FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 1, 2017

Reply to: canceloyw@gmail.com @thailandsfuture

https://www.facebook.com/ThailandsFuture-453094888233289/

Thailand hosts major arms dealers November 6 – 9, 2017:

DEATH IS OUR BUSINESS

Asian ‘Defence & Security’ 2017:

Tri-Service Asian Defense & Security Exhibition, Conference

and Networking Event: http://www.asiandefense.com.

(Fully supported by the Thai Ministry of ‘Defence’

and the Royal Thai Armed Forces.)

PDF: Bangkok arms fair 2017

Human rights seminars have been banned by Thailand’s military coup since May 22, 2014, as are all expressions of protest and gatherings of more than four persons. Critical media commentary, including political cartoons, is banned. More than 1,100 Thais have been detained and more than 150 have fled into exile abroad. Dissidents are now tried by military courts-martial with no rights to defence counsel or appeal. Such courts have handed down sentences up to 70 years, most often for Facebook posts. Thailand’s military calls such draconian measures necessary for “national security”.

However, a congress of arms merchants has been invited to Bangkok,  sponsored by the Ministry of Defence, to hold “Defense & Security 2017” from November 6 – 9 at Impact Arena.

Billing itself, “The Region’s Leading Defence & Internal Security Exhibition”, “it will also host leading companies in Internal Security which will feature state-of-the-art technology for both private and government requirements,” from “over 400 companies from 50 countries.”

The merchants of death drone on.

Touting “unbeatable business opportunities in the ASEAN military and security market,” Asian Defense & Security 2017 invites state and non-state arms dealers to display their murderous wares and provides “outstanding business networking opportunities.” All the murderers all in one place.

“DEFENSE & SECURITY 2017 has proved to be the ideal venue and business platform for enhancing cooperation and partnership between global manufacturers, delegations, military decision-makers and related government officials—especially from ASEAN.

“The exhibition is already considered one of the most important military events—a ‘must attend’ for military and security related companies looking to do business in booming ASEAN.

Dreaming big, killing big…

Eleven pages of 207 displays from Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Korea, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK, and USA. Worldwide, nearly 1,500 arms merchants exhibit at 80 of these murderous trade fairs, trading in death.

Over 15,000 trade visitors from 50 countries and more than 300 official delegations including Ministers of Defence, Chiefs of Armed Forces and High-Ranking Government officials from 60 countries are also expected to attend.

13,895 visitors came from 59 countries for the Defense & Security 2015 show: Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bhutan, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand,Turkey, U.A.E., Ukraine, UK, United States and Vietnam.” 94% of attendees are from the host country.

Major human rights violations have occurred

in almost all these countries.

“DEFENSE & SECURITY 2015 will feature a full display of defense and internal security equipment that will include weapons systems, guns, missiles, tanks, UAV’s, transport vehicles & vessels, satellites, telecom & a wide range of electronic defense technology.

“Manufacturers of fire control systems, launchers and other important military systems and hardware will also be present.

“The Internal Security section, will display equipment covering security products such as CCTV, intruder alarms, access & electronic security, personal hand guns, body armour, riot control equipment, protective gloves, night-vision technology, communication jamming devices and many other cutting-edge products from major manufacturers.

Professional killers…

“‘Fully supported by the Thai Ministry of Defence and the Royal Thai Armed Forces.’ ‘DEFENSE & SECURITY 2015 is for PROFESSIONALS ONLY. The exhibition is open to international military personnel and focused on high-ranking officials from the Army, Navy, and Air force of various Asian Countries. Invitations will also be extended to Chiefs of Police, Customs, Coast Guard, the Ministry of Interior, and other government and private security organisations.

“Promoting the Thai Defence Industry: ‘Neutral Thailand is an ideal place to showcase defence and internal security related products covering all military services & Internal Security.’”

DEFENSE & SECURITY 2017 even gives us a list of ‘live targets,’ the death-dealers who act as world-wide agents for global arms sales:

http://www.asiandefense.com/CONTACT-US/World-Wide-Agents, as well as arms fair sales agents in the back of its 2017 prospectus. Why worry about North Korea when we have such sterling defenders!

