EU members meet Loei gold mine protestors
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Representatives of the European Union (EU) yesterday met with villagers who oppose a gold mine operation in Loei's Wang Saphung district in order to receive information about alleged human right violations.
The representatives from eight countries – Poland, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Portugal, Germany, Canada and Czech Republic – insisted that they wouldn’t interfere with Thai politics.
The 20 EU representatives meeting with some 150 members of the Rak Ban Kerd Group was held at Wat Noen Sawang in Banna Nongbong, Tambon Khaoluang. On the scene were almost two dozen soldiers, police and defence volunteers.
During the discussion security personnel and the media waited outside.
Demonstrator representative Surapan Rujichaiwat reportedly told the EU team that villagers had to rise up to protect their natural resources because the gold mine, established a decade ago, had damaged the environment and led to negative social impacts.
He reportedly cited the provincial health office’s warning for people not to use water or consume fish in the area due to heavy metal contamination, which was also observed in villager blood tests.
Surapan said the demonstrators had been threatened and harassed, with the latest most violent incident occurring on the night of May 15, 2013 when several demonstrators were attacked and injured by a group of men in a bid to clear the way so minerals could be transported out of the mine.
The EU was also told villagers were being sued by the mine operator in many ongoing criminal and civil cases.
EU representative Sandra De Waele said the meeting was initiated so the information could be passed on to the government and Thai and foreign human rights organisations.
