News Forum - Amnesty faces being kicked out of Thailand for not meeting “legal requirements”

[Poolie]

20 minutes ago, Fundok said:

Semantics. Political parties are expected to cover virtually all areas of life and the community whereas NGOs typically concentrate their efforts on one specific topic.

I don't see much merit in talking about the sense or non-sense of having NGOs in general. I wouldn't even disagree that some goals they pursue and some ways they go about are questionable. But this is not the topic here.

AI is in my view important, trying to protect and preserve human rights all over the world. By doing so, it is a thorn in the flesh of those misusing their power, and that's why AI often faces attempts to silence them.

This is a regionally organised NGO with local offices in 50+ countries, and even in countries where human rights are mainly respected there is always room for improvement. As for a country which is governed by a military junta every attempt to close the regional office down should raise red flags.

An NGO which has funding from the UK Foreign Office, the European Union and the US State Department?

However, AI has received grants over the past ten years from the UK Department for International Development,^[129] the European Commission,^[130] the United States State Department^[131][132] and other governments.^{[133][134]9(Wikipedia)}

[Fundok]

1 hour ago, Poolie said:

An NGO which has funding from the UK Foreign Office, the European Union and the US State Department?

However, AI has received grants over the past ten years from the UK Department for International Development,^[129] the European Commission,^[130] the United States State Department^[131][132] and other governments.^{[133][134]9(Wikipedia)}

According to their 2020 financial report published on their website AI states:

"The vast majority of our income comes from small donations from private individuals. More than 1,5m individuals donated to AI in 2020. The average donation per month was 13,31 USD."

The donations from individuals make 75% of their income.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/2020-global-financial-report/

[Soidog]

12 hours ago, LoongFred said:

They have high salaries and live a good life in Thailand. 

Facts and evidence to substantiate that claim please Fred. You have to stop posting such things unless you can substantiate them. Please do so. 

[oldschooler]

3 hours ago, Soidog said:

Facts and evidence to substantiate that claim please Fred. You have to stop posting such things unless you can substantiate them. Please do so. 

They are risking persecution, prosecution & jail by conducting their work here completely unprotected by law. Doubt they get fat remuneration.

[AussieBob]

My two pence worth.  AI is a scam in itself - they long ago stopped doing what they should be doing and claim they are doing - but no longer do - protect human rights.  What they are doing every where is pushing left-wing globalist UN social and political agendas. 

Just one example - AI is pushing to set up an International Court in Australia.  Now you may think that is a great idea for human rights etc etc - but what it really means is that they want a Court in Australia that will enforce ALL rules deemed to be Human Rights by the UN.  The Courts in Australia are there for the enforcement of Laws passed by elected politicians under the Australian Constitution. There must never be a Court in Australia that over-rules the Laws of Australia because of something enacted by unelected officials in the UN.  Example:  The current policy of detaining all illegal immigrants offshore is strongly supported by the Australian people - we do not automatically accept that people who travel over half way around the world at great expense and who bypass many countries on the way that are full UNHR Members, are real 'refugees'.

By the way - quote:  "The average Amnesty International executive compensation is $225,186 a year. The median estimated compensation for executives at Amnesty International including base salary and bonus is $226,015, or $108 per hour. At Amnesty International, the most compensated executive makes $700,000 annually"   That is in USD !!!  https://www.comparably.com/companies/amnesty-international/executive-salaries

AI long ago stopped being an organisation that impartially protects the basic human rights of people. They are now a politically active organisation that is pushing their social and political views upon others, while hiding behind their narrative of being about 'human rights' - and screaming loudly that anyone criticising them are Fascist Nazis. 

[King Cotton]

24 minutes ago, LoongFred said:

Thanks, for putting me on ignore so I don't have to read your platitudes. Also, it not good edicate using someone's first name unless you are are on friendly terms. In fact it's rude even in American where people are less caught up in formalities. As advised by the monitors to both of us, we need to stop the back and forth. 

'Edicate' . . . presumably a word, exclusive to American dictionaries ?

