Page 11 - ARUBA TODAY

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WORLD NEWS Thursday 4 July 2019

Thai authorities urged to investigate attacks on activists

Associated Press investigate the attack on house of Parliament.
BANGKOK (AP) — Rights Sirawith. Ekachai faced physical
groups urged Thai authori- “I am not his enemy,” Pra- abuse on several occa-
ties Wednesday to investi- yuth said. sions in addition to having
gate attacks against pro- Police said they’re investi- his parked car set on fire
democracy activists after gating. twice this year.
one was beaten and left The most recent attack on He was also subjected to
unconscious on a sidewalk Sirawith left him with a frac- at least four violent attacks
in the latest case of grow- tured eye socket and head in 2018 as he engaged in
ing violence. injuries. He was previously peaceful protests about
Amnesty International sub- attacked on June 3 by at official misconduct, ac-
mitted open letters to Thai- least five men after he had cording to Amnesty Inter-
land’s defense minister and been working on a cam- national.
its police commissioner ask- paign to petition members “Intimidating activists by
ing them to bring to justice of the junta-appointed Sen- physical abuse appears to
attackers against three vo- ate not to vote for Prayuth be becoming increasingly
cal pro-democracy activ- A human rights activist for Amnesty International holds a mask to become prime minister. aggressive and involving a
of Thai pro-democracy leader Sirawith Seritiwat during a protest
ists who have faced physi- at police headquarter in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, July Other anti-military activ- rising number of victims,”
cal abuse on multiple oc- 3, 2019. ists such as Anurak Jean- Angkhana Neelapaijit of
casions since the military Associated Press tawanich and Ekachai Thailand’s National Human
seized power in a coup in against the activists “ap- He was beaten until he was Hongkangwan have faced Rights Commission said in
2014. pear to fit a pattern of sys- unconscious on a sidewalk physical abuse on multiple a Facebook post last Fri-
Authorities have so far temic violence timed to near his home in Bangkok in occasions by unknown as- day after Sirawith was at-
failed to investigate the coincide with their efforts broad daylight. sailants. tacked.
violence. The ruling junta to draw attention to per- Photos of a bloodied Sir- Anurak said he was most “These incidents usually oc-
has actively cracked down ceived election irregulari- awith and security cam- recently attacked in May cur during the day in public
on dissent and political dis- ties and problems relating era footage of the attack by six-to-eight men, some places but authorities have
cussions while it enacted to the formation of a new that were circulated online wearing motorcycle hel- never been able to ap-
new election laws that fa- government.” have sparked public out- mets and using metal bars prehend the perpetrators,
vored its leader, Prime Min- The appeal follows an at- rage. to hit his head, after he an- which leads to continued
ister Prayuth Chan-ocha, in tack last Friday on Sirawith Prime Minister Prayuth nounced a plan to protest intimidation against politi-
elections in March. Seritiwat, who opposes the Chan-ocha said Tuesday the election of the pro- cal opponents without con-
Amnesty said the attacks military’s role in politics. he had instructed police to army speaker of the lower sideration for the law.”q

Japan says curbs on exports to SKorea due to broken pledge

By MARI YAMAGUCHI decision announced Mon- under international law ... the company during Ja- sons. “Within that obliga-
Associated Press day to impose restrictions and what to do when the pan’s 1910-1945 coloniza- tion, if another country fails
TOKYO (AP) — Prime on Japan’s exports of semi- promise is broken.” tion of the Korean Peninsu- to keep its promise, we
Minister Shinzo Abe said conductor-related mate- Abe made the comment la. South Korea’s top court cannot give it preferential
Wednesday that Japan rials to South Korea. As of when asked about diplo- ordered the seizure of lo- treatment like before,” he
cannot give South Korean Thursday, exports of some macy during a party lead- cal assets of the company said. Abe and other offi-
exports preferential treat- materials used in manu- ers’ debate ahead of Tues- after it refused to pay the cials have offered conflict-
ment because the country facturing computer parts, day’s start of official cam- compensation. Mitsubishi ing explanations for the
is not abiding by an agree- including fluorinated poly- paigning for the July 21 Up- Heavy Industries also has move, citing both a lack of
ment regarding wartime is- imides used for displays, per House elections. refused an order by South trust and unspecified secu-
sues that Japan insists have must apply for approval Relations between the two Korea’s Supreme Court to rity concerns.
been resolved. for each contract. “We main U.S. allies in East Asia financially compensate 10 On Tuesday, Chief Cabi-
Abe was objecting to criti- did not intertwine histori- have rapidly soured since Koreans for forced labor net Secretary Yoshihide
cism over escalating ten- cal issues with trade issues,” South Korea’s top court in during Japan’s colonial Suga cited national secu-
sions between the two Abe said. “The issue of for- October ordered Nippon era. rity concerns and “lack of
neighbors amid disputes mer Korean laborers is not Steel & Sumitomo Metal Abe said each country trust” after exchanges with
over Koreans forced to work about a historical issue but Corp. to pay 100 million bears a responsibility to Seoul for Japan’s export
as laborers during World about whether to keep the won ($88,000) each to four carry out export controls control measures on South
War II. He was defending a promise between countries plaintiffs forced to work for for national security rea- Korea.q