Indigenous groups living in Thailand called on the government yesterday to respect its dedication to protect and market their rights in line with a related declaration by the United Nations.
They said the government must revoke all laws and procedures that are not compatible with the roots of their culture.
Marking the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples last night, the network launched a statement urging the government to follow the commitment to the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Likhit Pimanpana, a member of the Liberal Indigenous Individuals Group, said they are still suffering from going down hill rights especially these related to their lifestyle and education, and also the right to manage their own land and natural resources.
Other rights they would like to see restored include the right to an identification, equality, non-discrimination, the ideal to participate as well as the right to access basic services from the condition, he said.
He added that indigenous individuals in Thailand have been treated as second-class citizens and have certainly not been respected with the government.
“Our lives were directly and indirectly impacted by the government’s policies, ” he or she said.
“Our rights must have been protected and promoted under the [UN’s] global agreement, or by cabinet resolutions or maybe the current charter, however the government has never given us these, also on our own land, ” he added.
Mister Likhit said their group submitted the demands to the Move ahead Party (MFP), pressing the government to sanction an aggressive plan and law guaranteeing the rights of indigenous people.
Their demands include the termination of any law that harms their residing conditions, such as a law on national recreational areas that bans them from living over the land despite this having been home for their ancestors for decades.