For Immediate Release: October 13th, 2003
Contact: (202) 543-8753

(Washington,
DC) A leading US activist group today urged
the Royal Government of Thailand to halt a massive
crackdown on Thai-based supporters of Nobel
Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and the movement for
human rights and democracy in Burma. The move
comes just days after 35 US Senators, including
powerful Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell,
signed a letter to US President George W. Bush
criticizing Thailand’s support for Burma’s military
regime.

“The organizations targeted by the Thai
authorities have been promoting peaceful means
to achieve a political solution to Burma’s problems
- serious problems that have spilled over into
Thailand and the rest of the region. They are
working for a solution that will also bring
immense benefits to Thailand. They should be
supported, not suppressed,” said Jeremy
Woodrum, campaign director for the US Campaign
for Burma.

Thai press reports and first hand interviews
over the past year have indicated a disturbing
trend towards zero tolerance of Burmese and
Thai groups campaigning for democratization
in Burma. The crackdown appears to have been
stepped up in the wake of the regime’s brutal
assault on Aung San Suu Kyi’s motorcade on May
30th, which led the United States and European
Union to impose a raft of sanctions against
the regime.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra called
for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi while visiting
Washington after May 30th, yet subsequently
ordered a serious crackdown on her supporters
in Thailand. This includes the reported blacklist
of 500 people who will be barred from entering
Thailand, including supporters of Burma’s democracy
movement.

Last week, 35 US Senators sent a letter to President
Bush harshly criticizing Thailand’s support
for Burma’s regime and bluntly stating, “Burma
is becoming a serious threat to regional security.”
The Senators urged President Bush to speak forcefully
on Burma during his trip to the upcoming Asia
Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting
in Bangkok.
The Thai government has stepped up the crackdown
on Burmese activists under the guise of improving
security measures for the meeting.

“This is part of an ongoing trend that
has targeted not just those based in Bangkok
where the APEC meeting will be held, but also
other parts of Thailand. We hope that the Thaksin
administration realize that the pro-democracy
groups are friends, not foes. Burma’s threat
to Thailand and the region have been caused
by the regime, not the activists,” added
Woodrum.

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