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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello Matthew !</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Can I ask you, if you can give me some advice,
where I can learn Akha language? Does online material exist?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks in advance,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Cem</FONT> </DIV>
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style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=akha@loxinfo.co.th href="mailto:akha@loxinfo.co.th">Matthew
McDaniel</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=akha@akha.org
href="mailto:akha@akha.org">akha@akha.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, August 10, 2001 3:33
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> ELL: Akha Journal: Hot in the
city Aug. 10, 2001</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Dear Friends:
<P>1.
<P>The conditions in the Akha villages are hot and very difficult.
<P>It is incredibly humid and hot this month with more rains than last year,
this means the rice is better, what got planted, but that the health of the
people is worse. August is always a critical month.
<P>Rice from last year is running out since there wasn't much rain, and there
is a fever and deep cough running through the villages. I saw many
children with their fifth day of fever, bodies very thin, eyese red and
glassy, often combined with an eye infection.
<P>Land continues to be taken from the Akha and the message is "move or
die". Many of the villagers are living under starvation conditions, the
rice running out and no other food in the house.
<P>To make matters worse the district offices have said that any loose roaming
pigs may be killed or injured. However there is no clear reason why the
pigs should be restricted any more than in the past, any more than the
traditional message which is to tell the owner, "hey, your pig is in my
field."
<P>The Mae Faluang Ampur office MUST take much responsibility for what is
occuring in the villages.
<P>Meanwhile Thai pig farms located next to major creeks where they dump the
pig waste continue to flourish.
<P>2.
<P>Loh Guuh Update. <BR>Further investigation with the villagers who helped to
bury Loh Guuh after he was killed in a police sting operation reveal the
following.
<P>He was not the man selling the drugs, had been asked to help with the money
transaction. <BR>An old Thai man had been used to go about asking for anyone
who could help him find the pills. <BR>He requested a specific number of
pills. <BR>Loh Guuh was sitting in a patch of corn when he was shot from
behind from a distance of about a meter and a half, in the back of the head
twice, and once more as he fell over, through his kidney and exiting out of
the top of his chest in front.
<P>He did not have a gun or any weapon, and could as easily been aprehended as
two others were at the scene.
<P>He left a wife and three young children behind. <BR>The old Thai man who
was used did not have a job, farm, or much to eat.
<P>This appears to be a case of entrapment.
<P>Known Thai Drug runners in Maesai are not shot, let alone shot in the back
of the head at point blank range. Neither are they always apprehended.
<P>3.
<P>Truck Road Chains Finished
<P>As some of you know the roads here in the rainy season are very dangerous,
steep and muddy, filled with ruts and deep tracks.
<P>It has taken a long time with the machine shop to get them finished but
finally last week I finished the first two of a set of four chains that make
it possible to get into any Akha village in Thailand and safely out again
regardless of road conditions. Built of heavy chain and large steel
links with iron cleats, the truck can climb or descend without sliding
sideways or getting stuck in the ruts.
<P>4. <BR>The On Line petition reaches 95 signatures <BR>Please take the time
to add your name at the link below.
<P>5. <BR>Akha.org has been significantly improved. <BR>Please visit, now as
many as a 100 hits a day. <BR>Suggestions to make the site more beneficial and
easy to use?
<P>6. <BR>Looking for buyers of Akha Mountain rice in order to help the Akha
protect their rice lands. <BR>Looking for investors in Akha Mountain Tea and
Coffee. <BR> <BR> <BR>
<P>Matthew McDaniel <BR>The Akha Heritage Foundation <BR>Maesai, Chiangrai,
Thailand
<P>Join The Growing International Effort To Protect The Akha <BR>Sign The
Petition To The Thai Government <BR>On Line At: <BR><A
href="http://www.PetitionOnline.com/AkhaZauh/petition.html">http://www.PetitionOnline.com/AkhaZauh/petition.html</A>
<BR> <BR>
<P><A href="http://www.akha.org">http://www.akha.org</A>
<P>Donations: <BR>PayPal: <A
href="https://www.paypal.com/refer/pal=akha%40loxinfo.co.th">https://www.paypal.com/refer/pal=akha%40loxinfo.co.th</A>
<P>Credit Card Donation Site: <BR><A
href="http://www.drugwar.com/store/proddetail.cfm?ItemID=12&CategoryID=6">http://www.drugwar.com/store/proddetail.cfm?ItemID=12&CategoryID=6</A>
<P>Your donation goes to infant care, vitamins, medical supplies, wells, bread
and fish for the villages.
<P>Donations by check or money order may be sent to: <BR>The Akha Heritage
Foundation <BR>PO BOX 6073 <BR>Salem OR 97304 USA <BR>
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