Living along a river destabilised by dam discharges, Upper Mekong residents tell how they cope with unseasonable water level fluctuations to protect natural environments, like the “Boon Rueng Forest” wetlands, and preserve traditional Akha cuisine.

<p>More than 60 representatives from Indigenous Women&rsquo;s Organizations and Networks from Southeast Asia called on world leaders currently gathered in Madrid, Spain for the last three days of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 25th Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP 25) to recognize the importance of working with Indigenous Peoples particularly Indigenous Women and their Indigenous Knowledge in mitigating and adapting to climate change.&nbsp;</p>

<div>Last year, something quite momentous happened as regards all of Thailand’s <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/5738">officially recognized 62 ethnicities</a>. </div>

<p dir="ltr">Almost three years after the disappearance of Billy, the ethnic minority activist, the lives of the Karen in Kaeng Krachan remain in trouble, facing intimidation, drought and displacement.</p>

<p>Defending the soldier who shot dead a youth Lahu activist on suspicion of selling drugs, the national police chief said the activist could have shot soldiers.</p> <p>On 28 March 2017, at the National Police Headquarters in Bangkok, Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda, chief of the Royal Thai Police (RTP),&nbsp;<a href="http://m.prachachat.net/news_detail.php?newsid=1490678938">announced&nbsp;</a>that the police are now investigating the CCTV footage at the checkpoint where the Lahu activist Chaiyapoom Pasae was killed on 17 March.</p>

<p>Contrary to the claims of police, two Commissioners of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) have found that the recently slain Lahu activist made his living from selling coffee beans not illicit drugs.</p> <p>On 25 March 2017, Angkhana Neelapaijit and Tuenjai Deetes of the NHRC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.khaosod.co.th/special-stories/news_269988">visited the house</a>&nbsp;of Chaiyapoom Pasae of the Lahu ethnic minority who was summarily killed by soldiers on 17 March on suspicion of selling drugs.</p>

<div> <div>The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has initiated an investigation into the recent killing of a Lahu activist after the incident raised great concern among both international and domestic human rights organisations.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 21 March 2016, National Human Rights Commissioner Angkhana Neelapaijit <a href="http://www.bbc.com/thai/thailand-39337564?ocid=socialflow_facebook">stated</a> that the NHRC will collect reports and documents related to the recent summary killing of Chaiyaphum Pasae, She said that the incident has made her lose faith in the Thai </div></div>

<p>After almost a decade-long legal battle, the Supreme Court has dismissed lawsuits against 2 members of the Karen ethnic minority in northern Thailand accused of land encroachment.</p> <p>On 22 March 2017, the Provincial Court of Mae Sot District in Tak Province<a href="https://www.facebook.com/naksit.org/posts/1308639735871188">&nbsp;dismissed the</a><u> case</u>&nbsp;against Nohaemui Wiangwicha and Dipaepo or Dipaepho, two members of the Karen ethnic minority of Ban Mae Omki, Mae Wa Luang Subdistrict, Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Behind the summary killing of a young ethnic minority rights activist lies a deep-rooted culture of impunity and discrimination against ethnic minorities long stigmatised as drug traffickers.</p> <p></p>

<p>Soldiers have summarily killed a Lahu youth activist after attempting to arrest him as an alleged drug suspect.</p> <p>On 17 March 2017, soldiers and other security officers of the Pha Muang Task Force deployed at a checkpoint in Mueang Na Subdistrict of Chiang Dao District in Chiang Mai Province summarily killed Chaiyapoom Pasae, a 17-year-old member of the Lahu ethnic minority.</p> <p>The soldiers claimed that they found a certain amount of amphetamine in the car Chaiyaphum was sitting in and that he resisted arrest by pulling out a knife before running into a bush.</p>