About organization

Nowadays there are many people in society who are victims of injustice as they are not aware of their basic rights. As a result, they are not able to use the rights guaranteed under the Constitution and the laws to access the justice system or prove their innocence. To address these problems the Muslim Attorney Center (MAC) was established on 22 February 2007. MAC consists of human rights lawyers who provide free legal aid to the people to access justice, especially those who have been affected by the special laws such as the Martial Law and the Emergency Decree which are in force in the three provinces of southern Thailand that are undergoing a conflict. These special laws allow for preventive detention and limit the rights of the detainees to access lawyers or meet with their families. MAC provides help to the relatives and the detainees to access the justice system. Through its team of lawyers and paralegals it also conducts fact findings into issues of torture, arbitrary detention and extra judicial killings. Apart from that it provides knowledge and trainings to the people on law, constitution and international human rights standards. The head office of MAC is situated in Bangkok. It has branch offices in the three southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.

Objectives
1. To provide knowledge about law, constitution and international human rights organizations to the communities and civil society organizations.  
2. To provide free legal aid to the people to access justice  
3. To create networks for cooperation with lawyers and NGOs at national and international level.
4. To provide legal training for paralegals so that they can assist the lawyers in their work.

Members of MAC
  There are 17 persons as part on the Board or Committee (16 men and 1 woman)
  There are 10 persons (9 men and 1 woman) who work as local coordinators, legal consultants and administrative officers.
  There are 31 persons (24 men and 7 women) who work as volunteers in their own community

Accomplishments
 

Legal aid service for detainees arrested under laws relating to national security: there are increasing numbers of cases where people are being arrested under the special laws in operation in the Deep South. Since its establishment MAC has received more than 442 complaints. It has filed several habeas corpus petitions on arbitrary detention, torture and disappearance. It has also networked with national, international and regional organizations to raise campaigns around these cases on issues of torture, arbitrary detention and disappearance. Through providing legal representation to the detainees and taking their cases to the Court, MAC has been successful in getting release orders for detainees who have been arbitrarily detained.
  

Paralegal is one of most important group who support the work of the lawyers in MAC. MAC identifies people from the affected communities and provides them appropriate training so that they can assist the work of lawyers. Since the paralegals come from the affected communities they have a good understanding of the problems and the human rights violations in the areas. They are also able to communicate in the local dialect and help closing the gap between the lawyers and the community. The paralegal team of MAC has played an important and critical role in fact finding and building confidence of the people to file cases and give testimony before the Courts. Apart from that paralegals also work with youth groups and civil society organizations to conduct trainings on rights and laws for the communities.
  

Report on problems in the administration of justice in the Deep South of Thailand and give recommendations to the Court of Justice and the Government: MAC together with other networks has made two reports, in December 2007 and January 2008 on the problems in the administration of justice and given recommendations to the government for reforms. These reports were also circulated to the media and other politicians
  

Publications: MAC published a ‘Handbook on Special Laws and Regulations that are applicable in Deep South’. 1,000 copies of the handbook were printed and distributed to persons working with the justice system; the Court, Public Prosecutor, Administrative officers, the Police and the people in the affected area.

Committee
  

SITTIPHONG  CHANDHARAVIROJ, Secretary General

KITCHA  ALI-ISHOH, Deputy for Administrative and Office of the Secretary General

KAMONSAK  LEEWAMOH, Deputy for Rights and Legal Assistance

WITHAYA  BURANASIL , Deputy for Technical and Education

ANUSHA  SASANG, Treasurer

WANNACHAI  PANNOPPAR, Public Relation

SEREE  BURANASIL, Registrar

CHAIVUTH  MANUTHASNA, Foreign Affairs Director

ADILAN  ALI-ISHAK, Director representing Yala Province

ANUKUL  ARWEAPUTEH, Director representing Pattani Province

KAMONSAK  LEEWAMOH, Director representing Narathiwat Province

ALEE  LEMDOU, Director representing Satun Province

APICHAI  SANGWIMAN, Director

WATCHARIN  NILSAKUL, Director

SOAWALAK  LEMSEM, Director

SANIT  KAMTAEDTHONG, Director

SOMKIAT  NIMCHAREON, Director

Reference:

1. Surin Pissuwan, PhD., The ASEAN Secretary

2. Mr. Thongbai Thongpao, Lawyer Magsaisai award, Thongbai Thongpao and friends Lawyer office, Bangkok, Thailand

3. Mr.Somchai Homla-or, President, Cross Cultural Foundation, Thailand