[APWSLMembers 400] Fwd: Fw: UPDATE (Thailand): Join protest for media freedom and 1997 Constitution

[parat nanakorn]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Prakash Gnyawali <democraticnepal at gmail.com>
Date: Oct 10, 2006 11:00 AM
Subject: Fw: UPDATE (Thailand): Join protest for media freedom and 1997
Constitution
To: siewhwa at rocketmail.com, adtu06 at yahoo.com, nanakornp at gmail.com,
lek at thailabour.org, icemthai at yahoo.com, sengkeat at gmail.com,
rdmilan at wlink.com.np, anwa at anwa.org.np, ccns at wlink.com.np,
rajanbha at gmail.com, cwwd at gefont.org, cfseed at wlink.com.np

UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Update on Urgent Appeal

9 October 2006

[RE: UG-018-2006: THAILAND: UN rights bodies must act urgently to
address junta; UP-189-2006: THAILAND: Illegal detention of former
government ministers; UP-190-2006: THAILAND: Websites and radio
stations shut down by military junta]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
UP-194-2006: THAILAND: Join protest for media freedom and 1997
Constitution

THAILAND: Military rule; martial law; threats to human rights
defenders; restrictions on freedom of assembly & expression
---------------------------------------------------------------------


Dear friends,

As the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) informed you in our last
update on Thailand, the new military junta there has shut down
websites and radio stations and is closely monitoring the media
(UP-190-2006 <http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/2008/ >). A
local media rights group has called for a protest this Wednesday,
October 11, against these actions, to commemorate the ninth
anniversary of the 1997 Constitution. Please join the protest if you
are in Bangkok, or make protest actions outside the Thai diplomatic
mission in your own country.

The AHRC is repeating below the call to join a protest organised by
the Bangkok-based Campaign for Popular Media Reform, on this October
11 at the Democracy Monument.

For persons outside Bangkok or Thailand, please consider organising
your own protest actions to coincide with this event, or later if you
cannot do it on the same day. For instance, you could hold a gathering
or submit a letter to the local Thai government mission in your
country or town. For a sample letter on the issue, see the previous
appeal: UP-190-2006
< http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/2008/>. See also the open
letter <http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19055 > on the same
issue by the international monitoring group Reporters Without
Borders.

STATEMENT OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR POPULAR MEDIA REFORM

Stop blocking the freedom of thought and expression: Please join in
mourning over the 1997 Constitution and holding lights for the return
of civil liberties

The coup d&rsquo;etat on September 19, 2006 resulted in the abolition
of the 1997 Constitution, nine years since its declaration on October
11, 1997. It is deeply sorrowful for Thai society that the
regulations and intentions regarding rights and freedom in the
constitution were invalidated.

Moreover, we can see that the powers-that-be have run the measures
affecting the rights and freedom of people, such as the order closing
community radio stations on the one hand and commanding community
radio stations to broadcast military information regularly on the
other; shutting websites which have political criticism, like
http://www.19sep.org and http://www.midnightuniv.org; using legal
action against critics who have political expression, like the
criminal charge against Associate Professor Giles Ungphakorn, and
other measures limiting civil rights and freedom of expression.

The Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR) considers that the above
actions obstruct the opinion expression and violate civil and
political rights. Meanwhile, it emphasizes the climate of fear and
frustration in Thai society. So, the public needs to participate in
upholding the principle of free expression by opening public spaces
for debate, protecting dissident voices and encouraging different
opinions to be heard.

Political freedom is not only the freedom to examine the Thaksin
regime, but it is also the citizens&rsquo; freedom to scrutinise
state power at all levels, regardless of any political circumstances.

On the occasion of nine years since the declaration of the 1997
Constitution, this October 11, 2006 the CPMR kindly invites you, the
public, community network members, colleagues and press to join
activities to commemorate the 1997 Constitution on Wednesday October
11, 2006, holding lights to ask for rights, freedom and democracy.

9.00am Stand and mourn the Constitution for 90 minutes (from 9 years
to 0) at the Democracy Monument, Ratchadamnoen Road

1.00pm Press conference and forum calling for the return of articles
39, 40, and 41 under the 1997 constitution by the CPMR at Royal
Rattanakosin Hotel, Ratchadamnoen Road

7.00pm Join in holding lights for civil liberties at the Democracy
Monument

-- Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR), 6 October 2006

For any further information, please contact CPMR: +66-2-691 0574
[E-mail: freemediapeople at yahoo.com
<http://us.f300.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=freemediapeople@yahoo.com&YY=90441&y5beta=yes&y5beta=yes&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b>
<mailto: freemediapeople at yahoo.com<http://us.f300.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=freemediapeople@yahoo.com&YY=90441&y5beta=yes&y5beta=yes&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b>>]


Free expression is essential for democratic society.
We want a climate of freedom from fear and favor!

Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission ( ahrchk at ahrchk.org
<http://us.f300.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=ahrchk@ahrchk.org&YY=90441&y5beta=yes&y5beta=yes&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b>
<mailto:ahrchk at ahrchk.org
<http://us.f300.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=ahrchk@ahrchk.org&YY=90441&y5beta=yes&y5beta=yes&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b>
>)
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