SFS at the National Human Rights Commission

On the day of the nomination of Thailand's new prime minister, it seems somewhat fitting to write about some recent human rights-related work. Last Monday, SFS had the privilege to attend the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for a meeting with representatives from peoples' movements around Isaan. Thanks to the work of the ciee student group, and their research in mid-November, a series of beautifully-printed human rights reports (once SFS has a digital copy of the completed report, we'll post it up here) have been completed in collaboration with the Lampaniang Conservation and Restoration Group, the Khon Kaen Slum Revitalization Network and United Communities Network, the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (TNP+ Isaan), the Committee of the Mun Rice Wetlands Conservation Network (CMRECN-Rasi), the Mun River Basic Community Preservation Project (Pak Mun) and Surin Farmers Support(SFS)/Rice Fund Surin. The reports were presented as working drafts and use the ESCR framework.

Using our new reports, each group presented it's current work and began planning for future use. Our audience in the afternoon session included representatives from Amnesty International and the NHRC. Their feedback was overwhelmingly positive, pointing out that the new reports are a valuable basis for developing and strengthening villagers' human rights demands. The reports can be used in the future to pressure the government to act, or plan for national-level rights in development.
Regarding agriculture (above, notes from the morning session), Ajaan Siwapaa pointed out that with some issues, the state need to be involved, but with some issues we are capable of addressing ourselves. I interpreted this statement to mean that members of SFS can practice organic farming independently and expand their movement, but the environment in which we farm (the seeds other farmers use or the pesticides/herbicides sprayed on their fields) is something that the government can have an important role in determining. Ajaan Saneh also pointed out the reality that the notion of human rights is still unclear in the U.S. - he used the example of trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPS) and how it has been used to exploit Basmati farmers in India (the same is true of Jasmine and Rice Tec, an American rice company).A lot of interesting issues and topics for debate were brought up throughout the afternoon (and into the evening). Participants all recognize the power of human rights, which can be above national or local laws, to affect change in society. But other villagers need to be confident in their knowledge of their rights and be able to advise with others as their circumstances change. From here on out, it will be about using the NHRC as a facilitator, as well as NGOs in local areas to coordinate our efforts. An important agreement among the groups represented at the meeting was also achieved - we will meet together on December 21st to further discuss plans for a "Human Rights Network of the Northeast." Hopefully it will be a productive event that brings together people fighting different issues, but unified under the same causes of community rights, justice and environmental conservation.

In addition to this report, I also wanted to post links to two important issues related to International Human Rights day, which was on Dec. 10:
The exclusion of Indigenous Peoples' rights at the UN Climate Change Conference in Poland, and the ILRF Report on the five worst multinational corporations for union organizing (the majority of which are food corporations!)