“‘Live’ demonstrations” available upon request.

In 1953, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. The world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children… This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.”

“The arms trade is a major cause of human rights abuses. Some governments spend more on military expenditure than on social development, communications infrastructure and health combined.”

Governments generate $45-60 billion in arms sales every year, over 75% to developing countries. ASEAN countries alone has a 2016 military budget of $40 billion; Thailand’s military spending has grown astronomically, by nearly 20%, since the military junta seized power.

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council (US, Russia, France, UK, and China) together with Germany and Italy account for 85% of global arms sales. Global military spending stands at $1.9 trillion. This isn’t a business—this is a cartel!

Arming both sides: Hutus & Tutsis

In 2008, alleged ‘illegal’ Russian arms dealer, Viktor Bout, was arrested in Thailand after being lured here by US agents. He was extradited to the US where he was sentenced to 25 years.

Guns and bombs do not discriminate. They kill innocent civilians and armed combatants equally effectively. In 2011, the US earned $66.3 billion from overseas weapons sales. Perhaps the US government can’t stand competition!

Militaries bomb hospitals, schools, and weddings. Unmanned drones are used for extrajudicial assassinations. All are responsible for enormous “collateral damage”, in itself a mild euphemism cloaking mass slaughter.

So who are the real “terrorists”?

What makes the merchants of death

at Defense & Security 2017

different from Viktor Bout?

What do they tell their children at night

—that they didn’t pull the trigger?

There are always good reasons for war. US War Secretary Donald Rumsfeld points this out best: “There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don’t know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don’t know we don’t know.” Got that? Time for more killing! As Jean Shepherd’s mother opines, “You’ll shoot yer eye out!”

Imagine a world without militaries: free education through post-tertiary, free universal medical care, free housing for all, free child daycare and residential eldercare, even a guaranteed annual income for all citizens.

These legal arms dealers destabilise our country and our world. Their craft is killing and scaremongering. They thrive by operating with impunity without the knowledge and consent of world citizens.

Arms merchants are the very face of evil, those who profit from killing… And we’ve invited them into our house.

So who, exactly, are Thailand’s “enemies”???

 

Contact: canceloyw@gmail.com

https://thailandsfuture.wordpress.com

#Thailand #thailandsfuture

https://www.facebook.com/ThailandsFuture-453094888233289/

Campaign Against Arms Trade https://www.caat.org.uk

Stop the Arms Fair http://www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk

https://omegaresearchfoundation.org/resources/arms-fairs

The following message was sent by CancelOYW to One Young World on 4 October 2015.

We are still waiting for a reply.

Dear One Young World

It has come to our notice that the following email was sent to you on 20th September. To date there has been no responce. We would like to repeat the request for an answer and add the following to Question 4: “What steps are One Young World prepared to take to monitor and ensure the safety of any delegates from Thailand exercising their freedom of speech at the summit once OYW has departed Thailand?”

 

Dear One Young World

You will be aware that there is great dissent over your choice of Bangkok as host for your 2015 summit, given the nature of the military-controlled political system in Thailand.

We have read your founders’ statement with some interest and, in order to help allay the aforementioned fears, we would respectfully request that you consider the following questions. These questions arise from sections of your founders’ statement which are quoted.

Your answers to these questions will be gratefully received and shared with the Thai public.

With thanks

@ThailandsFuture

 

One Young World Founders’ Statement:

“There are few countries in Southeast Asia, or across Asia as a whole, that we could say fully reflect the liberal democratic political traditions of Western Europe.  But that is not a factor in our choice of host city.” 

1) OYW statement:

“We could have staged One Young World in Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar or any other Asian country that would allow our delegates and Counsellors to speak and engage on critical global issues affecting today and the world of tomorrow.”

In your view, which countries in Southeast Asia, or across Asia as a whole, do fully reflect the liberal democratic political traditions of Western Europe?

