ELL: Akha Journal: The Provocation July 15, 2001

[Matthew McDaniel]

Dear Friends:

Pah Nmm Akha Finds its rice fields taken over by forestry.

1.

Please see the link http://www.akha.org/provocation.htm

Thai Forestry along with collaboration from Petroleum Authority of
Thailand and Population Development Association (both PTT and PDA have
had Mechai Viravaidya as their CEO, having founded PDA see
http://www.akha.org/mechai.htm) have proceeded to plant trees in at
least 40 fields of Pah Nmm Akha village in ampur Mae Faluang or
Chiangrai Province.

The villagers were not told this would be done and it was done when both
rice and corn were already planted and well established.  Some corn was
more than a foot tall, rice started at 10 inches.

The villagers were told that that they would be fined 5000 baht (more
than $100 US) for each tree they damaged.

This is the same tactic that forestry did prior to justifying cutting
down 30,000 lychee trees in the Hmong Village last summer.

Thai Forestry Department continues to show a disregard for human rights
of the Akha people and established norms of conducting business or
enforcing forestry law in any civilized community.

Thai Forestry Department continues to be behave like a gestapo force.

[Image]

Sticks and plastic black bags mark the trail of trees
down through the rice.

********
2.

Akha.org has been significantly updated.

The page more accurately reflects the numerous situations here and the
intensity of the jeapordy in which the Akha find themselves.

I am consolidating pages and links, a very long process, changing it all
but it should be much more useful to viewers.

http://www.akha.org/intromenu.htm
http://www.akha.org/akha2/index.htm

The site is devided into defensive topics on behalf of the Akha which
are listed on the intromenu page, and project - information links on the
MAIN INDEX page.  Also on the main index page there is a link to one
page that shows all the page names as some do not show on the index page
yet, since I have not finished repairing all the links.

Page content is based on real events and real documentation.

***********
3.

A page has been put up on behalf of Ah Pah who died at the hands of a
police beating.

http://www.akha.org/murder.htm

***********
4.

Please take time to visit the online petition on behalf of the Akha and
add your signature.
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/AkhaZauh/petition.html

You may also post the petition info and link as a signature in your
email.

***********
5.

This work is ONLY supported by the donations of individuals as yourself
who feel that this work is valuable.  The last three months have been a
very difficult time for this project, much travel required and very
little funds to do it on.  When I say "very little" I am referring to
less than $200 per month for everything we do for more than three months
now. Food, rent, vehicle repairs, phone, computer time, fuel, tires and
medicines.

Please make a donation today to help us continue to do the work in the
villages.

http://www.akha.org/donate.htm has a number of options that you may use.

PayPal donations, great for the small donation.

***********

Matthew McDaniel
Maesai


Join The Growing International Effort To Protect The Akha
Sign The Petition To The Thai Government
On Line At:
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/AkhaZauh/petition.html



http://www.akha.org

Donations:
PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/refer/pal=akha%40loxinfo.co.th

Credit Card Donation Site:
http://www.drugwar.com/store/proddetail.cfm?ItemID=12&CategoryID=6

Your donation goes to infant care, vitamins, medical supplies, wells,
bread and fish for the villages.

Donations by check or money order may be sent to:
The Akha Heritage Foundation
PO BOX 6073
Salem OR 97304  USA

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