- Resistance return again to the street after the May 2010- Mascare
After six months of massacre happened in Bangkok, Thailand-May 2010.
Have we forgotten this massacre and the unanswered justice to the 91 deaths? Those protestors or pro democracy supporters who were forced to confess and being imprisoned. Those who were charged imprison by Lese Majesty law due to their political views?
Have ASEAN activists / communities forgot the vibrant democratic space that we used to enjoy in Bangkok for the last 18 years?
Many of our countries who were /are still placed under military and/or suppressive regimes in the 1990/or till today, many of us were actually were able to gain support from solidarity of free democratic space and comrades in Thailand. We were able to organize many international and Asia solidarity gathering, actions, conference, campaign and support to others trouble ASEAN/Asia countries in the past due to the democratic space in Thailand after the May 1992.
However, we seems now had forgotten Thailand. After the vibrant democratic space was destroyed and ruled by military back government now.
We remained silence.
We still travel to Thailand, as this is the best-connected city with international flights route.
This is the city we can get good services and food for our conference.
This is the best country that many regional and international NGOs or Inter government organizations like to be base. As it is logistically center and effective communication.
This is the country that people can organize peaceful rally and also access to many alternative media to advocate their information.
If I continue, maybe the list of: usefulness is longer….
For all this usefulness…we shall ask:
Who had actually grant this useful conditions to so many of us that are able to be base in Thailand or able for us to use the free and democratic space in Thailand to organsie all types of international solidarity events to other countries in Asia. From solidarity to East Timor, Burma, Aceh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal …..
However, many of us seems to be forgotten that all these advantages and democratic space that we use to enjoyed – it were the hard won result of struggle and sacrificed of many of bravery Thai who fought for the democracy and social justice in place in the country since far back the year 1930. There was no single times that the struggle had not ended up with innocent people were massacred in the history of people uprising against military ditactorshp and facist regimes.
From the students, intellectual till to peasantry and working class, all of them were part of these struggle.
In all the past people uprising in the Thai history, there were international out cry and solidarity. Including the struggle in the year 1992, the people uprising against military coup regime.
All the events of mascares. There were international out cry.
However, it is irony that May 2010 massacre, the international and ASEAN communities, especially those who used and still enjoying using Thailand as their fancies city for conferences and office operations.
Almost all of them, their mouths are muted now.
We indeed forgot how all of us had making all our ”business” as usual operated in Thailand. Close our eyes to what happen surrounding us.
Ironic that we are even able to feel our “operation: “ is able to continued in such Undemocratic and military back government run country..
When I was young student activist, the first time I went to Thailand attended the Asia People PP21 gathering after the post May 1992 people uprising. I was amazed by the Student Federation of Thailand and many of the activists’ circle of Thailand and the farmers struggle in the north and northeast Thailand. The spirits of their resistance towards military dictatorship and persistence in upholding democracy was something that I couldn’t forget for the rest of my life. Especially came from a neighboring country of Thailand, we were /are not able to enjoy many freedom and democratic space as the Thai had won in their struggle.
It was my first time to feel so safe, happy and enjoying when I joined the mass rally in Bangkok. It was a first time I realized what is democratic space and human rights and people democracy, when I am able to join the rally without worry will be arrested by police and brutally attacked, like what happen in Malaysia.
I was able to see how the people from grassroots farmers communities were so empowered and able to organize and stood for months outside parliament to demands for their rights.
It was this times, I met many of guinea progressive activists who had showed me, as activists, what to be done in order that we are truly struggle for the empowerment of the people and democracy.
It was almost 18 years ago, me and some of my ex student activists friends from Malaysia will not forget all these democratic struggle experience that we had been taught and learned from Thailand.
Even though, it was irony that some of our activists comrades/friends and ex Thai students leaders that we met had move to another side of the regime now. However, I wish a day they will be able to remember about the past history and able to bring back their consciences to return to a their original social conviction when they were part of the past struggles.
However, I am still remain optimist and confidence on the democracy movement in Thailand.
As the past history had showed that the people are able to win back their rights from many past uprisings. And, we still have many of them are still persistence in defending the democracy and justice to be in place again in Thailand.
For many of us from ASEAN, let take a minutes to reflect: whether we have forgotten Thailand? We had forgotten the international solidarity spirits and actions we used to organize for people in this region?
Can we forget about Thailand?
Note: This is something we should read again in order not to forget
The May 2010 massacre in Thailand
http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2010/05/17/bangkok-this-is-a-massacre/
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