2 with army links guilty of attacking Loei gold mine protest
- 31 May 2016 at 15:15 2,719 viewed3 comments
- WRITER: AFP AND REUTERS
A 2014 mobile phone photo of the melee at the Tungkum Ltd gold
mine in Loei posted then to Facebook. (Loei Mining Town Facebook page)
Related Stories
A court on Tuesday convicted and sentenced to
jail two military men for orchestrating an attack on villagers who were
blockading a gold mine, a lawyer said, a rare ruling in favour of such
activists.
Residents of Nanonbong in Loei province have waged a decade-long
struggle against the mine, operated by the Tungkum Ltd, which they
accuse of polluting the environment and damaging health.
The company has responded by filing at least 19 lawsuits against
them, according to rights groups, including charges of criminal
defamation against a 15-year old girl.
In May 2014, a week before the coup that brought the current military
regime to power, Nanonbong villagers said they were mobbed by about 150
armed men while they were blocking the road to the mine.
Many of the villagers, who were protesting against the environmental
damage they said the mine caused, were rounded up and some were beaten,
they said. The attackers were not identified at the time while police
declined to comment.
Investigators were later able to identify two men, a father and son,
the former a retired army officer and the latter a serving one, as being
among the attackers.
On Tuesday, a provincial court sentenced retired Lt Gen Poramet
Pomnak and Lt Col Poramin Pomnak to two and three years in prison,
respectively, for their involvement in the attack, the community's
lawyer told AFP.
The pair also were ordered to pay compensation to some of the victims.
The ruling marked a rare departure from the impunity often granted to
soldiers in a country where the military routinely intervenes in both
local and national politics.
"In the verdict the judge mentioned that the two suspects hurt
villagers to clear the way for transporting minerals," lawyer Sor
Rattanamanee Polkla told AFP.
The attack on the villagers, who were barricading a road that led to the mine, left at least a dozen injured.
Nadia Hardman, a legal adviser who observed the trial on behalf of
the International Commission of Jurists, welcomed the ruling but urged a
deeper investigation into others involved in the attack.
"We are disappointed that only two people were indicted and found guilty," she told AFP.
She said more than 100 community members gathered peacefully outside
the courthouse Tuesday morning and handed out flower chains to police
officers.
"It was quite an extraordinary gesture," she added.
However, Sam Zarifi, Asia-Pacific director at the ICJ, told Reuters
that the ruling "establishes that human rights defenders and community
activists can't be attacked with impunity".
"The overwhelming trend in Thailand for community rights defenders
remains that of impunity for their attackers. We hope this is the
beginning of a new trend," he said.
Earlier this month the government announced it would shut down gold
mining across the country, a unexpected move in a country where profit
often takes precedence. The current regime has pushed through a string
of controversial environmental projects.
The country also is considered one of the world's most dangerous
places for environmental activists. More than 80 of them have
disappeared or been murdered since the early 80s. - The Bangkok Post, 31/5/2016
Tuesday, 31 May 2016 | MYT 3:32 PM
Two with Thai army links found guilty of attack on gold mine protest
BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai court on Tuesday found two men
guilty of attacking villagers and human rights activists protesting
against a gold mine in what an international rights watchdog called an
important verdict for people standing up for communities.
About 150 men, many of them masked and armed, attacked villagers and rights workers blocking a road to a gold mine in the northeastern province of Loei on May 15, 2014.
Many of the villagers, who were protesting against the environmental damage they said the mine caused, were rounded up and some were beaten, they said.
The attackers were not identified at the time while police declined to comment.
Investigators were later able to identify two men, a father and
son, the former a retired army officer and the latter a serving one, as
being among the attackers.
The two, retired Lieutenant General Poramet Pomnak and his son, Lieutenant Colonel Poramin Pomnak, were found guilty of taking part in the attack and causing bodily harm, the court said in a statement.
Poramin was sentenced to just under three years in prison while Poramet was handed a two-year sentence.
Reuters was unable to contact their lawyer or an army spokesman for comment.
Environmental and right activists have long criticised Thailand for a poor environmental record and a culture of impunity for the rich and powerful.
Well-connected figures including military officers, civil servants and business people, often enjoy special privileges in exploiting resources and protection from scrutiny and prosecution for wrongdoing.
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) welcomed the verdict as an important step.
"It establishes that human rights defenders and community activists can't be attacked with impunity," Sam Zarifi, Asia-Pacific director at the ICJ, told Reuters.
"The overwhelming trend in Thailand for community rights defenders remains that of impunity for their attackers. We hope this is the beginning of a new trend."
More than 100 villagers showed up at the Loei Provincial Court to hear the verdict.
"The villagers have received justice but the legal process is not complete," said Sor Rattanamanee Polkla, a lawyer for the community rights activists.
"There were more than two attackers in this case but police have not yet proceeded with a case against the rest."
Thailand has been ruled by a junta since the military took power from an elected, civilian government in a May 2014 coup.
Last month, the junta said all gold mining would be abolished by the end of the year over environmental and health concerns.(Editing by Robert Birsel) - Star, 31/5/2016
About 150 men, many of them masked and armed, attacked villagers and rights workers blocking a road to a gold mine in the northeastern province of Loei on May 15, 2014.
Many of the villagers, who were protesting against the environmental damage they said the mine caused, were rounded up and some were beaten, they said.
The attackers were not identified at the time while police declined to comment.
The two, retired Lieutenant General Poramet Pomnak and his son, Lieutenant Colonel Poramin Pomnak, were found guilty of taking part in the attack and causing bodily harm, the court said in a statement.
Poramin was sentenced to just under three years in prison while Poramet was handed a two-year sentence.
Reuters was unable to contact their lawyer or an army spokesman for comment.
Environmental and right activists have long criticised Thailand for a poor environmental record and a culture of impunity for the rich and powerful.
Well-connected figures including military officers, civil servants and business people, often enjoy special privileges in exploiting resources and protection from scrutiny and prosecution for wrongdoing.
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) welcomed the verdict as an important step.
"It establishes that human rights defenders and community activists can't be attacked with impunity," Sam Zarifi, Asia-Pacific director at the ICJ, told Reuters.
"The overwhelming trend in Thailand for community rights defenders remains that of impunity for their attackers. We hope this is the beginning of a new trend."
More than 100 villagers showed up at the Loei Provincial Court to hear the verdict.
"The villagers have received justice but the legal process is not complete," said Sor Rattanamanee Polkla, a lawyer for the community rights activists.
"There were more than two attackers in this case but police have not yet proceeded with a case against the rest."
Thailand has been ruled by a junta since the military took power from an elected, civilian government in a May 2014 coup.
Last month, the junta said all gold mining would be abolished by the end of the year over environmental and health concerns.(Editing by Robert Birsel) - Star, 31/5/2016
See related post:-
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment