【奶茶聯盟集結！要求美國公司停止向泰國警察出售催淚彈 —— Calling for sale suspension of tear gas to Thailand】#MilkTeaAlliance
To: sales@nonlethaltechnologies.com
Title: Thais and Hongkongers calling for sale suspension of tear gas to Thailand
Mr. Scott Oberdick
President
NonLethal Technologies, Inc.
9419 Route 286 Highway West
Homer City, PA 15748
Calling for sale suspension of tear gas canisters to Thailand
Dear Mr. Oberdick,
On the occasion of the recent crackdown of peaceful demonstrations in Thailand, I am writing on behalf of Thais and Hongkongers to call on your company to halt the sales of tear gas canisters that were indiscriminately used to target elementary school students.
Over the past few months since July, hundreds of thousands of Thailand protesters have been fighting for Three Demands, including constitutional reforms, through peaceful assemblies and demonstrations. However, the military-backed government used police forces and pro-monarchy mobsters to attack and quell dissents.
Earlier this week on November 17, the riot police fired water cannon and teargas at ralliers while they were demonstrating outside the parliament. According to Bangkok's Erawan Medical Centre, at least 55 people were hurt, while around 32 of them were suffering from teargas. Six people were reportedly shot with live rounds according to medical staff. Even underaged primary school students were subject to the indiscriminate use of teargas.
Multiple human rights groups in Thailand have condemned police brutality. National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRC) slammed the police use of teargas for violating international standards of human rights, while water mixed with chemicals was used to injure people. Thai Human Rights Lawyers Association also blasted the police tactics for being "not in accordance with the international procedure to disperse demonstrations."
Found at the scene, tear gas canisters show that your company is one of the suppliers of tear gas canisters to the riot police in Thailand. Therefore, Thai protestors and I urge your company to suspend the sale of tear gas canisters and other riot weapons to the Thai police force. We also call on the company to make public all the relevant user instructions concerning the riot weapons that the Thai police use.
I look forward to hearing from you and hope your company can put human rights above business profits.
Yours sincerely,
Joshua Wong
Youth Activist
