9 Dec 2015

The murders of two human rights defenders working on land and natural resource issues in the south of Thailand underscore the need for authorities in the country to take urgent measures to ensure the safety and protection of such people, United Nations said…

The two men, Pitan Thongpanang and Sumsuk Kokrang, were shot dead within four days of each other, as they challenged the legality of large private sector projects in the area…

…Mr. Pitan, who was killed on 30 November, opposed mining operations on his community’s land and was lead plaintiff in an ongoing case in which the administrative court had issued a temporary order that stopped the mining company’s operations.

Mr. Sumsuk…was shot at a palm oil plantation. He was leading a campaign to investigate the legality of the plantation.

The two men join a list of at least 30 human rights defenders, many of them land and community rights activists, who have become victims of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in Thailand since 2001.