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| san | Posted
on 29-Jun-04 09:58 PM
This following message was forwarded by Ben Parks, who is trying to help free innocent Nepali prisoners who are serving life sentences in Thailand. If anyone reading this can or knows some people who can influence any decision making process that could ultimately free these innocent people please respond to baparks38@directcon.net directly. __________________________________________________________________ Forwarded Message: Good evening all: June 29, 2004 Over the last four years, I have tried to do something positive for the Nepali prisoners in Thailand's prisons. There were numerous press and TV events. I have created a PRISON EXCHANGE TREATY WEBSITE: http://www.ptet-nepal.org ( please also see ... http://www.bangkwang.net/press/index.htm ... and ... ... : http://www.foreignprisoners.com .. see prisoner lists ... I do not know of any Nepali prisoners that deserve LIFE in a Thai prison. Most are either innocent or were very naive. See ... http://www.nepalnews.com.np/ntimes/sep27-2000/chandra.htm and ... http://www.bangkwang.net/press/tn001101.htm and ... http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue202/nation_4.htm Someone (preferably Nepali) needs to step forward to do something. I eagerly await this event. I have tried to work with the Nepali Embassy in Bangkok over the years. First with Mr. Mainali and now Mr. Khanal. Neither were what I would call successful. This e-mail is about a series of "unreplied" e-mails to Mr. Khanal. One is copied at the end of this message. (see below). I spoke with Mr. Khanal in the Bangkok Embassy two times tonight. For the first call ... I had a Nepali friend to interpret. Mr. Khanal was only interested in getting my friend's name and address. After scolding him for interfering ... Mr. Khanal hung up. Sorry ... but that was not necessary and very, very poor manners ! When I dialed again, Mr. Khanal denied the first call. Again, .. very poor public relations !!! Then Mr. Khanal steadfastly refused to promise to do anything. I asked him to send a copy of Ramesh Kumar Tamang's passport to Ramesh. Ramesh .. - http://www.ptet-nepal.org/pen_pal/TAMARAME/tamarame.htm Only a photocopy ! More than SIX months have passed ... and still nothing ! I also asked him to prepare a "Transit Guarantee Papers" for: 1) Sun Bahadur Tamang - http://www.ptet-nepal.org/pen_pal/TAMA_SUN/tama_sun.htm ( Sun has submitted a long article ... hopefully to be printed soon. ) 2) Sita Rai : - http://www.ptet-nepal.org/pen_pal/RAI_SITA/rai_sita.htm Her story is in the September 2000 issue of the Nepali Times . See .. - http://www.nepalnews.com.np/ntimes/sep27-2000/chandra.htm These documents (described above) are needed to prepare their King's Pardon. There is rumor of a "general amnesty" (sentence reduction) for those with pardons. Many of the Nepali will miss out, because of this sort of obstruction to progress. Many others have submitted pardons, only to have them "lost" in the process. This is big time and money .. and extremely demoralizing for the prisoners. I hope some of you can encourage the Nepal Government to move on these and other problems. Most are far overdue for action .. a few are listed here .. ... http://www.ptet-nepal.org/hot_list.htm You may be interested in the most recent article in the Nepali Times .. ........ http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue202/nation_4.htm Also posted at .. http://www.bangkwang.net/press/nt040625.htm Sincerely, Ben PArks *************************** Subject: FOOD IN LARD YAO Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 06:52:33 GMT From: baparks38@directcon.net To: nepembbk@asiaaccess.net.th, john@samart.co.th, dissect@mos.com.np, admin@scheermemorialhospital.oom CC: hemprasad@hotmail.com, raju@directcon.net, baparks38@directcon.net To: First Secretary : YADAB KHANAL The Royal Nepalese Embassy 189, Soi 71, Sukhumvit Road Bangkok 10110, Thailand Phone : 662-391-7240 Date : June 22, 2004 Copy : Dr. John Lerwitworapong : Director : Klong Prem Hospital Dr. Jay Chapman [ Professor of Pathology ]:Teaching Hospital,Kathmandu Dr. Roy Kline : Director : Sheer Memorial Hospital, Kathmandu Hemprasad Fabangi, Raju Gurau : Ptet-Nepal committee Subject : FOOD IN LARD YAO The prison directors have cut off "home cooking" by Nepali prisoners. I have large numbers of complaints of "gastric Ulcers". Some of these were diagnosed by Dr. Lerwitworapong. There are other food induced digestive problems. The current food is a low quality rice with a poor quality fish soup. Little attention is given to the choice or amount of chile added to the brew. As I understand .. this food offered only one time per day. If other food is wanted .. it must be purchased from the prison store. This means much more money is needed to maintain the same quality diet as six months ago. As the primary source of money for Nepali inmates .. I object to this policy. It needs to be fixed. We only recently managed to start supplying UN Rice to the prisoners. Now, this unfortunate and unhealthy change has been forced upon us. Nepali people simply cannot eat this excuse for Thai food, indefinately. If nothing is done, we could lose people, to nutrition problems ... .. before the exchange treaty can be implemented. Lard Yao is supposed to be a minimum security prison. Bangkwang allows cooking and a better quality of life, ... .. in spite of being the "maximim" security prison. What is the problem with home cooking ? Not only can prisoners have "national" or favorite foods .. Cooking is also pleasurable and passes the time in a peaceful pursuit. Who made this decision ... and why ? I will bet that Dr. Lerwitworapong has been flooded with similar complaints ! How can this be resolved .. ??? I seek your advice and wisdom. Perhaps some "limited" cooking plan can be negotiated. Kina Hoina ????? I urge that each of you taste the stuff before dismissing this complaint! Sincerely, Ben Parks ... USA |
| JagaltayBhoot | Posted
on 30-Jun-04 05:26 AM
I, not only as a nepali but also as a human being, appreciate what Mr Parks seems to be doing in the interest of Nepalese prisoners (and others as well?) in Thailand and obviously have high regards for him. The problem seems to be choice and hygiene of the food being provided to prisoners. But what surprises and irritates me to some extent is the seemingly non-responsiveness of Mr Khanal. If it is indeed true, is he being unresponsiveness becuase he thinks it is going to be unnoticed? Maybe, nepalese in thailand could look over the matter and try to bring it under the notice of the ambassador so that corrective steps are taken. If that also fails to bear results, maybe all-powerful media could be of more help? |
| Riten | Posted
on 30-Jun-04 10:16 AM
I wonder if this is one of many many many cases of racism (aka castism) or class discrimination. Khanal, being of bahun caste, in relatively cushy high level foreign service probably prefers not to be bothered by the plight of a fellow country(wo)men who happens to be janajati and whom he does not identify with. Never mind it is his job and sworn duty to represent and assist anyone from Nepal in his jurisdiction. Sad sad case of much too often repeated situation. And we wonder why people of different caste and socio-economic background are so disenfranchised by the so called elites who purport to run important offices of so called "our" nation. Somehow, civil war seems not too implausible phenomenon in this kind of atmoshphere. |