2) OYW statement:

“We could expect any of these Southeast Asian countries to have their political system of governance challenged by those who would prefer to see an alternative system of government in the host city’s country.”

Are you saying Myanmar, for example, would allow your delegates to speak freely on the issue of the Rohingya?

3) OYW statement:

“We have been guaranteed freedom of speech during the Summit, which is something not all host cities would be able to provide. Moreover, One Young World has turned down bids from cities that have not been able to provide this guarantee.”

Does this mean OYW is expecting, accepting and planning to give summit participants opportunity for commentary and dissent to the seizure of power by Thailand’s military?

4) Who has guaranteed One Young World’s freedom of speech in Bangkok? What did they say?

5) Which cities are unable to provide this guarantee with the result that their bids have been turned down by OYW?

#OneYoungWorld

#GunOneWorld

#Thailand

@thailandsfuture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 1, 2015

Reply to: canceloyw@gmail.com  @thailandsfuture

One Young World – No one is safe in Thailand

[Thai follows. ภาษาไทยด้านล่าง]

Cancel OYW wishes to announce its appeal to One Young World Counsellors and Organisers. OYW’s 2015 global summit is planned for November 18-21 in the heart of the world’s only military dictatorship, Thailand. The appeal may be seen at Thailand’s Future in English and Thai, along with contact information for One Young World representatives.

Thailand’s military junta is capitalising One Young World as a propaganda tool by promising OYW participants freedom of expression. Free speech, for the rest of us, has been outlawed in Thailand! Will One Young World defend free speech in Thailand after their summit is over?

No dissent is tolerated by the generals, using broad tactics of intimidation. More than 800 have been summonsed and detained, 251 arrested for holding peaceful protests. Many of them are students; dozens have been charged with sedition, their families harassed. At least 70 academic panels, meetings, and seminars have been banned. More than 100 have fled into exile. Although martial law has been repealed, the generals have decreed absolute power with the far more insidious Article 44.

Some 200 people have been charged with free speech crimes. Huge sentences are being given by military courts-martial with no right to defence counsel or appeal. No right to a fair trial in Thailand. 51 charges since the coup have already resulted in 24 convictions; 87% of charges result in conviction in civilian courts in Thailand in normal times, 96% in military courts.

In Thailand, two university students are serving five years for a staging a Thai version of Orwell’s Animal Farm; six other actors and its director are living in exile in poverty. Another student was sentenced to five years for a single Facebook post. A travel agent was sentenced to 60 years for six Facebook posts, a hotel staffer. mother of two young girls, 56 years for seven, a citizen journalist 50 years for five.

Dozens more have been held years without bail, forced to plead guilty to halve the Draconian sentences, then counting on a Royal pardon. Think about it: decades in prison for voicing your opinion. Thailand has been censured by the United Nations, the European Union, the United States, and other countries for its blatant refusal to apply basic international human rights standards.

Even if a citizen is not detained, the military junta heavily censors all political speech and is planning to consolidate surveillance on all Internet traffic into a single international gateway. Speaking out is playing ‘Thai roulette’. It’s illegal to read 1984 in public.

One Young World claims a network of 6,000 young leaders in 196 countries “to effect change”. What about Thailand?

100 young leaders from across Thailand have attended a mentorship camp in September 2015. Will they speak up for Thailand’s future at the summit?

Do One Young World’s 100 counsellors, pillars of philanthropy, humanitarianism, human rights, government, and business, even know the generals illegally revoked Thailand’s Constitution after seizing power from an elected government? Do they know that Thailand’s military-appointed legislature claims over 50% acting and retired military officers, more than Burma? Do they know that 50% of Thailand’s Cabinet ministers are military?

Do One Young World’s 50 youthful Coordinating Ambassadors know that Thailand has canceled plans for free elections five times already? When will Thailand see the most basic return to democracy?

Thailand’s military is holding us hostage. No one here is safe. We think ignoring dictatorship is the wrong message to be sending the world’s future leaders.

DICTATORSHIP IS NOT OKAY!

