UN SLAMS HARASSMENT OF NGOs

A United Nations Human Rights envoy has severely criticised the
government over what she labelled its harassment of non-governmental
organisations (NGOs).

Hina Jilani described Thailand's human rights record as worsening in
her report to the 60th session of the Commission on Human Rights in
Geneva on Thursday.

"Public statements by government officials denigrating defenders and
NGOs, attempts to control NGO funding, and surveillance and harassment
of some NGOs through state-security mechanisms are trends that have
resulted in a degree of tension between the government and the
human-rights community," she said.

Jilani, special representative of the UN Secretary General at the
session, visited Thailand in May last year to assess the country's
human rights situation.

She said human rights workers had faced "severe reactions" from
authorities when attempting to raise concerns about extra-judicial
killings committed during the government's war on drugs early last
year.

More than 2,500 people were killed during the three-month anti-drug
campaign.

Many of the deaths were thought to be extra-judicial
killings.

Despite repeated calls from home and aboard, the government has yet to
give a substantive clarification of the deaths.

Jilani said Thailand's worsening human rights environment also
negatively affected the work of human rights workers in neighbouring
countries, including Burma.

The Thai government has made several attempts to regulate Burmese
exiles in the country and curtail their activities against Burma's
military government.

The United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees has been ordered by
the Thai government to stop issuing Burmese refugees with "person of
concern" status.

Jilani urged the government to halt "the negative trends".

Chaiyong Satjipanon, Thailand's UN Ambassador and permanent
representative, responded to Jilani's report by saying: "We obviously
cannot accept generalised comments and the inclusion of
unsubstantiated information."

He said the government should not solely bear the "burden" of proving
all human rights violations.

Chaiyong defended the government's commitment to human rights, citing
the establishment of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department
under the Ministry of Justice to serve as a focal point in promoting
human rights.

Charnchao Chaiyanukit, the department's director general, told The
Nation from Geneva that the government spent Bt40 million compensating
people wrongfully accused of crimes last year.