It's time to speak up before there's no one left to listen

The writer asked if my life has been in any way disrupted by the coup and he didn’t want to hear about “ambiguous things like freedom of speech, lack of democracy, human rights, etc.” Except for those “ambiguous things”, the coup didn’t bother me at all. So I should shut up, shouldn’t I? The writer reminds me of a poem by Martin Niem?ller (1892–1984), a German theologian who spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps. Here’s the poem. First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.

Somsak Pola

Bangkok