[New-imc] Re: THAILAND/Akha

[Matthew McDaniel]

Jay and all:

I think I mentioned the specific replies to those
concerns.  I don't think our focus is to have only a
north Thailand regional or issue north only kind of
thing.

It is very important for everyone in Thailand that
those effected by adverse government policy,
environmental events, etc, have a place to voice these
concerns.

In our work with the Akha people, one of the things
which has made it difficult is that there is NOT
enough grassroots network, 1 and that NGO's tend to
dominate and be gate keepers, blocking individuals
with good points or ideas from getting their voices
out.

So we don't really have any idea that the IMC will be
a copy of our work with the Akha (www.akha.org) but
rather a wide open forum for all Thailand issues,
whoever they are with.

This is intended to be, and encourage the common
person's voice in Thailand.

If the Akha, other hilltribes, want to use the forum,
they can do that too. But it certainly is not limited
to that.

I hope this makes it more clear what our hopes are for
this site.  This came out of the fact that the drug
war killings of last year suppressed ALL networks in
Thailand.

Matthew McDaniel

=====
The Akha Heritage Foundation.
http://www.akha.org Akha Heritage Site.
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