XV INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE: DRUG USERS GROUP RECEIVES HIV HONOUR

The Thai Drug Users' Network (TDN) yesterday received the Award for Action
on Aids and Human Rights for its efforts to expose human rights abuses,
especially during the government's antidrug campaign.

The award was conferred by Human Rights Watch and the Canadian HIV/Aids
Legal Network.

The conferral was based on the decision of a panel of international human
rights experts from every continent who met last week.

Founded in 2002, the TDN helps drug users protect themselves from HIV and
other bloodborne diseases.

The network's "courageous and peaceful work in the face of violence
exemplifies human rights heroism," Human Rights Watch said, while calling
for an independent investigation into deaths related to Thailand's war on
drugs.

Paisan Suwannawong, head of the Thai Drug Users' Network and chairman of
the Thai Treatment Action Group, received the award on behalf of the TDN.

"It's very lonely, I would say, to work in Thailand. I don't know what's
gonna happen but it's not gonna be worse than [the current situation]" he
said at the conferral ceremony.

The government launched an antidrug campaign early last year, during which
more than 2,500 killings were reported.

The government has since been severely criticised for human rights
violations, and many feel it has failed to provide the public with
justification for the high death toll.