Thailand: Drug Users Condemn "War on Drugs"
06/09/2003
FORWARDED ACTION FROM THAI DRUG USERS' NETWORK
Please send urgent letters of protest to the address below as soon as possible. At 10:00 am on June 12, 2003, the Thai Drug Users' Network and allied organizations and individuals will present a letter (see below) to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and hold a symbolic funeral outside the Government House in Bangkok, in honor of those who have been killed because of the administration's strong-arm approach to rid the country of drugs (and drug users). We will then proceed to the Parliament, where we will deliver a letter to the Chair of the Senate. We will hold a press conference at the Parliament, where we expect a number of Senators to join us.
Please join TDN in making known the human rights abuses drug users suffer in Thailand, particularly during the 3-month murderous free-for-all against drug users that occurred between February 1 -April 31, 2003), and that, in developing alternative solutions to addressing drugs in Thai society, a supportive environment must be created for the active involvement of drug users. A model letter is provided below.
- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
- Office of the Prime Minister
Government House
Pitsanulok Road
Dusit, Bangkok 10300
THAILAND
Fax: +66-2-280-1443
E-mail: spokesman@thaigov.go.th (messages may also be posted on-line at: http://www.rakang.thaigov.go.th/postguest_e.asp)
Please send copies of letters to Karyn Kaplan, Thai Drug Users' Network at:
E-mail: karyn@ksc.th.com
Please feel free to contact TDN directly for additional information or support.
MODEL LETTER
His Excellency the Prime Minister:
As a member of the international human rights community, I am writing to join the Thai Drug Users' Network in expressing gave concern over the implementation of government policies to solve Thailand's drug problems, especially since the announcement and execution of the "War on Drugs." We would like to compliment the government on its seriousness and dedication to raising the issue of drugs as a matter of national priority. However, we are of the opinion that the government still lacks an adequate understanding of the problem and, in trying to address the problem, neglects to include drug users in the process, despite the fact that drug users possess valuable expertise and are directly affected by policies intended to solve the problems related to drugs in Thailand. Your information deficit and exclusion of drug user participation in policy development preclude the possibility of your policy's success, and has had negative consequences for an enormous number of innocent people, including drug users.
Even before the government's announcement of its war against drugs, users faced discrimination, social exclusion, and barriers to accessing appropriate and effective services. This is primarily owing to the fact that the government's campaign does not promote a greater awareness of issues related to drugs and drug use, but rather perpetuates a negative stereotype and public perception of users.
Furthermore, in the decade or two of Thailand's HIV/AIDS epidemic, tens of thousands of drug users died of AIDS because of insurmountable obstacles to accessing appropriate and relevant HIV prevention and care information and services. The situation has not improved at all over the years and is, in fact, worsening. Currently, approximately half of all injecting drug users in Thailand are HIV-infected, and there is no effective approach to reducing HIV among injectors.
After the government declared a war on drugs, the situation for users has deteriorated. Drug users do not dare to come out for services, and even organizations working with drug users are experiencing an even greater difficulty than before accessing this population.
Therefore, we demand the government immediately take the following steps:
- Eliminate the policies that promote violence in addressing the drug problem. Investigate each case of murder or other gross negative consequence following the government's announcement of its war on drugs.
- Promote educational campaigns about drugs and drug use that provide comprehensive and factual information. This will result in a well- informed public and not cause drug users to be reviled and discriminated against by society.
- Rescind any law or policy that violates or leads to the violation of drug users' human rights, such as mandatory HIV-antibody testing, exclusion from antiretroviral therapy access for HIV-positive drug users, etc.
- Urgently implement programs that aim to reduce the dangers associated with drug use, and provide information to prevent the spread of HIV among drug users. Establish programs to make clean needles and syringes available, which will reduce the spread of HIV and hepatitis among injectors.
- Cover costs related to prevention, care and treatment for drug users, including rehabilitation, detoxification, and substitution therapy, under the national health care plan.
- Involve both active and former drug users at all levels to address drug-related problems in Thailand, including policy development.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Organization]
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
A letter from Thai Drug Users' Network:
Dear Friends,
As you may know, on June 12 the Thai Drug Users' Network (TDN) is holding a day of international solidarity against the drug war in Thailand. Allies in countries from Nepal to Australia will hold demonstrations at their Thai consulate or elsewhere to protest the violent crackdown on individuals allegedly involved in drugs, a 3-month state-sanctioned campaign characterized by black-listing, forced rehabilitation, extrajudicial killing and other rights violations. The Thai Drug Users' Network abhors the government's approach to Thailand's drug situation, and proposes a solution that requires the active participation of drug users in the design and development of appropriate policies and programs to reduce the harms associated with drug use and the drug war, while immediately repealing policies that promote human rights violations.
