Thais in France condemn junta at Hunger Games premiere in Paris

The Thai diaspora and students in France gathered to wave three-fingered salutes as a symbol of defiance against the military regime at the ‘Hunger Games 3’ premiere and at the Institut d'études politiques (Sciences Po) in Paris. The event was joined by the controversial transgender anti-coup student activist Aum Neko. 
 
After the Wednesday arrest of five student activists in Khon Kaen who flashed three-fingered salutes in front of Prayut Chan-o-cha, the head of the junta, while he was giving a speech to civil servants and the subsequent arrests of students who followed suit in Bangkok, Thai people in France on Thursday gathered at the ‘Hunger Games 3’ premiere in Paris and raised the symbolic three-fingered salute in front of a cinema.
 
 
The activists flash the salute in front of a cinema in Paris. Aum Neko is on the right bottom corner
 
 
They also put up banners reading ‘District Thai’ and ‘No to Dictator Prayut’ while later at the student gathering at Sciences Po the students showed banners reading, “Down with martial law, release students” and “Thai students in Paris do not accept the coup”.
 
In the evening, the group and international students at Sciences Po, a well-known political science institute in Paris, also raised 3-fingered salutes in symbolic protest to condemn the junta’s use of martial law to arrest political dissidents and students.
 
“This movie reflects many dimensions of current Thai society, especially the main content of the movie which points out that a dictatorial regime will eventually meet its demise, and as long as people are still treated with injustice they will come out and fight against the oppressor,” said Saran Chuchai, aka Aum Neko, who is now in exile in Europe. 
 
Delattre, a French native who also came to join the campaign, added that the salute signified the French national motto, Liberty, Equality, and Brotherhood, which has had an important meaning in France for the last 200 years. Therefore, the arrest of people who only express these values is very regressive.    
 
‘Hunger Games 3’ or ‘Mockingjay’ is the last in the Hunger Games movie trilogy, based on the novel of the same title by Suzanne Collins. The movie is about a fictional country called Panem, which is ruled by a suppressive dictatorial regime based on a city called the Capitol while other cities are divided into numbered districts to serve without question the rich Capitol. A 3-fingered salute is used in the story by rebels as a sign of resistance against the Capitol.
 
 
 
The activists held placards in French and English reading "End Martial Law. Free Student activists in Thailand."
 

 

Since 2007, Prachatai English has been covering underreported issues in Thailand, especially about democratization and human rights, despite the risk and pressure from the law and the authorities. However, with only 2 full-time reporters and increasing annual operating costs, keeping our work going is a challenge. Your support will ensure we stay a professional media source and be able to expand our team to meet the challenges and deliver timely and in-depth reporting.

• Simple steps to support Prachatai English

1. Bank transfer to account “โครงการหนังสือพิมพ์อินเทอร์เน็ต ประชาไท” or “Prachatai Online Newspaper” 091-0-21689-4, Krungthai Bank

2. Or, Transfer money via Paypal, to e-mail address: [email protected], please leave a comment on the transaction as “For Prachatai English”