Thursday, September 3, 2009

Commissioner not shaken by salt plant row

       The National Human Rights Commission is launching an investigation into one of its own commissioners accused of community rights violations involving a salt processing plant.
       Angry villagers allege Prinya Sirisarakarn ran a salt plant in Nakhon Ratchasima province which was contributing to the degradation of their farmland.
       Mr Prinya, however, insists he has done no wrong.
       A network of 14 grass-roots groups in the northeastern provinces submitted a petition to the commission demanding its chair, Amara Pongsapich,look into Mr Prinya's qualifications.They say the plant at Non Thai district had a severe impact on hundreds of villagers and the environment.
       The villagers claim the operation was one of eight salt processing plants in the area that contaminated water sources and soil, making the land unsuitable for growing crops.
       An earlier NHRC investigated the case and found the eight plants' operations should be suspended. However,Mr Prinya continued to run his salt business, the complaint said. He was not yet a commissioner at that time.
       The NHRC chair yesterday said she would invite Mr Prinya for questioning and collect information about efforts the plant was making to reduce its impact on the environment.
       Ms Amara did not say when the inquiry would be completed.
       "As far as I know, Mr Prinya has nothing to do with the salt mining activities," she said.
       The conflict between the salt mining and salt boiling plant operators and farmers has raged for several years.The previous NHRC investigated the matter and came up with conflict resolution measures.
       Ms Amara said her team would investigate whether all the parties had followed those measures.
       Mr Prinya was not available for comment yesterday. However, he earlier told the villagers he no longer had a role in managing the salt processing plant and hadassigned someoneelse to take charge.
       He said he was ready to be investigated and insisted he was qualified to sit on the human rights body.
       Supakit Boon-anek, a representative of the villagers affected by salt mining and processing activities, said Mr Prinya was not suitable to be a human rights commissioner because he was involved in a business that affected human rights.
       The allegations put more pressure on the seven-member NHRC, which took office on June 25. Civil groups and legal experts have criticised the nomination and selection of the NHRC members, saying it lacked public participation.

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