[LoongFred]

33 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

My two pence worth.  AI is a scam in itself - they long ago stopped doing what they should be doing and claim they are doing - but no longer do - protect human rights.  What they are doing every where is pushing left-wing globalist UN social and political agendas. 

Just one example - AI is pushing to set up an International Court in Australia.  Now you may think that is a great idea for human rights etc etc - but what it really means is that they want a Court in Australia that will enforce ALL rules deemed to be Human Rights by the UN.  The Courts in Australia are there for the enforcement of Laws passed by elected politicians under the Australian Constitution. There must never be a Court in Australia that over-rules the Laws of Australia because of something enacted by unelected officials in the UN.  Example:  The current policy of detaining all illegal immigrants offshore is strongly supported by the Australian people - we do not automatically accept that people who travel over half way around the world at great expense and who bypass many countries on the way that are full UNHR Members, are real 'refugees'.

By the way - quote:  "The average Amnesty International executive compensation is $225,186 a year. The median estimated compensation for executives at Amnesty International including base salary and bonus is $226,015, or $108 per hour. At Amnesty International, the most compensated executive makes $700,000 annually"   That is in USD !!!  https://www.comparably.com/companies/amnesty-international/executive-salaries

AI long ago stopped being an organisation that impartially protects the basic human rights of people. They are now a politically active organisation that is pushing their social and political views upon others, while hiding behind their narrative of being about 'human rights' - and screaming loudly that anyone criticising them are Fascist Nazis. 

Thanks, it's even worse  than what I've observed in Bangkok.

[LoongFred]

On 2/17/2022 at 5:15 AM, Fundok said:

This comment is blissfully ignorant of the facts. Typically there is no money to be made by those dedicating their time and sometimes even risking their lives. Human rights is something worthwhile standing up for. Not only in Thailand.

I waiting to see the results of their actions. Regular AI officials receive good salaries, I believe.

[JohninDublin]

On 2/16/2022 at 7:14 AM, riclag said:

Thats a nasty four letter word  >unidentified slang term<!

Internationally The organization has some good, bad and ugly history !

In Thailand Im inclined  to think its a good thing ! 

Unless I have misunderstood the word, ">unidentified slang term<" is a pejorative term to describe those who have only just become aware of a social problem that has been known of for years. Amnesty was awake long before (1961) the ">unidentified slang term<" trend.

[JohninDublin]

On 2/16/2022 at 8:19 AM, LoongFred said:

Although there charter says they are supposed to assure rights are upheld.  They seem very weak and ineffective. Also they appear to usually represent a >unidentified slang term< point of view, that's becoming increasingly unpopular. 

Things like the Canadian truckers can't expect help because they're on the wrong side of the political spectrum.

Sorry but I missed the part where the Canadian Truckers were being detained in camps without due process in a dictatorship or were facing the death penalty, which is what AI usually get involved in. If you can provide the links to these, I will contact AI immediately and I am sure they will get on the case.

[JohninDublin]

On 2/16/2022 at 10:00 AM, LoongFred said:

Not sure how guns and heavy weapons fit in and or racial prejudice. However, they should be concerned about everyone's rights not just those  that are politically correct. That where they fail IMO.

The truckers fight is against government overreach, I believe.

You clearly don't understand democracy. The Canadians have adopted powers given to them by virtue of having won an election. That legitimises those powers. Whether they are unreasonable or not will be part of the debate when they come up for re-election.

[LoongFred]

5 minutes ago, JohninDublin said:

Unless I have misunderstood the word, ">unidentified slang term<" is a pejorative term to describe those who have only just become aware of a social problem that has been known of for years. Amnesty was awake long before (1961) the ">unidentified slang term<" trend.

The biggest issue is that they only represent one political view and ignore valid concerns if they don’t agree. In other terms they are politically biased. That’s why they don’t represent those against mandates in the us. That why I won’t support them.

The slang term is “>unidentified slang term<” which has come to mean to represent the far left. The negative of it unwoke was ment as a criticism for anyone who didn’t agree with the far left agenda. It not a pejorative term per say but used to identify a political point of view. It might take on other meaning outside the US. 

