Amnesty seeks Apec discussion on bloody crackdown in Myanmar
Amnesty International Thailand called for an end to the bloody crackdown in Myanmar in a petition to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as head of the country hosting the 2022 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit.
On Wednesday, Amnesty submitted the petition with a list of signatures, urging Prayut, via his representative Nalinee Mahakhun, and the government to play a crucial role in facilitating discussions with Apec member countries to end the bloody crackdown in Myanmar and stand in solidarity with its people.
Amnesty Thailand director Piyanut Kotsan said that almost two years after the military coup, more than 1.4 million people have been internally displaced in Myanmar, while 12,839 are detained in inhumane conditions. In addition, at least 69 are facing the death penalty while four have already been executed.
This also affects 7.8 million children who have left school, Amnesty noted, adding that the Myanmar military has killed hundreds of protesters and civilians, while thousands have died from armed conflict across the country after the arbitrary coup.
The group also submitted 2,129 signatures of people who signed an online petition through Change.org, urging Prayut and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai to adhere to pledges in ending the bloody crackdown in the neighbouring country.
Amnesty called on the Thai government to play a key role in initiating a discussion to end the bloody oppression by the military in Myanmar.
The petition also urged the government to:
- Deploy all possible means to enable an environment for humanitarian assistant across the border.
- Collaborate with Asean states and dialogue partners as well as international organisations such as UN agencies to resolve human rights violations and the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar.
- Accept asylum seekers and guarantee access to humanitarian aid in Thailand. Refrain from deporting or returning Myanmar asylum seekers who have escaped a well-founded fear of persecution. Provide protection for the asylum seekers and halt any prosecution against them during their stay in Thailand.
- Mandate business enterprises and state enterprises to comply with the principles of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, signed by Thailand, which instructs companies not to be affiliated to or be involved with the Myanmar military or its related bodies as human rights violators.
On Wednesday morning Amnesty Thailand members also participated in a short march from Luk Luang Road to the headquarters of the United Nations in Thailand in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district while banging trays with utensils in a demonstration for Myanmar people. The activity was closely monitored by police officers.
