SULAK SIVARAKSA (THAILAND)

'for his vision, activism and spiritual commitment in the quest for a development process that is rooted in democracy, justice and cultural integrity.'

sulak Sivaraksa was born in 1933 and was educated in England before returning to Thailand in 1961 to be a lecturer at Thammasat and Chulalongkorn universities. In 1963 he founded and for six years edited the Social Science Review, which soon became the most influential publication in Thailand and, according to several testimonies, played a crucial role in awakening the student awareness that led to the overthrow of the military regime in 1973. Concern for democracy, human rights and accountable government, and the ability to inspire thousands of others in many different countries with such concern, have been one abiding and central strand of Sivaraksa's life-work. Recently he has given support to Burmese refugees in Thailand, being largely responsible for the famous Jungle University for fleeing Burmese students.

Along with Sivaraksa's inspiration of students has gone his leading role in the unprecedented mobilisation of Thai civil society. Sivaraksa is credited with starting the indigenous NGO movement in Thailand through his creation of a string of social welfare and development organisations rooted in different aspects of Thai society. Running through all the organisations inspired by Sivaraksa are two principal themes: a rejection of Western consumerist models of development, in favour of an approach to development founded in and growing out of Thai (or, more generally, indigenous) culture; and an emphasis on the importance of the spiritual and religious dimension of human life, rooted in his own deep Buddhist sensibility, and the

need for this to become 'socially engaged'. Through his prolific writings and speeches, at home and abroad, as well as through his activism and organisational initiatives, his culturally-specific, spiritually-based concept of development has been ofgreat influence worldwide.

His social activism has repeatedly brought Sivaraksa repression from Thailand's authorities. In 1976 he fled abroad from an arrest warrant during Thailand 's bloodiest coup, and in 1984 his book Unmasking Thai Society landed him in court on a charge of lese majeste. After a four month public trail the King of Thailand intervened to have the charge withdrawn. However, in 1991 the same charge was levied against him by the military junta following a critical speech at the university, again driving Sivaraksa into exile. He returned in December 1992 after the junta was replaced by a civilian regime. The case was brought and finally ended in Sivaraksa's acquittal in April 1995.

In the meantime, Sulak has been developing two new initiatives. The first is an international network on 'Alternatives to Consumerism', which aspires to record inspiring stories of sustainable alternatives to the Western consumer model with different spiritual motivations. An inter-religious, non-violent approach is advocated and initiatives chosen will generally have strong spiritual values from one of the world's religions or indigenous peoples underpinning their activities. Coordinators will work closely with a diverse selection of movements, communities and projects whose common aim is working for a sustainable society. It is hoped that the project will help to facilitate a movement with a variety of sustainable value systems to counteract the present threat of a consumer monoculture.

Sulak's second initiative is the development of a new college in Thailand to explore an alternative approach to mainstream education. To this end the Spirit in Education Movement (SEM) has been founded at Sulak's instigation by several prominent alternative thinkers and educationalists. The SEM vision is to offer a spiritually-based holistic alternative to mainstream education with its unconnected fields.

'Participants in our Spirit in Education Movement will try to understand the ways in which prevailing economic, social and political systems contribute to suffering, and to violence and the culture of violence that surrounds us, in order to -provide a countervailing force of nonviolence, compassion and understanding.'

SULAK SIVARAKSA

Contact address:

Sulak Sivaraksa

Santi Pracha Dhamma Institute

117, Fuangnakhon Road

Bkk 10200

Thailand

Printed on recycled paper RLA/1996