CANCEL ONE YOUNG WORLD! 

Reply to: canceloyw@gmail.com  @thailandsfuture

https://thailandsfuture.wordpress.com

#OneYoungWorld

#GunYoungWorld

#Thailand

เผยแพร่โดยทันที:

1 ตุลาคม 2558

Reply to: canceloyw@gmail.com  @thailandsfuture

https://thailandsfuture.wordpress.com

[ภาษาอังกฤษด้านบน English above.]

กลุ่มเรียกร้องให้ยกเลิกการประชุม One Young World มีความประสงค์ที่จะประกาศเกี่ยวกับการทำหนังสือเรียกรอ้งถึงคณะผู้จัดงาน One Young World ที่มีกำหนดการจะจัดงานประชุมระดับโลกที่จะจัดขึ้นระหว่างวันที่ 18 – 21พฤษจิกายน ในประเทศที่ถือเป็นหัวใจของระบอบเผด็จการทหารหนึ่งเดียวของโลก ที่ชื่อว่าประเทศไทย อ่านรายละเอียดการเรียกร้องครั้งนี้ที่มีทั้งภาษาอังกฤษ และภาษาไทยได้ที่ Thailand’s Future  พร้อมทั้งกับรายละเอียดของตัวแทนของ One Young World

รัฐบาลเผด็จการทหารของประเทศไทยกำลังลงทุนไปกับ One Young World เพื่อใช้เป็นเครื่องมือแห่งการโฆษณาชวนเชื่อ ด้วยการให้สัญญากับ OYW ว่าผู้เข้าร่วมประชุมจะมีเสรีภาพในการแสดงออก สำหรับประชาชนเช่นพวกเรานั้น เสรีภาพในการพูด ถูกทำให้เป็นสิ่งผิดกฎหมายในประเทศไทย One Young World จะปกป้องเสรีภาพในการพูดในประเทศไทยได้อย่างไร หลังจากการประชุมเสร็จสิ้นลงแล้ว?

นายพลทั้งหลายไม่อดทนอดกลั้นแม้แต่น้อยต่อความเห็นต่าง ทั้งได้ใช้เทคนิคมากมายเพื่อสร้างความหวาดกลัวขึ้นในสังคม มีการออกหมายเรียกประชาชนกว่า 800คนให้เข้ารายงานตัวและคุมขังพวกเขา มีประชาชน 251 คนถูกจับกุมเพียงเพราะร่วมประท้วงอย่างสงบสันติ ซึ่งพวกเขาส่วนใหญ่เป็นนักศึกษา หลายสิบคนถูกตั้งข้อหาปลุกระดมมวลชน ครอบครัวของพวกเขาก็ถูกคุกคาม อย่างน้อยมีการจัดงานทางวิชาการ ทั้งการประชุมและงานสัมมนาถึง 70 รายการ ถูกสั่งห้าม มีคนกว่า 100 คนต้องลี้ภัย แม้ว่ากฎอัยการศึกจะถูกยกเลิก แต่นายพลทั้งหลายก็ออกกฎหมายที่ให้อำนาจสูงสุดแก่นายพลทหารที่รุนแรงยิ่งกว่าเสียอีก ที่เรียกว่า มาตรา 44

ประชาชนประมาณ 200 คน ถูกตั้งข้อหาอาญาเพราะใช้เสรีภาพในการแสดงความคิดเห็น มีการตัดสินลงโทษอย่างรุนแรงโดยศาลทหาร โดยที่จำเลยไม่มีสิทธิแก้ต่างหรืออุธรณ์ ไม่มีการพิจารณาคดีอย่างยุติธรรมในประเทศไทย ในการตั้งข้อกล่าวหา 51 คดีตั้งแต่รัฐประหาร มีถึง 24 คดีถูกตัดสินผิด 87% ของคำตัดสินผิดในศาลพลเรือนในประเทศไทยในยามปกติ 96% ในศาลทหาร