At 10:00 a.m. on June 12, 2003, the Thai Drug Users' Network and allied organizations and individuals will present a letter (below) to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and hold a symbolic funeral outside the Government House in Bangkok, in honor of those who have been killed because of the administration's strong-arm approach to rid the country of drugs (and drug users). We will then proceed to the Parliament, where we will deliver a letter to the Chair of the Senate. We will hold a press conference at the Parliament, where we expect a number of Senators to join us.
We thank everyone who can join us around the world in making known the human rights abuses drug users suffer in Thailand, particularly during the 3-month murderous free-for-all against drug users that occurred between February 1 - April 31, 2003), and that, in developing alternative solutions to addressing drugs in Thai society, a supportive environment must be created for the active involvement of drug users.
Nearly 50% of all Thai drug injectors are HIV-positive, and are excluded by policy from antiretroviral access. If the government policy hasn't killed us all, AIDS will, unless we fight together to promote the right to life, to health, and the equal enjoyment of all other rights for drug users.
In July 2004, Thailand will host the International AIDS Conference. If we do not see an immediate and significant change in Thailand's policies and practises toward drug users and other marginalized groups, we would like to initiate discussion with our international friends and colleagues on how to prioritize addressing this crisis, vis-a-vis the upcoming conference.
Yours in solidarity,
Paisan Tan-Ud
P.S. We are more than happy to help anyone interested in putting together an action against the Thai drug war; please contact Karyn Kaplan (TTAG/TDN), karyn@ksc.th.com, for any information or other support that you may need.
(To be delivered to the Thai Prime Minister by the Thai Drug Users' Network on June 12, 2003. Translated from the Thai original - we can provide you with the Thai version if you like.)
June 12, 2003
His Excellency the Prime Minister:
The Thai Drug Users' Network, a group of over 70 drug users and former drug users from around the country, has formed to advocate for drug users' rights and to collaborate with other relevant organizations and agencies to help solve Thailand's drug-related problems.
The Network has been paying close attention to the implementation of government policies to solve Thailand's drug problems, especially since the announcement and execution of the "War on Drugs." We would like to compliment the government on its seriousness and dedication to raising the issue of drugs as a matter of national priority. However, we are of the opinion that the government still lacks an adequate understanding of the problem and, in trying to address the problem, neglects to include drug users in the process, despite the fact that drug users possess valuable expertise and are directly affected by policies intended to solve the problems related to drugs in Thailand. Your information deficit and exclusion of drug user participation in policy development preclude the possibility of your policy's success, and has had negative consequences for an enormous number of innocent people, including drug users.
Even before the government's announcement of its war against drugs, users faced discrimination, social exclusion, and barriers to accessing appropriate and effective services. This is primarily owing to the fact that the government's campaign does not promote a greater awareness of issues related to drugs and drug use, but rather perpetuates a negative stereotype and public perception of users.
Furthermore, in the decade or two of Thailand's HIV/AIDS epidemic, tens of thousands of drug users died of AIDS because of insurmountable obstacles to accessing appropriate and relevant HIV prevention and care information and services. The situation has not improved at all over the years and is, in fact, worsening. Currently, approximately half of all injecting drug users in Thailand are HIV-infected, and there is no effective approach to reducing HIV among injectors.
After the government declared a war on drugs, the situation for users has deteriorated. Drug users do not dare to come out for services, and even organizations working with drug users are experiencing an even greater difficulty than before accessing this population.
Therefore, we demand the government immediately take the following steps:
- Eliminate the policies that promote violence in addressing the drug problem. Investigate each case of murder or other gross negative consequence following the government's announcement of its war on drugs.
- Promote educational campaigns about drugs and drug use that provide comprehensive and factual information. This will result in a well- informed public and not cause drug users to be reviled and discriminated against by society.
- Rescind any law or policy that violates or leads to the violation of drug users' human rights, such as mandatory HIV-antibody testing, exclusion from antiretroviral therapy access for HIV-positive drug users, etc.
- Urgently implement programs that aim to reduce the dangers associated with drug use, and provide information to prevent the spread of HIV among drug users. Establish programs to make clean needles and syringes available, which will reduce the spread of HIV and hepatitis among injectors.
- Cover costs related to prevention, care and treatment for drug users, including rehabilitation, detoxification, and substitution therapy, under the national health care plan.
- Involve both active and former drug users at all levels to address drug-related problems in Thailand, including policy development.
Sincerely,
Paisan Tan-Ud
Thai Drug Users' Network
Thai Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (TNP+)
Thai NGO Coalition on AIDS (TNCA)
Thai AIDS Treatment Action Group (TTAG)