[JohninDublin]

On 2/16/2022 at 11:31 AM, Poolie said:

Where do they stand on Julian Assange?

https://www.amnesty.org/en/petition/julian-assange-usa-justice/

Personally, I find Assange to be an odious character, but once we decide that someone is less worthy of "human rights" than others, then we are on a dangerous slippery slope, because sooner or later, someone will decide that you or I may also be not worthy.

[LoongFred]

14 minutes ago, JohninDublin said:

Sorry but I missed the part where the Canadian Truckers were being detained in camps without due process in a dictatorship or were facing the death penalty, which is what AI usually get involved in. If you can provide the links to these, I will contact AI immediately and I am sure they will get on the case.

Sorry I must have misunderstood AL agenda. I thought they were to represent all kinds of social injustice not just those in prison and or facing death. 

[LoongFred]

14 minutes ago, JohninDublin said:

You clearly don't understand democracy. The Canadians have adopted powers given to them by virtue of having won an election. That legitimises those powers. Whether they are unreasonable or not will be part of the debate when they come up for re-election.

The problem is did they overstep those powers and infringe on the free rights of others. 

[JohninDublin]

On 2/17/2022 at 3:49 AM, LoongFred said:

Not at all true. Oxford is way out of date. American stang moves much fasted than the printed page. 

Political twists probably are very dependent on where you're from and your ideology.  I think AI only represents causes they ideology agree with, rather than everyone equally. Additionally, I can't see results of their efforts so I must assume that they're not that effective.

AI's achievements in 2021.https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/12/33-human-rights-wins-to-celebrate-this-year/  I realise that you might be unimpressed with most if not all of these, but I'm sure that the multitude of people who benefitted from them will have a different view.

[JohninDublin]

On 2/17/2022 at 6:38 AM, CamPat said:

7  years ago neighboring Cambodia was still fighting to get a Law in place to regulate the NGO Sector and in total it almost took 2 decades to finally get it signed off (but NGO still not satisfied)

https://thediplomat.com/2015/07/does-cambodia-really-need-a-new-ngo-law/

The  reasons are basically the same as in Thailand. NGO's object to nothing more than to transparency. A great number of many NGO in foreign countries simply don't want to tell how much global funding they receive and who is in charge for what kind of work .

I don't want to underplay the seriousness of the subject, but that particularly applies to the NGO's who are purportedly campaigning against child sex abuse in Cam.

[JohninDublin]

23 minutes ago, LoongFred said:

Sorry I must have misunderstood AL agenda. I thought they were to represent all kinds of social injustice not just those in prison and or facing death. 

That's a disingenuous response. You don't so much misunderstand the agenda, as have no affinity with it because you've never needed. Lucky you.

[JohninDublin]

24 minutes ago, LoongFred said:

The problem is did they overstep those powers and infringe on the free rights of others. 

Can you tell me, did the Canadian gov use legislation to dispel this demo? If they did, then those are powers delegated to them by virtue of being elected. The fact remains that they will be held to account at the next election, and any and all arrests will be subject to due process. 

Laws, by their very nature infringe on the free rights of others. That's why (e.g.) there is a right side and a wrong side of the road to drive on. And what about the truckers infringing on the free rights of others to use the highways that they were blocking?

[JohninDublin]

44 minutes ago, LoongFred said:

The biggest issue is that they only represent one political view and ignore valid concerns if they don’t agree. In other terms they are politically biased. That’s why they don’t represent those against mandates in the us. That why I won’t support them.

The slang term is “>unidentified slang term<” which has come to mean to represent the far left. The negative of it unwoke was ment as a criticism for anyone who didn’t agree with the far left agenda. It not a pejorative term per say but used to identify a political point of view. It might take on other meaning outside the US. 

Of course it's always the fault of the left. Hmmm?

[CamPat]

My personal experience with western financed NGO in SEA is their slogan: We came to help ... and done well !