The Northern Peasant Federation (NPF) on Tuesday submitted a petition to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Forestry, in a bid to reclaim land use rights for forest-dependent ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples.
About 20 representatives of the NPF affected by the government's land and forest management passed on their demands to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa via the ministry's permanent secretary Jatuporn Buruspat at Le Meridien Chiang Mai where the meeting is being held from Tuesday to Thursday.
Thaworn Laklaem, the NPF representative, said the meeting was only promoting the government's agenda and did not have the participation of the public, especially those affected by the policy.