ในประเทศไทย นักศึกษามหาวิทยาลัยสองคนถูกตัดสินจำคุก 5 ปี จากการเล่นละครภาคภาษาไทยของนวนิยายของออเวลล์เรื่องแอนนิมอล ฟาร์ม ผู้แสดงอีก 6 คน รวมทั้งผู้กำกับละครเวทีต้องลี้ภัยไปใช้ชีวิตอย่างอัตคัดขัดสนที่ต่างแดน มีนักศึกษาอีกหนึ่งคน ถูกตัดสินจำคุก 5 ปี จากการโพสต์หนึ่งข้อความในเฟซบุ๊ค พนักงานบริษัทท่องเที่ยวถูกตัดสินจำคุก 60 ปีจากการโพสต์ในเฟซบุ๊ค 6 ครั้ง พนักงานโรงแรม อายุ 56ปี คุณแม่ของลูกสาวสองคน ถูกตัดสินจำคุก 7 ปี สื่อมวลชนอายุ 50 ปี ถูกตัดสินจำคุก 5 ปี

มีผู้คนหลายสิบคนถูกคุมขังกันหลายปีโดยไม่ได้รับอนุญาตให้ประกันตัว ต้องถูกบังคับให้รับสารภาพภายใต้คำตัดสินของกฎหมายยุคโบราณ เพื่อที่จะขอรับพระราชทานอภัยโทษ โปรดคิดดูว่า :การต้องถูกขังคุกหลายทศวรรษเพียงเพราะเปล่งเสียงแสดงความคิดเห็นเท่านั้น ประเทศไทยถูกตำหนิจากสหประชาชาติ กลุ่มสหภาพยุโรป สหรัฐอเมริกา และจากประเทศอื่นๆ จากการที่ปฏิเสธอย่างโจ่งแจ้งที่จะไม่ปฏิบัติตามมาตรฐานสิทธิมนุษยชนสากล

แม้ว่า ถ้าประชาชนคนหนึ่งจะไม่ถูกคุกขัง รัฐบาลเผด็จการทหารก็ควบคุมไม่ให้มีการปราศรัยทางการเมือง และกำลังวางแผนที่จะรวบอำนาจการสอดแนมทางอินเตอร์เนตไว้ที่จุดเดียว ด้วยการเปิดให้มีประตูอินเตอร์เนตสู่นานาชาติเพียงประตูเดียว การพูดแสดงออกอย่างเปิดเผย เป็นดั่งการเล่นเกมส์ไทยรูเลทท์ การอ่านหนังสือ 1984 ในที่สาธารณะเป็นสิ่งผิดกฎหมาย

One Young World กล่าวอ้างว่า เป็นองค์กรเครือข่ายของผู้นำเยาวชนถึง 6,000 คนจาก 196 ประเทศ ‘เพื่อการเปลี่ยนแปลง’ แล้วประเทศไทยล่ะ?

จะมีเยาวชนถึง 100 คนจากทั่วประเทศไทยเข้าร่วมแคมป์เมนเตอร์ชิบในเดือนพฤศจิกายน 2558 พวกเขาจะพูดเพื่อประเทศไทยในอนาคตในที่ประชุมหรือไม่?

คณะที่ปรึกษา เสาหลักค้ำจุนองค์กร คนทำงานด้านมนุษยธรรม นักสิทธิมนุษยชน ตัวแทนรัฐบาล และนักธุรกิจทั้ง 100 คน ของOne Young World ได้รับทราบหรือไม่ว่าบรรดานายพลทหาร ได้ยกเลิกรัฐธรรมนูญหลังจากยึดอำนาจจากรัฐบาลที่มาจากการเลือกตั้ง? พวกเขารู้หรือไม่ว่า ทหารไทยได้แต่งตั้งนักนิติบัญญัติ ที่กว่า 50% มาจากหน่วยงานของทหาร มีจำนวนมากกว่าของประเทศพม่าเสียอีก? พวกเขารู้หรือไม่ว่า 50% ของรัฐมนตรีเป็นนายพลทหาร?

