Thai government shuts down HRW talk on Vietnam ethnic minority

[Lite Beer]

FCCT
Thai government shuts down HRW talk on Vietnam ethnic minority

Bangkok - Thailand's military government shut down a rights group's panel discussion on the situation of a Vietnamese ethnic minority on Friday.

The junta asked the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand to cancel an event hosted by Human Rights Watch alleging Vietnamese persecution of its Montagnard minority.

The event could "damage relations" between the two countries and undermine "national security," it said.

The event was to publicize a Human Rights Watch report which outlines Vietnam’s communist government’s attempts to intimidate the Christian minority.

"By stepping in to defend a neighbouring state’s human rights violations ... Thailand’s military junta is violating freedom of assembly and demonstrating its contempt for freedom of the press," Human Rights Watch said in an emailed statement.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Thai-government-shuts-down-HRW-talk-on-Vietnam-eth-30263176.html

-- The Nation 2015-06-26

[webfact]

Thai police ban human rights event on Vietnam minority
AFP

BANGKOK: -- Thai police Friday banned a press conference in Bangkok about the persecution of a Vietnamese religious minority, claiming it would "affect relations" with the country's communist authoritarian neighbour.

The order to cancel the Human Rights Watch event about the mainly Christian ethnic Montagnards comes ahead of a scheduled trip to junta-ruled Thailand by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung next month.

The cancellation, which was announced minutes before the media briefing was due to start, is the latest in a number of events shut down by police at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand.

The move reflects an increasing crackdown on free speech in a nation run by generals who seized power from an elected government in May 2014.

The HRW report, published Friday to coincide with the planned event, accuses the Vietnamese government of religious and political persecution of the Montagnards, who have fled the country's mountainous Central Highlands in scores in recent years.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for HRW, said Thailand's order to cancel the press conference was "very worrisome."

"Nothing in the report is relevant to Thailand," he told reporters at the FCCT in downtown Bangkok.

In a later statement, HRW said: "Thailand is choosing to side with dictatorships in ASEAN while further stepping up repression at home."

The cancellation order issued by Thai police said officials believed the event may "affect national security and Thai-Vietnamese relations and cooperation."

"The event is not appropriate in the current situation," it said.

The report at the heart of the issue found that "highland people accused of religious 'evil ways' and politically '[autonomous thoughts' have been subjected to intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and mistreatment in custody."

HRW called on international donors to urge Vietnam to end its "abusive" policies.

Thailand's military took over in a coup last May, ousting the democratically elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra after months of sometimes violent street protests.

They have since ruled the country with an iron fist, banning public rallies, censoring the media and arresting critics.

This month the junta has already banned the same journalists' association from holding a debate on Thailand's deeply controversial royal defamation law.

It has also stopped a rights group's panel discussion about abuses alleged to have taken place during the junta's one-year rule.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-06-26

[Just1Voice]

Now the junta wants to stop things IN Thailand, that have nothing to do WITH Thailand.

Anyone not seriously believe that Thailand is under a total "pricktatorship"?

[JoePai]

The event could "damage relations" between the two countries and undermine "national security," it said.

What a total load of bull sh*t

[Fat Haggis]

The paranoia coming from this ruling group of dinosaurs is even more disturbing day by day.

Seriously this is what the country wants? This is what the kool aid drinkers want?

[humqdpf]

It would appear that the Junta is envious of Vietnam. Unlike Thailand where there is continuously unstable democracy and the monarch has to be brought in from time to time to adjudicate and the army has to run things when it all falls apart, Vietnam has a regime that never institutionally changes.

Of course, what the Thai Junta does not probably realise is that in Vietnam it is the institution of the Communist Party that is paramount, not the individuals who are leading it at any particular time. Whilst there is corruption, it is minimal compared to Thailand. And the army and police are kept in their respective places in Vietnam too.

[kinmaew]

Thailand shuts down.... anything new in that mentality?

[GinBoy2]

Well Thai authorities have a much more self centered reason for suppressing the activities of ethnic minorities...the fear that it's own ethnic mix may get stirred. The notion that Thailand is a homogeneous nation is a myth that has been perpetrated for decades.

The fact that majority of Thai's, aren't ethnic Thai is the 800lb gorilla in the room which terrifies the Bangkok elite. The insurgency in the South would be a sideshow if the Lao, Lanna and Burmese would actually rebel against the cultural and linguistic suppression they endure.

The reason the South erupted is they have all of the above, but add a religious element and disaster was inevitable.

So no Thai regime ever ever ever wants to aid or assist minorities from anywhere, just in case it was to spark that same ethnic awakening within Thailand

Edited June 26, 2015 by GinBoy2

[oneday]

"...The event could "damage relations" between the two countries and undermine "national security," it said..."

