EU members meet Loei gold mine protestors

Boonchu Sritraipop

BANNA NONGBONG: 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.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/EU-members-meet-Loei-gold-mine-protestors-30273921.html

-- The Nation 2015-11-29

oh PM, another challenge. Again EU. Of course it's common sense that you use in a gold mine a lot of arsenic water. Probably nobody told the village people to stay away from agricultural products in that area. Many deseases/cancer will follow because of greediness of some tycoons. And the PM? No plans, no actions, as always. Business as usual.

"The representatives from eight countries ... insisted that they wouldn't interfere with Thai politics."

No they can just stop importing Thai goods. What Prayut decides in response is up to him.

Didn't the PM threaten to lock these villagers up for protesting a few months ago? No dissent in the land of happiness.

What the hell do these people think they are up to interfering in the affairs of a non-EU country. They should be arrested, deported and blacklisted so they cannot come here again. They nearly started a war in the Ukraine;wasn't that enough of a lesson for them?

What the hell do these people think they are up to interfering in the affairs of a non-EU country. They should be arrested, deported and blacklisted so they cannot come here again. They nearly started a war in the Ukraine;wasn't that enough of a lesson for them?

I didn't realize Canada was in the EU now - just tagging along for ride. A Canadian Uni banned Yoga classes because they somehow see it as the result of colonial exploitation. The are becoming a PC champion country so probably happy to make the number up.

I wonder how many of the EU "representatives", offices and hangers on there are in Thailand and other Asian countries; and more to the point who pays for them all - no doubt that deep pocketed EU taxpayer.

Ah, but it suits the federalists to create a EU separate structure and organization for the day it becomes the Federal States of Europe. About as useful as a chocolate tea pot.

Gold mines and the possessing operation can do a lot of damage to the environment, the surronding natural water supplies and the underground water supply.

Processing gold involves a cyanide leaching process, which has to strickly contained and recycled, if the cyanide and other toxic chemicals are not properly contained they will end up in the tailings dam and eventually in the environment and the water supply, contaminating the ecosystem.

This is a serious issue, I saw it fisrt hand at a west papua gold mine a few years back, the native people have little natural food souces left, and are getting sick from eating the fish in the streams etc..the indonesian govt. arrets those who speak up or try to protest about their home being destroyed.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post