ยุวฑูตของ One Young World ทั้ง 50 คนรู้หรือไม่ว่าประเทศไทยได้ยกเลิกแผนการเลือกตั้งเสรีไปถึงห้าครั้งแล้ว เมื่อไรกันที่ปรเทศไทยจะเห็นการฟื้นคืนสู่พื้นฐานประชาธิปไตย?

ทหารไทยได้จับพวกเราเป็นตัวประกัน ไม่มีใครในประเทศนี้มีความปลอดภัย พวกเราคิดว่าการเผิกเฉยต่อเผด็จการทหาร เป็นข้อความอันผิดผลาด ที่จะส่งให้กับผู้นำในอนาคตของโลก

Reply to: canceloyw@gmail.com  @thailandsfuture

https://thailandsfuture.wordpress.com

#OneYoungWorld

#GunYoungWorld

#Thailand

  @thailandsfuture

 

[Thai follows. ภาษาไทยด้านล่าง]

One Young World plans to hold its summit in Bangkok in November. We have read their explanation that OYW’s choice of venue is not intended to be a “political statement”. Nevertheless, One Young World’s choice of Thailand legitimises the Thai military dictatorship all thinking people are resisting. OYW would never have issued such a statement if they didn’t think something was amiss.

If One Young World comes to Thailand, they are proving that OYW’s founding mission statement, an “unswerving commitment to free speech”, is just hot air. We think OYW and all of us should be teaching young people there are principles to live by. These principles must not include support for dictatorship.

“One Young World is defined by its unswerving commitment to free speech; to providing the world’s youth with a platform to share and challenge the status quo without fear of censorship or oppression.”

(One Young World founding mission statement)

We urge One Young World to reconsider its choice of venue. We in Thailand have been living under a military dictatorship since May 22, 2014 when generals illegally seized power in a military coup d’etat against a popularly elected government. The junta seized power in a military coup and there has been a steady and increasing failure of human rights ever since.

Since that time, the Thai Constitution and Parliament have been dissolved. Thais have been living under martial law and worse backed by laws banning freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, academic freedom. We all, including and especially Thai youth, live every day in fear of both censorship and oppression. Some students, as young as high school, opposing the coup have been accused by educators of being ‘mentally ill’ just like dissidents in the Soviet bloc.

By September 2015, nearly 800 Thais have been detained by the coup and at least 100 have fled into exile. Trials are now military courts-martial conducted in camera with no rights to defence counsel or appeal. By July 2015, 251 Thais had been arrested for holding peaceful, public demonstrations against the junta.

As one of these exiles, charged in absentia with lèse majesté, writes: “Thailand is now staring down the barrel of continued dictatorship. Thailand badly needs help from international leaders and sustained pressure to end this cycle of oppression and bring an urgent end to lèse majesté” [prosecutions].

More than 70 political events, academic panels, seminars and public forums have been banned by the military. More than 200 people have been charged with free speech “crimes”. Some have been handed 50 year sentences…for Facebook posts. Please take another look at OYW’s mission statement!

The generals tell us there will be no elections before 2017. We think they plan to stay in power far longer. The junta tells us reforming Thailand will not be completed before 2032!

Dictatorship is not something that can be swept under the rug. One Young World is about intellectual freedom, about raising entrepreneurs, leaders, and social activists. Thailand’s dictatorship is not the message OYW wants to be sending to the world’s young people.

We urge One Young World to NOT support holding any conference in Thailand until we’re back to democracy.

OYW should expect resistance if its congress is held in Thailand. If the conference is held here, all of us who can will attend and be as outspoken as possible.

Please forward this mail to your country’s speakers (if OYW goes ahead anyway, we will be urging them to boycott), your administrators, organisers, and planners.

Further reference: https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153281520716154&set=a.419593026153.213934.627196153

One Young World Bangkok Advisory Board: http://www.oneyoungworld.com/bangkok-advisory-board

“One Year On: The Road to Hell” http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/5146

#OneYoungWorld

#GunYoungWorld

#Thailand