[Tlc] T_China protests

[justinm at ucr.edu]

Forwarded from Bonnie brereton,
justin

DAILY XPRESS
You'll be playing with fire
Any foreigner who takes part in protests during the run will be kicked
out for good, police warn


Published on April 18, 2008


Protesters disrupting tomorrow's Olympic-torch relay will be arrested
immediately and prosecuted for public disturbance, police say.

Foreigners will be expelled and banned from returning. Those with
residency will have it revoked permanently, spokesman Lt-General
Watcharaphol Prasarnratchakij says.

"If they come here and engage in unlawful acts, they must be
prosecuted ... if they engage in illegal activity, we will proceed
according to the law by revoking their visa," he says.

"We have prepared everything to ensure the smoothness of the ceremony."

A Government House source says there are groups in this country
motivated to disrupt the relay, including human-rights groups and the
local Falun Gong.

Additional police have been deployed to the Plaza Athenee Hotel, where
the torch and Olympic flame are housed ahead of tomorrow's 3pm run.

There will be as many as 2,000 policemen on duty along the route,
according to the Olympic Committee of Thailand.

Four police vehicles and six officers will accompany the relay at all
times. A bomb squad and a canine crew are on standby as is a special
weapons and tactics outfit.

The heavy security highlights concerns here and the government's
desire to avoid similar chaos to that which occurred overseas.

Free Tibet Network member Pokpong Lawansiri disagrees with the stance
against pro-Tibet protests.

"Under the Constitution, an individual - local or foreigner - has the
right to rally for a cause," he says. "Peaceful rally should be
allowed".

He expects about 100 members to protests.

Prime ministerial aide Akhaphol Sorrasuchart says protests can
continue as long as there's no run disruption and they do not break
other laws, including traffic, or damage property.

A number of locations have been prepared for protests, although he
will not say where.

The relay route through normally crowded Bangkok has been cordoned off
with barricades to deter protests.

Rallying point

Networks and organisations planning pro-Tibet activities tomorrow include:

>> Free Tibet Network, Thai Labour Campaign Group, Chulalongkorn
University social critics, Activists for Social Change, Young People
for Democracy Movement and Workers Democracy.

>> Others include Reporters Without Borders and China pro-democracy
and pro-Taiwan groups.

by Daily Xpress


______________
Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
2617 Humanities Building
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
951-827-4530
justinm at ucr.edu