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Thai forest- Action Alert
Urgent Action Alert PLEASE POST TO ALL BURMA ACTIVISTS
THAI-BURMA PIPELINE.
Environmentalists camping out in the Huay Kae Yong area where the
Thai-Burmese gas pipeline is being built are under threat from the
Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) (See adjoining article) A
warning has been received by activists in Thailand that the PTT
may use violence to force the closure of the protest camp on
January 21 or 22. The environmentalists are determined to stay
where they are and to continue to use non-violence. Their camp is
situated at KM27 and in the warning received the use of violence
and the force of villagers are being used to threaten those in the
camp. Dialogue is currrently underway between representatives of
the Prime Miisters office and conservationists regarding the
threats against those in the camps.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Immediately fax PTT and make it clear that the international
community is watching what happens to those in the camps. This is
an international issue in that PTT and Unocal are involved in
this project together. Any violence used against them will be
strongly condemned by the international community. That this is
not Burma but Thailand and any kind of violence used on innocent
people will hurt the image of Thailand and is not acceptable.
Fax the Prime Ministers Office and state your concerns of the
safety to those in the camps and that should any violence occur to
those in the camps all companies will be held responsible and will
be severely condemned by the international community which
includes the international campaigns focussed on the oil and gas
industry in Burma. Under the new Thai constitution the people of
Thailand have the right to voice opposition and to use violence
against them will not only damage Thailands image abroad but hurt
the Amazing Thailand campaign.
Fax Unocal both in the states and here in Thailand and let them
know that if anything happens to those in the camps they will be
held just as responsible as PTT. Urge restraint in all faxes and
push for dialogue.
CONTACTS:
PTT: MR. PALA SOOKAWESS (GOVERNOR)
MR. PITI YAMPRASERT. (He is responsible for this
project)
Fax # +66 2 5374389
PRIME MINISTER OF THAILAND'S OFFICE:
+66 2 2801443
Unocal Thailand Unocal
Headquarters, El Segundo, California VP of Planning, Patrick
Murphy CEO, Roger Beach fax: +66-2-545-5554
fax: 310-726-7802
January 18, 1998
GAS PIPELINE PROJECT / CONFRONTATION IN FOREST
Protesters say leader 'faces kidnap threat' PTT
staff abandon tree-cutting duties
Chakrit Ridmontri, Thom Pha Phum, Kanchanaburi
The Kanchanaburi Conservation Group claimed
yesterday that its core leader, who is preventing
the cutting of trees on part
of
the gas pipeline route, is facing the threat of
being kidnapped.
Environmentalists said quarrels between the
group and the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT)
began a few days ago when group members persuaded
PTT employees, who live in the area, not to cut
large trees on Khao Ta Kua mountain.
As a result PTT's officials leading the
tree-cutting team were angry, said Ratchanee
Dhongchai, a group leader.
"The employees said they were also unhappy
to cut trees in their hometown. So they agreed to
stop," she said.
Mrs Ratchanee said supporters of the project
are plotting to kidnap leader Phinant
Chotirosseranee who is camping on the disputed area
with a few others.
"According to our sources, Mrs Phinant is
the target because she has been outstanding in her
protests against the project. If she disappears the
supporters believe resistance will die down," she
said.
The disputed area is at pipeline marker
kilometre 22, on Khao Ta Kua peak, which is covered
with big trees.
Trees measuring more than 80 centimetres in
diameter have been marked for cutting by the
Forestry Department. Others have already been
felled.
An army section sent to the disputed area
has camped about one hundred metres from the group's
blockade.
PTT's officials were not available for
comment about the alleged kidnap threat yesterday.
The threat of confrontation began to
intensify as the PTT work on the 260km pipeline
approached lush forest in Kanchanaburi's Thom Pha
Phum district.
The consortium working on the gas pipeline
project includes America's Unocal, Total of France,
Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, and PTTEP Ltd, an
affiliate of the PTT.
The PTT says the completion date is set for
July 1. On that day the PTT must finish the Thai
section of the pipeline or face a
daily
fine of 40 million baht.
However, legal experts with the groups say
the contract allows the PTT to delay completion if
the government orders a suspension of the project.
The group wants the project halted to allow
the pipeline to be rerouted away from forests.