Women activists defend their communities against gold mine pollution

In its early days, TAMMACHAT Natural Textiles worked with a village group of women weavers in Loei province in Thailand -- Kokkabok Group of Housewives Spinning Local Cotton. Women in a neighbouring village have since been charged for holding a silent, peaceful protest against a gold mining company that was found guilty of contaminating local water sources. This affects all villagers in the area. We are deeply saddened by events yet hope for a good outcome.

Read the July 24, 2017 news release from Fortify Rights.
"Fortify Rights works to prevent and remedy human rights violations. We investigate and document abuses, provide customized technical support to human rights defenders, and press for solutions. We are a non-profit human rights organization based in Southeast Asia and registered in Switzerland and the United States."

Watch a video on Facebook about these women made by Fortify Rights.

Read the July 25, 2017 update from Prachatai English. The women activists face a preliminary hearing on Aug. 11, 2017.

Read Paolo Gianturco's story and interviews in GRANDMOTHER POWER: A Global Phenonmenon. Scroll up in the first link for the start of the section on Environment - Thailand to learn more about how this gold mine has also affected weavers in a neighbouring village. Paola writes on her website:
"The 43 members of the Kokkabok Group of Housewives Spinning Local Cotton, all grandmothers, are determined to stop the gold mining that has poisoned the air, water and earth, and made people sick on the other side of the mountain where they live in Northeastern Thailand. Committed to helping neighboring weavers, they designate a portion of their own income to them, then go to Bangkok to express their concerns to national officials. Local weaver grandmothers tell the whole story in GRANDMOTHER POWER."
Read TAMMACHAT's original post about GRANDMOTHER POWER.