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May 2010

Dr. Neric O. AcostaSecretary General and Interim Executive DirectorCouncil of Asian Liberals and Democrats7-B Amorsolo Street,San Lorenzo Village,Makati City 1223 Philippines

Subject: Continuing abuse of power by Mr. Abhisit Vejajiva in Thailand

Dear Dr. Acosta,

We are a group of concerned scholars, civil society organisations, human rightsorganisations, students, and individuals who are writing to you to raise yourconcerns on the recent bloody crackdown by the Democrat Party-led governmentunder Mr. Abhisit Vejajiva. Democrat Party is a member of the Council of Asian

Liberal and Democrats (CALD).

There has been confirmed reports by international journalists and rightsorganisations of the military personnels under the order of Mr. Abhisit firing liveammunitions into the crowd of the about opposition protest group, the UnitedFront for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) also known as the red shirtresulting in the death of at least 22 unarmed protesters and at least 180protesters injured, and the number is rising. There are also reports of at least 10

Thai and international journalists being injured via gunshot by the military. Thereare roughly 10,000 protesters in the site, women and children among them. Thisadds up to the death tolls in the 10 April 2010 crackdown by the governmentwhich claimed the lives of 20 protesters and more than 800 peoples injured.

In the past two months, Thailand has been ruled under the grip of the emergencydecree giving the absolute power to the Prime Minister to summon and arrestanyone critical of the government. On 13 May 2010, Mr. Abhisit has signed anorder in imposing State of Emergency in 15 provinces in the country in anattempt to allow Thai peoples to join the protest site in Bangkok. Human RightsWatch has reported that hundreds of opposition politicians, student activists,media workers, and individuals have been summoned by the government forquestioning. Furthermore, more than 1,030 political and news website have beensummarily shut down under the order of Mr. Abhisit.

We therefore are writing to you to express our utmost concerns about the recentbloody crackdown and for you to take immediate possible action with theleadership of the Democrat Party. The atrocities and excessive uses of forces toprohibit those voicing opposition to his government as committed under Mr.Abhisit will undermined the principle of respect for human rights and democracyas respected by CALD. Governments cannot simply shoot guns at its citizens whothink different than them.

Furthermore, the continuing abuse of power by Mr. Abhisit is a directcontradiction to the charter of CALD and its Manifesto for Transparency,Accountability and Access to Information which calls for CALD members thatCALD member party must be in consistent with its policies of good governance

when it is in power.

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Sincerely yours,

Signatories

cc. Member parties of CALD:Liberal Party of Sri Lanka, member of CALDDemocratic Progressive Party of Taiwan, member of CALDLiberal Party of the Philippines, member of CALDSingapore Democratic Party, member of CALDSam Rainsy Party of Cambodia, member of CALDInter-Parliamentary Union SecretariatLiberal International Secretariat