'Joint letter from the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions to Ms Suebchantasiri, Managing Director of United Palm Oil Industry of 14 December 2020', 15 February, 2021

Mr Dam Onmuang is a human rights defender and head of the security and protection committee of the Santi Pattana community in the Bang Sawan Sub-District of Surat Thani Province... On 20 October 2020, at approximately 1.00 a.m., Mr Onmuang was shot at by a man while on community guard duty, part of a self-protection programme developed by the Santi Pattana community for their own security. The shot missed the human rights defender, and the attacker subsequently fled. The shooter is allegedly involved in leading negotiations with the community on behalf of United Palm Oil Industry Public Co. Ltd... we express serious concern at the alleged attempted killing of Mr Onmuang, in particular given the history of violent attacks targeting human rights defenders from SPFT member communities in Surat Thani Province, including killings. Our concern is heightened by the history of impunity in these cases, giving rise to fears that the alleged attack in this instance may too go unpunished, with the related effect of further undermining the security of human rights defenders within the communities... we urge that all necessary interim measures be taken to halt the alleged violations and prevent their re-occurrence and in the event that the investigations support or suggest the allegations to be correct, to ensure the accountability of any person(s) responsible for the alleged violations...