Some of the biggest BS I've every heard as a reason for not trying to better a circumstance or situation for a given ethnic minority. If anything, I'd think Viet Nam would appreciate that some people in Thailand are trying to treat their people better. What complete hogwash..."national security" my posterior region.

[bkkstooge]

The ethnic groups in Vietnam mainly the very north (Vietnamese/Chinese borders) and north west (basically Laos) and the central highlands Pleiku were used by foreign occupiers and colonialists (France and almost straight afterwards the Americans) to fight brutal effective insurgencies against the North Vietnamese army, the North Vietnamese soldiers in those times (Late 40s to Mid 70s) were terrified of combat with these people (and that is really saying something) and as history as sadly panned out these people have been left to (sad but predictable) revenge and persecution by the authorities in Hanoi and Laos without a by or leave from their previous employees France and USA. Vietnam is rapidly advancing it's economy at a rate which is worrying for Thailand (and Vietnam. It really is rocketing over there) and Thailand sure as hell does not want to rock the boat with the Govt in Hanoi hence this cancellation and all previous Govts (Dems TRT PTP all of them) have done basically the same thing over the last 50 or so years (Think Falung Gong, forced repatriation of boat people, Rohinghya VERY recently etc etc etc ) It is NOT a characteristic of this so called "paranoid" Govt only. They have all done it. It very sadly is a case of just how it is.

[arrowsdawdle]

The paranoia coming from this ruling group of dinosaurs is even more disturbing day by day.

Seriously this is what the country wants? This is what the kool aid drinkers want?

Well, you notice they never define reform, just promote it. Wildcard propaganda.

[arrowsdawdle]

"...The event could "damage relations" between the two countries and undermine "national security," it said..."

Some of the biggest BS I've every heard as a reason for not trying to better a circumstance or situation for a given ethnic minority. If anything, I'd think Viet Nam would appreciate that some people in Thailand are trying to treat their people better. What complete hogwash..."national security" my posterior region.

It has zero to do with Vietnam and 100% to do with trying to intimidate HRW and journalists.

[DeepInTheForest]

A ringmaster recognizes a fellow-ringmaster... one regime agrees not to interfere with another regime... there is a tacit understanding between them.

[mango66]

"...The event could "damage relations" between the two countries and undermine "national security," it said..."

Some of the biggest BS I've every heard as a reason for not trying to better a circumstance or situation for a given ethnic minority. If anything, I'd think Viet Nam would appreciate that some people in Thailand are trying to treat their people better. What complete hogwash..."national security" my posterior region.

all countries have the same problem with minorities,

special Thais, please read the quote just above !!

Same thing we have here in Europe,

just look what happenend in Yugoslavia,

or whats in Spain on, Katalinion wants separate, Scottes want g,

no ending list of separatation,

dont look to East, dont look to Africa,

every where the same problem with separatism,

I fully understand the Thia GVT, even it is not so colled " press freedom "

Right groups can do many other things,

they should meet and settle problems in Syria, Irak, Turkia, Eritrea, Sudan, .............

[billd766]

I know it may be a silly question but WHY was the event not held in Vietnam?

Could it not have been held there in Vietnam or perhaps Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, China or even in Australia?

Why Thailand in particular?

Surely in those other countries they would have few if any problems?

[mmh8]

is the messge here don't speak about Vietnam because its a politically sensitive issue, or is it because ethnic minorities should not be talked about? is it because of the treatment of

Rihinguyue here? is it because ethnic minorities are seen as a threat to the government.

This raises far more questions than it answers. if the news is to be suppressed surely they should make it clear about what is being supressed rather than leaving one wondering

[krdowney]

is the messge here don't speak about Vietnam because its a politically sensitive issue, or is it because ethnic minorities should not be talked about? is it because of the treatment of Rihinguyue here? is it because ethnic minorities are seen as a threat to the government. This raises far more questions than it answers. if the news is to be suppressed surely they should make it clear about what is being supressed rather than leaving one wondering

The Junta has been cancelling various talks at the FCCT for a year now. It happens all over. In mid-2014, one of my colleagues was arrested for a public talk on the "Decline of Dictatorship in Europe after World War II" in Rangsit. It has been a reasonably common practice for the Junta to shut down talks 1) to show that they can, and 2) because they fear that people thinking about anything might lead to the people thinking about them. Very typical authoritarian early-game tactics. Prayut plans to play this game for a good long time.

Edited June 29, 2015 by krdowney

[jcsmith]

Next thing you know we'll be burning books.