23
May 2014
General
Prayuth Chan-ocha
Commander-in-Chief,
Royal Thai Army
Dear
General Prayuth:
As
scholars of Thailand based outside the country, we are writing to express our
grave concern at the coup launched on 22 May 2014 by the National Order Maintenance
Council. This is the twelfth coup successfully carried out in Thailand since
the end of the absolute monarchy on 24 June 1932. In every instance, it failed
to achieve its objectives while it has damaged the development of the rule of
law, democracy, and human rights. Citizens, particularly those with
dissident views, have been placed in danger and political freedom has been
curtailed.
In
the National Order Maintenance Council’s first statement, you requested that
citizens “carry out their lives and occupation as usual,” but nothing could be
normal about the political and social conditions put in place by the coup. The
coup cannot be a measure for peace because the coup itself is the use of
violence. During the two days from 20 to 22 May 2014 in which martial law was
in force, there was curtailment of human rights, particularly with respect to
freedom of expression and political freedom. The situation has been worse since
the coup, with extensive fear and unknown safety of many leaders and supporters
of all political camps. The rapid speed and severity with which these
restrictions were put in place makes Thailand notorious worldwide for the
unjust actions by the coup group. The international community cannot tolerate
such actions.
We
urge the National Order Maintenance Council to immediately return to
constitutional rule by a civilian government. In the absence of
such an action, we call on the Council to provide a concrete timeline for
return to constitutional rule, which should be done as rapidly as
possible. We further call on the National Order Maintenance Council to
assure that no further violence or suppression in any form will be used against
the people. Constitutional rule by a civilian government, including both
elections and the full participation of all citizens in rule, is the only
path forward for the continued development of democracy, human rights and the
rule of law in Thailand.
Sincerely,
1.
Dr. Andrew Brown, Lecturer,
University of New England
2. Dr. Pongphisoot Busbarat, Research Affiliate,
University of Sydney
3.
Dr. Pavin Chachavalpongpun,
Associate Professor, Kyoto University
4.
Dr. Nick Cheesman, Lecturer,
Australian National University
5.
Dr. Michael Connors, Associate Professor, University of Nottingham, Malaysia
campus
6.
Dr. Eli Elinoff, Postdoctoral Fellow,
National University of Singapore
7.
Dr. Jane M, Ferguson, Research Fellow, University of
Sydney
8. Dr.
Jim Glassman, Associate Professor, University of British Columbia
9. Dr. Tyrell Haberkorn, Fellow, Australian
National University
10. Dr. Kevin Hewison, Sir Walter Murdoch Professor, Murdoch
University
11. Dr. Philip Hirsch, Professor, University of
Sydney
12. Dr.
Adadol Ingawanij, Senior Research Fellow, University of Westminster
13. Dr. Soren Ivarsson, Assistant Professor,
University of Copenhagen
14. Dr. Peter Jackson, Professor, Australian National University
15. Dr. Andrew Johnson, Assistant Professor, Yale-NUS College
16. Dr. Samson Lim, Singapore University
of Technology and Design
17. Dr. Tamara Loos, Associate Professor, Cornell University
18. Dr. Mary Beth Mills, Professor, Colby College
19. Dr. Michael Montesano, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
20. Dr. Claudio Sopranzetti, Postdoctoral Fellow, Oxford University
21. Dr. Ben Tausig, Associate Professor, Stony Brook University
22. Dr.
James L. Taylor, Adjunct Associate Professor, The University of Adelaide,
23. Dr. Tubtim Tubtim, University of Sydney
24. Dr. Peter
Vandergeest, Associate Professor, York University
25. Dr. Andrew Walker, Professor and Deputy Dean, Australian National
University
26. Dr. Thongchai Winichakul, Professor, University
of Wisconsin-Madison
