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5 October, 2006
Meeting in Brussels today, the ICEM Presidium passed a strong resolution calling for Thailand’s military to immediately end martial law, and called on interim Prime Minister Surayud to restore full civil rights and democratic freedoms to the country’s citizens.
According to the ICEM Presidium motion, the immediate priority is to end martial law in Thailand and move free and unencumbered elections to the earliest possible date. The ICEM feels that the current schedule for elections – October 2007 – is too far in the future, and Thailand’s population deserves to have elections held as soon as possible.
Today’s action by the ICEM body was delivered in a letter to Thailand’s interim leaders.
“We feel it a matter of urgency that Thailand’s coup leaders lift the broad range of restrictions placed on Thai citizens, particularly the ban on assembly, on the media, and the inherent rights of people to engage in democratic processes,” stated ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs.
The Thailand military coup occurred on September 19. The country’s 1997 constitution was suspended, the Parliament, Senate and constitutional court system was dissolved, and political gatherings of more than five people were banned. The ICEM also noted that other restrictive measures were put in place, including prolonged detention without charges being brought, media censorship, and the shutting of some schools and universities.
ICEM is scheduled to hold its Fourth World Congress in Bangkok next year, from 22 to 24 November 2007. The ICEM is a Global Union Federation with 379 affiliated trade unions in 123 countries.
The ICEM letter to the Thai Interim Government can be found here.