This week’s blog is on the murder of an environmentalist in
Thailand. Prajob Nao-opas was killed on February 25th 2013 by an
unidentified gunman. Human Rights Watch asks that the Thailand government
investigate the murder of Prajob. Thailand does not do a very good job of
protecting environmentalists and human rights defenders and their witnesses.
Prajob was a famous environmentalist from the Chachoengsao province in
Thailand. Prajob was leading a group of villagers in a campaign against toxic waste
being dumped into the waterways and ponds since February of last year.
Thailand’s government did little about the toxic waste dump
problem despite a lot of lobbying by Prajob and the public outcry by the
villagers until August of 2012 where this problem made national news. Then the
Justice Ministry’s Department of Special Investigation said that it would treat
the chemical waste in the waterways and ponds in the province where Prajob
lives. It was only then that it was a special case and urgent. I wonder why the
police told Prajob that there may be an attempt on his live then did NOTHING to
provide Prajob with protection. Since 2001 more than 30 human rights activists
and environmentalist have been killed in Thailand according to the Human Rights
Watch. The chemicals being dumped into the waterways and ponds is 30 times more
than the safety limit. Most of the chemicals in the water are carcinogenic
gels. This makes me shake my head sadly. The world should be a better place.
http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/02/26/thailand-investigate-murder-environmentalistNathan Baker
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