Chalida Tajaroensuk

Chalida Tajaroensuk receives the Ordem de Timor-Leste (2019)

Chalida Tajaroensuk (born February 28, 1945 ) is a Thai human rights activist. She is the director of the People's Empowerment Foundation (PEF), which is based in Bangkok and oversees grassroots human rights networks and operates in Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Career

Chalida's mother was a teacher, her father a clerk in the tax office. Both shaped Chalida's sense of justice. As a student, she began actively campaigning for human rights. She volunteered in the slums, which involved her in the fight against the government. She then got involved in various non-governmental organizations such as Women's Emergency House, the Asian Coalition for Housing Rights and FORUM-ASIA. Among other things, she supported Aung San Suu Kyi in her democracy movement in Myanmar , for which she was blacklisted by the government for 20 years. In Aceh ( Indonesia ) she was involved in the peace process, for example in the evacuation of activists during the military operations. Chalida supported underground activists, helped set up the Acehnese Task Force for Society after the 2004 tsunami and repeatedly called for peace measures. As a member of the Asia-Pacific Coalition for East Timor (APCET), Chalida campaigned for the East Timorese's right to self-determination during the Indonesian occupation (1975-1999). During this time she was arrested and expelled for this in Malaysia . Chalida also campaigned for human rights defenders in Cambodia and the protection of refugees along the border.

In 1994 Chalida participated in the University of New South Wales (UNSW) fifth diplomatic training program.

Awards

Medal of the East Timorese Ordem de Timor-Leste (2019)

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b Diplomacy Training Program of UNSW Sydney: Chalida Tajaroensuk , August 2017 , accessed on September 7, 2019.
↑ FORUM-ASIA: 'The belief in love, social justice and generosity runs deep in my life'- Interview with Chalida Tajaroensuk, Executive Director of the People's Empowerment Foundation (PEF) , May 10, 2017. , accessed on September 7, 2019 .
^ President of East Timor: PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC BESTOWS UPON TEN INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES THE ORDER OF TIMOR-LESTE , September 1, 2019 , accessed on September 3, 2019.

personal data
SURNAME	Chalida Tajaroensuk
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Thai human rights activist
DATE OF BIRTH	February 28, 1945

[Diplomacy-1] Diplomacy Training Program of UNSW Sydney: Chalida Tajaroensuk , August 2017 , accessed on September 7, 2019.

[2] FORUM-ASIA: 'The belief in love, social justice and generosity runs deep in my life'- Interview with Chalida Tajaroensuk, Executive Director of the People's Empowerment Foundation (PEF) , May 10, 2017. , accessed on September 7, 2019 .

[pres2019-09-01-3] President of East Timor: PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC BESTOWS UPON TEN INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES THE ORDER OF TIMOR-LESTE , September 1, 2019 , accessed on September 3, 2019.