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Le 8 février 2009, tôt dans la matinée, 20 policiers
et militaires sont arrivés dans les bureaux du Working
Group on Justice and Peace (WGJP), à Pattani, dans trois pick-up et ont mené la
perquisition sous le commandement du Lieutenant Colonel Pravej Sudhiprapha. L’organisation
est dirigée par Angkhana Neelaphaijit,
dont le mari, l’avocat des droits humains Somchai
Neelaphaijit, a disparu le 12 mars 2004 à
Bangkok.
(Voir: www.idhae.org/fr-page4.1.asia.thai2.htm
)
La perquisition aurait été menée au nom de la loi
martiale, suite à des témoignages déclarants que des militants auraient
été vus dans le quartier. Deux volontaires du WGJP présents dans les
bureaux au moment de la perquisition ont dû présenter leur carte
d’identité et ont été interrogés au sujet des activités du WGJP. La
perquisition a duré près de trois heures. Les données des ordinateurs ont
été inspectées et le matériel photographié. Les policiers et militaires
n’ont rien emporté lorsqu’ils ont quitté les lieux.
Front Line pense que la perquisition des bureaux du
WGJP est liée au travail pacifique et légitime de l’organisation pour la
défense des droits humains. Le WGJP a publié récemment un rapport sur la
situation des défenseurs des droits humains, dans lequel l’organisation
somme le gouvernement de faire en sorte que les « responsables des
pouvoirs publics ne fasse plus de déclaration stigmatisant les défenseurs
des droits humains ou suggérant que les organisations de défense des
droits humains agissent mal ou de façon illégale ». Le 7 février 2009, le
Bangkok Post a rapporté que des rebelles du sud du pays se seraient
déguisés en activistes des droits humains afin d’inciter les populations
locales à la haine contre le gouvernement. Front Line craint que la
déclaration publiée dans le Bangkok Post ne discrédite le travail
légitime et pacifique des défenseurs et des organisations des droits
humains telles que le WGJP.
AGISSEZ
Copiez la lettre ci-dessous et envoyez-la à l’adresse
suivante.
ADRESSES:
H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) The Grand Palace Bangkok 10200 Thailande
Lettre:
Your Majesty,
I am deeply concerned following reports
received of the search
carried out on the Pattani
offices of the Working Group on Justice and Peace (WGJP) in the early hours of 8 February 2009 by
a group of 20 police and army officers. WGJP is a human rights organisation, with offices in Pattani and
Bangkok, working on issues of disappearance and torture in Thailand.
The organisation is headed
up by Angkhana Neelaphaijit,
whose husband, human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit, disappeared
on 12 March 2004 in Bangkok.
On 8 February 2009, in the early hours of the morning, 20 police and army
officers arrived at the offices of the WGJP in Pattani
in three pick-up trucks and conducted
a search under the
command of Lieutenant Colonel Pravej Sudhiprapha.
The search was
reportedly carried
out under Martial Law legislation
following information that
militants had been seen
in the area. Two WGJP volunteers
who were staying at the office at the time of the search were asked to show
identification cards and were
interrogated about the office's
activities. The search
went on for approximately
three hours. Computer
data was inspected
and materials were photographed. On leaving the
offices, the officers took
nothing with them.
I believe that
the search of the offices of the WGJP is related to the organisation's peaceful and
legitimate work in
the defence of human rights.
WGJP has recently published
a report on the situation of human rights defenders in which
the Government was urged to ensure that “public officials
refrain from making statements that stigmatize human rights defenders or suggest
that human rights organizations act improperly or illegally.”
On 7 February 2009, it
was reported in the
Bangkok Post that southern
rebels may have disguised themselves as rights activists in order to incite hatred among local residents against government officials. I am concerned that the claims
made in the Bangkok Post discredit the peaceful and legitimate work of human rights defenders and organisations such as the WGJP.
I urge the authorities in Thailand to:
1.Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the search of WGJD's offices, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to
justice in accordance with international
standards, as it is believed that the search was carried out because of WGJD's legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights;
2.Ensure that
all human rights
defenders in Thailand, carrying
out their legitimate work in the defence of human rights, are able to operate free of restrictions and reprisals.
Yours sincerely,
MERCI D'INTERVENIR IMMÉDIATEMENT.
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