Amnesty International and Muslims in Thailand on Wednesday protested in the capital Bangkok against human rights abuses in Israel and the Palestinian territories and called upon Southeast Asian governments to speak out against the violence.
Around two dozen demonstrators of the Muslim Student Network, calling for a "Free Palestine," chanted slogans in Arabic, including "God is great," outside the Israeli Embassy.
In a separate protest led by Amnesty International Thailand, some 70 people submitted letters to the Israeli and American missions demanding "an end to the human rights crisis" and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank.
"Israel's full-scale military invasion of the occupied territories and its flagrant human rights abuses are fuelling the fires of violence consuming Palestinians and Israelis alike," said Sunai Phasuk, of leading regional rights group Forum Asia.
A police cordon kept protestors at bay outside the high-rise building, which houses Israel's embassy.
Subsequently, the group members marched peacefully through the streets of Bangkok to the United States embassy, where organizers were let into the heavily guarded compound to present their letter of demands.
The protest alliance urged Southeast Asian nations, several of which have either Muslim majorities or large minorities, to formulate policy positions on the situation in the Middle East.
"Despite the calls from countries all over the world, Southeast Asia has been especially silent, Thailand in particular," Sunai told AFP News Agency.
"It is quite embarrassing that the Thai government has not come up with any position yet."
Muslims represent around four percent of Thailand's mainly Buddhist population of 62 million, although Thailand's five southernmost provinces adjacent to Malaysia have Muslim majorities.
A wave of demonstrations has surged throughout much of the Arab world since March 29th when Israeli troops stormed the West Bank and confined Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in his Ramallah headquarters. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
