Thailand
06.10.03
Urgent Interventions
Thailand : Fear for the safety of the members of Mae Tao Clinic
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
THA 001/1003/OBS 049
Fear for safety
Thailand
October 6th, 2003
The Observatory for the protection of human rights defenders, a joint
programme of FIDH and OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the
following situation in Thailand :
Description of the situation :
The Observatory has been informed by the Asian Human Rights
Commission (AHRC), that Dr. Cynthia Maung's Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot
District of Tak Province, which provides healthcare service to asylum
seekers and migrants on the Thai-Burmese border, may have to close
down as a result of the Thai Government's crackdown on migrant
workers.
According to the information received, on 29 September, Mae Tao
Clinic was inspected by Thai authorities. Officials from Mae Sot
District Office and the Immigration Department, who were accompanied
by armed police and intelligence officers, told Dr. Cynthia that she
should prepare for the arrest and deportation of medics and school
teachers who have previously been registered as migrant workers with
the Ministry of Labour.
This warning came after the Thai Government passed a cabinet
resolution in August, prohibiting 12,161 registered migrant workers
from renewing their work permits. As a result, more than 100 medics
and school teachers at Mae Tao Clinic could no longer stay in
Thailand after their work permits expired on 25 September. This may
include Dr. Cynthia herself. Although she has now lived in exile in
Thailand for 15 years, Dr. Cynthia has no official papers and is
effectively stateless.
The Observatory would like to recall that Mae Tao Clinic treats 150
patients a day, delivers 10 to 20 babies a month, trains 30 medics a
year and provides prenatal checkups, childhood immunizations and
education about nutrition, sanitation and family planning. Its five
doctors and 123 other medical staffs treat everything for almost free
of charge. For that, Dr. Cynthia has won numerous international
prizes including a Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership.
The Observatory is worried about the serious impact this action, if
pursued by Thai authorities, will have on a vital healthcare service
for asylum seekers and migrants on the Thai-Burmese border. The
Observatory also fears for the safety and welfare of those medics and
school teachers if they are deported from Thailand into the hand of
Burmese authorities. Medics and school teachers from Mae Tao Clinic
may be singled out by Burma's ruling State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC), which could possibly lead to severe persecution and
maltreatment including torture and execution.
Action requested :
Please write to the Thai authorities urging them to :
i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological
integrity of Dr. Cynthia Maung and the staff members of Mae Tao
Clinic;
ii. Put an end to the action of the Thai authorities against Dr.
Cynthia Maung and the staff members of Mae Tao Clinic and ensure that
they be allowed to carry out their work without hindrance;
iii. Ensure the implementation of the provisions on the Declaration
on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN general Assembly on
December 9th1998, in particular article 1 which states that "every
person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the
protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties
at the national and international level", as well as its article 12.1
which stipulates that "everyone has the right, individually or in
association with others, to participate in peaceful activities
against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms";
iv. Guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in
accordance with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other
international instruments ratified by Thailand.
Addresses :
Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister, Government house, Pitsanulok
Road, Dusit District, Bangkok 10300 Thailand, Fax: +66 2 282 8631,
Email: govspkman@mozart.inet.co.th
Mr. Suwan Liptapanlop, Minister of Labour, Ministry of Labour
Mitmaitri RoadDin Daeng Bangkok 10200Thailand, Fax: 662 245 9133
Pol. Lt. Gen. Hemaraj Thareeethai, Commissioner of Immigration,
Immigration Bureau, The Royal Thai Police Department, 507 Soi Suan
PhluSouth Sathorn RoadBangkok
10200 Thailand, Fax: (662) 287 1310; 287 3114; 287 1516
Professor Saneh Chamarik, Chairperson of The National Human Rights
Commission of Thailand, 422 Phya Thai Road Pathurn Wan District
Bangkok 10300 Thailand, Fax:
662 219 2940, Email: commission@nhrc.or.th
Mr. Jahanshah Assadi, Regional Representative UNHCR Regional Office
for Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam 3rd floor, United Nations Building
Rajdamnern Avenue,
Bangkok 10120 Thailand, Fax: (662) 280 0555; 281 6100, Email:
assadi@unhcr.ch
Ms. Gabriela Rodriguez Pizarro, Special Rapporteur on the human
rights of migrants UNOG-OHCHR CH-1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland, Fax:
4122 917 9003
Email: webadmin.hchr@unog.ch
Paris - Geneva, October 6th, 2003
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the
code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the
protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete
support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the
French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
Tel and fax: FIDH : +33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT : (+ 41 22) 809 49 39 / 809 49 29
E-mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch
THA 001/1003/OBS 049
Fear for safety
Thailand
October 6th, 2003
The Observatory for the protection of human rights defenders, a joint
programme of FIDH and OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the
following situation in Thailand :
Description of the situation :
The Observatory has been informed by the Asian Human Rights
Commission (AHRC), that Dr. Cynthia Maung's Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot
District of Tak Province, which provides healthcare service to asylum
seekers and migrants on the Thai-Burmese border, may have to close
down as a result of the Thai Government's crackdown on migrant
workers.
According to the information received, on 29 September, Mae Tao
Clinic was inspected by Thai authorities. Officials from Mae Sot
District Office and the Immigration Department, who were accompanied
by armed police and intelligence officers, told Dr. Cynthia that she
should prepare for the arrest and deportation of medics and school
teachers who have previously been registered as migrant workers with
the Ministry of Labour.
This warning came after the Thai Government passed a cabinet
resolution in August, prohibiting 12,161 registered migrant workers
from renewing their work permits. As a result, more than 100 medics
and school teachers at Mae Tao Clinic could no longer stay in
Thailand after their work permits expired on 25 September. This may
include Dr. Cynthia herself. Although she has now lived in exile in
Thailand for 15 years, Dr. Cynthia has no official papers and is
effectively stateless.
The Observatory would like to recall that Mae Tao Clinic treats 150
patients a day, delivers 10 to 20 babies a month, trains 30 medics a
year and provides prenatal checkups, childhood immunizations and
education about nutrition, sanitation and family planning. Its five
doctors and 123 other medical staffs treat everything for almost free
of charge. For that, Dr. Cynthia has won numerous international
prizes including a Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership.
The Observatory is worried about the serious impact this action, if
pursued by Thai authorities, will have on a vital healthcare service
for asylum seekers and migrants on the Thai-Burmese border. The
Observatory also fears for the safety and welfare of those medics and
school teachers if they are deported from Thailand into the hand of
Burmese authorities. Medics and school teachers from Mae Tao Clinic
may be singled out by Burma's ruling State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC), which could possibly lead to severe persecution and
maltreatment including torture and execution.
Action requested :
Please write to the Thai authorities urging them to :
i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological
integrity of Dr. Cynthia Maung and the staff members of Mae Tao
Clinic;
ii. Put an end to the action of the Thai authorities against Dr.
Cynthia Maung and the staff members of Mae Tao Clinic and ensure that
they be allowed to carry out their work without hindrance;
iii. Ensure the implementation of the provisions on the Declaration
on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN general Assembly on
December 9th1998, in particular article 1 which states that "every
person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the
protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties
at the national and international level", as well as its article 12.1
which stipulates that "everyone has the right, individually or in
association with others, to participate in peaceful activities
against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms";
iv. Guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in
accordance with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other
international instruments ratified by Thailand.
Addresses :
Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister, Government house, Pitsanulok
Road, Dusit District, Bangkok 10300 Thailand, Fax: +66 2 282 8631,
Email: govspkman@mozart.inet.co.th
Mr. Suwan Liptapanlop, Minister of Labour, Ministry of Labour
Mitmaitri RoadDin Daeng Bangkok 10200Thailand, Fax: 662 245 9133
Pol. Lt. Gen. Hemaraj Thareeethai, Commissioner of Immigration,
Immigration Bureau, The Royal Thai Police Department, 507 Soi Suan
PhluSouth Sathorn RoadBangkok
10200 Thailand, Fax: (662) 287 1310; 287 3114; 287 1516
Professor Saneh Chamarik, Chairperson of The National Human Rights
Commission of Thailand, 422 Phya Thai Road Pathurn Wan District
Bangkok 10300 Thailand, Fax:
662 219 2940, Email: commission@nhrc.or.th
Mr. Jahanshah Assadi, Regional Representative UNHCR Regional Office
for Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam 3rd floor, United Nations Building
Rajdamnern Avenue,
Bangkok 10120 Thailand, Fax: (662) 280 0555; 281 6100, Email:
assadi@unhcr.ch
Ms. Gabriela Rodriguez Pizarro, Special Rapporteur on the human
rights of migrants UNOG-OHCHR CH-1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland, Fax:
4122 917 9003
Email: webadmin.hchr@unog.ch
Paris - Geneva, October 6th, 2003
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the
code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the
protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete
support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the
French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
Tel and fax: FIDH : +33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT : (+ 41 22) 809 49 39 / 809 49 29
E-mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch