Human rights and the south

Angkhana Neelapaijit, the Chairperson of the Working Group on Justice for Peace (WGJP), has written to the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) about the appointment of a subcommittee on the South, and it should be read in full (or here: จดหมายเปิดผนึกเรื่องการแต่งตั้งอนุกรรมการภาคใต้ของคณะกรรมการสิทธิมนุษยชนแห่งชาติ). This letter is dated 27 November 2009, and we thank a reader for drawing PPT’s attention to it.

Angkhana has been appointed to the Subcommittee on the South (see the list below). She writes that the subcommittee’s membership is confined to “human rights advocates including those working on rights and liberty in life and body and justice.” However, she says that none “have had experience working with issues concerning children, women or minorities. In addition, a half of the members come from the same organization, or organizations working closely with each other.”

This weighting means a domination by that group that “might compromise the ability of other committee members to act independently in protection of all citizenry groups in the Southern border provinces…”. More worringly, she suggests that issues of lack impartiality and conflicts of interest already exist. She also raises questions regarding the impartiality of the whole NHRC.

These are serious issues for the south and nationally.

NHRC, Sub-committee on the south

Prof Amara Pongsapich, Chairperson

Mr Niran Pitakwachara, 1st Deputy

Mr Piboon Warahapaiboon, 2nd Deputy

Mr Somchai Homla-or

Mr Muhammadzakee Jaeha

Mr Chockchai Wongthani

Ms Angkhana Neelapaijit

Mr Abdulaziz Tadae-in

Ms Pornpen Kongkachornkiet

Mr Sitthipong Chandarawirot