Thai academic group asks Mahidol University to halt disciplinary action against lecturers
Thai Academic Network For Civil Rights (TANC) expressed disappointment over Mahidol University’s statement deemed a violation of academic freedom and championing the junta’s interests, calling for the university to stop taking disciplinary procedure against the embattled scholars and argue logically instead.
The group released a statement Monday, contending against Mahidol University's recent statement that the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies (IHRP) had arrogated the title of the University and damage its reputation.
"In the past, some of the its staff, both under their own name and under the University’s title, had expressed political stance, pressuring for postponement of an election which led to the resignation of an elected government," the statement reads.
"Taking into consideration the context, such an action could be deemed a violation of bureaucratic discipline, yet it did not appear that the University’s board had taken any action," the statement reads, apparently implying that the University was discriminatory in its move reprimanding the IHRP for adopting stance against the use of the Article 44.
Besides supporting the IHRP for its responsibility and courage, TANC also proposed in its statement that the University’s board, if disagreed with the IHRP, should ratiocinate as an academia should do rather than threatening the institution by taking disciplinary procedure against it.
In doing so, TANC said that it would appear as if the University’s board was protecting and leaning on the abuse of power by the coup maker which ultimately would ruin the image as well as the status of Mahidol University in the long run.
Also, the network emphasized that it stood by the rights and freedom in expressing political views as well as criticizing any action unaligned with the rule of law and the human rights principles which are the pillar of peaceful and democratic society.