To: United Nation
URGENT CALL
to Ban Ki-Moon, General Secretary of the United Nations
and all Governments and leaders around the world to . .
STOP THE BLOODSHED IN THAILAND
Progress towards democracy in Thailand was devastated by the military coup that ousted an elected Government in 2006. This was Thailand’s 26th military coup / crackdown since the country attempted to abolish Absolute Monarchy in 1932.
The country was further reduced to a complete, political shambles in 2008 by the Yellow Shirt demonstrations that were allowed, without repercussion, to close-down Thailand’s international airports, creating a situation that allowed Abhisit Vejjajiva to become Prime Minister in December 2008.
Thailand’s ten’s of millions of rural and urban poor can tolerate no longer the double standards that dominate their struggle for representational parliamentary democracy. On 14 March 2010 they converged on the streets of Bangkok demanding primarily the dissolution of parliament and a proper General Election.
Since the current military crackdown was launched on 10 April 2010 about 60 men, women and children have died, many by military sniper-fire with a single bullet to the head. About 1500 have been wounded - many by gunshot, including medics, journalists and bystanders. The death toll is rising daily. Some 50 000 soldiers, with permission to shoot to kill “in self-defence”, have been mobilised to crush the people’s protest against clear injustice and corrupt governance.
The Thai Government’s sanctioning of the use of live ammunition against the people of Thailand, against men, women, children, against grandfathers and grandmothers that have gathered in Bangkok to express their legitimate frustration and grievances, is an outrage that must be condemned as the crime that it is. No matter the complexity of the political situation, the use of live ammunition against ordinary civilians cannot and must not be permitted on the streets of Bangkok, or anywhere. The International Community cannot stand-by and watch the Thai Government murder Thai citizens in the name of democracy, not to mention monarchy.
The state violence on the streets of Bangkok today has a long history. In the centre of Bangkok, a few thousand brave civilians - ordinary men, women and children are cut off from food and water, surrounded and targeted by about 30,000 soldiers. They are preparing to sacrifice their lives.
The International Community must condemn the Abhisit Government for using live ammunition against those who oppose it, against those who, in a General Election, would defeat it.
In the “Land of Smiles” corruption and injustice is ringing load and clear. Allowing military violence to crush the rural and urban poor in Thailand will not enhance regional stability, it will not enhance the future of the ASEAN or sustainable development. It will drag down the development of democracy throughout South-East Asia.
We call for all Governments around the world to condemn the use of military force and live ammunition as a means to oppose and suppress the right of the poor to express their grievances.
WE CALL FOR UNITED NATIONS INTERVENTION
to end the violence and bring all parties to the negotiating table and
to oversee proceedings for a General Election in Thailand.
WE CALL FOR THE UNITED NATIONS
to appoint an independent commission to investigate
the murder of innocent civilians by Thai military forces.
STOP THE BLOODSHED IN THAILAND
To sign:
http://www.petitiononline.com/10310/petition-sign.html
To see the list of signatures:
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?10310
The petition online started at around midnight on 16 April 2010
1. Network of Community Organisations for Solving Isan Land Issues
2. Ban Raksa Nam Soen Communities Network
3. Ban Lum Nam Pal Communities Network
4. Phukho-Phukratae Nature and Environmental Protection Network
5. Isan New Generation Network
6. Isan Farmers Alliance Network
7. Kong River Basis New Generation Network, Ubon Ratchathani
8. Creativies for Life and Society in Isan
9. Dong Moon for Development, Kalasin
10. Phupalek Conservation Network, Udon Thani
11. Phupan for Development, Sakolnakorn
12. Community Enterprise Network, Chaiyaphum
13. Thai WaengNoi and Waeng Yai, Khon Kaen
14. Friendship Youth, Khon Kaen
15. Namprom Protection Group, Chaiyaphum
16. Lum Nam Bang Protection Group, Nakorn Phanom
17. New Generation Network, Yasothon
18. Isan Youth Federation
19. Northern Farmers Network
20. Promotion of Education Group, Lower North Region
21. Nam Chompoo Protection Network, Pitsanulok
22. Promotion of Environmental Management, Lower North Region
23. Klong Toei Youth Federation
24. Klong Toei Communities Organisation Network
25. Democracy for a Social Welfare State
26. Bon Kai Communities Network, Bangkok
27. Klao Kok Protection and Recovery Network, Roiet
28. Ban Nang Rong Communities Network, Burirum
29. New Generation Network, South
30. Northern Students for Democracy
31. The Textile Garment and Leather workers federation of Thailand(TWFT.)
32. Migrant Workers Union, Thailand
33. Thai Labour Campaign
and many more