<br><br>---------- Forwarded message ----------<br><span class="gmail_quote">From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Prakash Gnyawali</b> <<a href="mailto:democraticnepal@gmail.com">democraticnepal@gmail.com</a>><br>Date: Oct 10, 2006 11:00 AM
<br>Subject: Fw: UPDATE (Thailand): Join protest for media freedom and 1997 Constitution<br>To: <a href="mailto:siewhwa@rocketmail.com">siewhwa@rocketmail.com</a>, <a href="mailto:adtu06@yahoo.com">adtu06@yahoo.com</a>, <a href="mailto:nanakornp@gmail.com">
nanakornp@gmail.com</a>, <a href="mailto:lek@thailabour.org">lek@thailabour.org</a>, <a href="mailto:icemthai@yahoo.com">icemthai@yahoo.com</a>, <a href="mailto:sengkeat@gmail.com">sengkeat@gmail.com</a>, <a href="mailto:rdmilan@wlink.com.np">
rdmilan@wlink.com.np</a>, <a href="mailto:anwa@anwa.org.np">anwa@anwa.org.np</a>, <a href="mailto:ccns@wlink.com.np">ccns@wlink.com.np</a>, <a href="mailto:rajanbha@gmail.com">rajanbha@gmail.com</a>, <a href="mailto:cwwd@gefont.org">
cwwd@gefont.org</a>, <a href="mailto:cfseed@wlink.com.np">cfseed@wlink.com.np</a><br><br></span>UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL<br><br>ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME
<br><br>Update on Urgent Appeal<br><br>9 October 2006<br><br>[RE: UG-018-2006: THAILAND: UN rights bodies must act urgently to <br>address junta; UP-189-2006: THAILAND: Illegal detention of former<br>government ministers; UP-190-2006: THAILAND: Websites and radio
<br>stations shut down by military junta]<br>---------------------------------------------------------------------- <br>UP-194-2006: THAILAND: Join protest for media freedom and 1997<br>Constitution<br><br>THAILAND: Military rule; martial law; threats to human rights
<br>defenders; restrictions on freedom of assembly & expression <br>---------------------------------------------------------------------<br><br><br>Dear friends,<br><br>As the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) informed you in our last
<br>update on Thailand, the new military junta there has shut down <br>websites and radio stations and is closely monitoring the media<br>(UP-190-2006 <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/2008/" target="_blank">
<font color="#003399">http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/2008/ </font></a>>). A<br>local media rights group has called for a protest this Wednesday,<br>October 11, against these actions, to commemorate the ninth
<br>anniversary of the 1997 Constitution. Please join the protest if you <br>are in Bangkok, or make protest actions outside the Thai diplomatic<br>mission in your own country. <br><br>The AHRC is repeating below the call to join a protest organised by
<br>the Bangkok-based Campaign for Popular Media Reform, on this October <br>11 at the Democracy Monument. <br><br>For persons outside Bangkok or Thailand, please consider organising<br>your own protest actions to coincide with this event, or later if you
<br>cannot do it on the same day. For instance, you could hold a gathering <br>or submit a letter to the local Thai government mission in your<br>country or town. For a sample letter on the issue, see the previous<br>appeal: UP-190-2006
<br><<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/2008/" target="_blank"> <font color="#003399">http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/2008/</font></a>>. See also the open
<br>letter <<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19055" target="_blank"><font color="#003399">http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19055 </font>
</a>> on the same<br>issue by the international monitoring group Reporters Without<br>Borders. <br><br>STATEMENT OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR POPULAR MEDIA REFORM<br><br>Stop blocking the freedom of thought and expression: Please join in
<br>mourning over the 1997 Constitution and holding lights for the return<br>of civil liberties <br><br>The coup d&rsquo;etat on September 19, 2006 resulted in the abolition<br>of the 1997 Constitution, nine years since its declaration on October
<br>11, 1997. It is deeply sorrowful for Thai society that the<br>regulations and intentions regarding rights and freedom in the<br>constitution were invalidated.<br><br>Moreover, we can see that the powers-that-be have run the measures
<br>affecting the rights and freedom of people, such as the order closing<br>community radio stations on the one hand and commanding community<br>radio stations to broadcast military information regularly on the<br>other; shutting websites which have political criticism, like
<br><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.19sep.org/" target="_blank"><font color="#003399">http://www.19sep.org</font></a> and <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.midnightuniv.org;/" target="_blank">
<font color="#003399">http://www.midnightuniv.org;</font> </a>using legal<br>action against critics who have political expression, like the<br>criminal charge against Associate Professor Giles Ungphakorn, and<br>other measures limiting civil rights and freedom of expression.
<br><br>The Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR) considers that the above<br>actions obstruct the opinion expression and violate civil and<br>political rights. Meanwhile, it emphasizes the climate of fear and<br>frustration in Thai society. So, the public needs to participate in
<br>upholding the principle of free expression by opening public spaces<br>for debate, protecting dissident voices and encouraging different<br>opinions to be heard.<br><br>Political freedom is not only the freedom to examine the Thaksin
<br>regime, but it is also the citizens&rsquo; freedom to scrutinise<br>state power at all levels, regardless of any political circumstances.<br><br>On the occasion of nine years since the declaration of the 1997<br>Constitution, this October 11, 2006 the CPMR kindly invites you, the
<br>public, community network members, colleagues and press to join<br>activities to commemorate the 1997 Constitution on Wednesday October<br>11, 2006, holding lights to ask for rights, freedom and democracy.<br><br>9.00am
Stand and mourn the Constitution for 90 minutes (from 9 years<br>to 0) at the Democracy Monument, Ratchadamnoen Road<br><br>1.00pm Press conference and forum calling for the return of articles<br>39, 40, and 41 under the 1997 constitution by the CPMR at Royal
<br>Rattanakosin Hotel, Ratchadamnoen Road<br><br>7.00pm Join in holding lights for civil liberties at the Democracy<br>Monument<br><br>-- Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR), 6 October 2006<br><br>For any further information, please contact CPMR: +66-2-691 0574
<br>[E-mail: <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="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" target="_blank">
<font color="#003399">freemediapeople@yahoo.com </font></a><br><mailto:<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="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" target="_blank">
<font color="#003399"> freemediapeople@yahoo.com</font></a>>] <br><br>Free expression is essential for democratic society. <br>We want a climate of freedom from fear and favor!<br><br>Thank you. <br><br>Urgent Appeals Programme
<br>Asian Human Rights Commission ( <a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="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" target="_blank">
<font color="#003399">ahrchk@ahrchk.org</font> </a><br><mailto:<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="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" target="_blank">
<font color="#003399">ahrchk@ahrchk.org </font></a>>)<br><br>