regularly in several years and I don't think I'll become a twit just to 'enjoy' listening to Thanong.

But maybe I've guessed wrong? Maybe Thanong is against the Royal Thai Army's assuming powers explicitly reserved to the parliament in their own charter, and the Constitution Court's doing the same, and the Judicial Coup?

#27418 - by Hobby (visitor) () | Fri, 22/06/2012 - 20:21

Thanong is a guru - well

Thanong is a guru - well worth joining Twitter just to get whatever pearls of wisdom he will drop our way.

#27419 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Fri, 22/06/2012 - 21:49

Really?

Really?

#27422 - by Hobby (visitor) () | Sat, 23/06/2012 - 08:36

Not really - he basically

Not really - he basically just rants from a nationalistic, anti--democracy, anti-west, anti-Thaksin, anti-capitalism perspective, with some Buddhist mumbo jumbo thrown in.
However no one can be wrong on everything, all the time:)

#27424 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Sat, 23/06/2012 - 08:47

Wow! I sure don't wanna miss

Wow! I sure don't wanna miss out on all that! Where do I sign-up to be a twit?

#27399 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Tue, 19/06/2012 - 20:31

Suu Kyi makes bittersweet

Suu Kyi makes bittersweet return to Britain

Aung San Suu Kyi has started an emotional return to Britain, during which she will be showered with honours and have a long-awaited family reunion after nearly a quarter of a century in Myanmar.

The democracy icon arrived in Britain on Tuesday overnight from Ireland, where she took to the stage at a gala concert with U2 singer Bono to receive a prize from rights group Amnesty International.

The Chancellor of Oxford University, former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten, will formally welcome her, as will the head of her former college, St Hugh's.

On Thursday, Suu Kyi is to address both houses of parliament in London, an honour only granted to high-profile foreign dignitaries such as US President Barack Obama.

She will also meet Prime Minister David Cameron and heir to the throne Prince Charles.

She spent nearly 20 years in the city with her family. When she left for Myanmar to care for her dying mother in 1988 she had no idea that it would be 24 years before she would return.

Suu Kyi became the leader of the country's democracy movement against its military rulers, spending most of the following decades under house arrest.

She refused to leave the country, fearing that the junta would prevent her from returning and keep her in exile.

An emotional Suu Kyi delivered her Nobel lecture at Oslo City Hall on Saturday, more than two decades after receiving the peace prize awarded to her in 1991.

In Ireland, Suu Kyi received Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award at a concert with performances by stars including Benin singer Angelique Kidjo and US rapper Lupe Fiasco.

"To receive this award is to remind me that 24 years ago I took on duties from which I shall never be relieved but you have given me the strength to carry out," Suu Kyi said.

Bono thanked Suu Kyi for being at the concert, saying: "We are humbled. We are grateful."

Amnesty International and the rest of these leeches are not humbled but certainly are grateful to be able to bask their pale bodies in the light emanating from she who took on duties from which she shall never be relieved, and who has since relentlessly shown us all what it means to live up to them.

#27621 - by Tony (visitor) () | Thu, 12/07/2012 - 13:17

I am in awe at the cognitive

I am in awe at the cognitive dissonance displayed here. Amnesty International is headed by US State Department lackey Suzanne Possel. It is funded by Soros as is HRW - and guess what....

... especially for Andrew Spooner who is such a big fan of Prachatai ....

.... the same people that created and fund AI and HRW, are behind Prachatai as well,

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Soros' Open Society, and many others.

http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2011/08/exposed-indy-newspaper-funded-by-us.html

When you add that to the fact that Thaksin and his personality cult, the UDD, of whom these "political prisoners" are members and supporters of is ALSO funded and backed by the corporate financier interests backing Prachatai, HRW, and Amnesty, you really understand how confused Andrew Spooner and the Prachatai fan club really are - confused or duplicitous.

PS Is Prachatai testing out their latest US State Department provided "consensus-building" software?