Message of Solidarity with the people’s protests in Thailand!

ATIK- IRC | 25-01-2014 | Is it right for them to use the emergency decree to declare a state of emergency to come and deal with us? Come and get us.”  

On Tuesday January 21st 2014 the Thailand state declared a three-month state of emergency in Bangkok and neighboring provinces. The state claims  the reason for the state of emergency is  to hinder further people being killed. Until now more than 10 people have been killed and hundreds are injured, the people call the government to resign.

It is the government itself who sent out the police and security forces to silence the people. Anti-government protesters have taken to the streets of the capital since November, cutting off water and power to ministers’ homes, besieging government ministries, and forcing the beleaguered prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, to rule from offices north of the capital in their attempt to oust her from power.

Without a doubt the “ state of emergency” will lead to increased repression as  the enacted state of emergency gives the government the power to invoke curfews, censor the news media, disperse gatherings and use military force and to detain suspects without charges. The protests are now also spreading to the rural areas of Thailand where the rice farmers have initiated demonstrations due to the new bill that doesn’t pay subvention money to the poor and middle section farmers.

We as ATIK are aware of the fact that most of the leaders are some of the richest people in Thailand and for this we don’t believe they are sincere to bring justice and democracy to the people of Thailand, it is important to support the basic demands of the people. On these grounds we are in solidarity with the progressive, democratic and anti-imperialist forces and movements. We further strongly condemn the state violence against the protestors and demand an immediate release of the arrested activists; we support and declare our solidarity to the masses in Thailand and call upon the international public to be in solidarity with the people.

ATIK- INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE