In Memoriam - Topong Kulkhanchit

Topong Kulkhanchit was a true-blue advocate and activist who loved what he did. When I met him for the first time during the training at the Asia-Pacific Development Centre on Disability (APCD) in Bangkok, he had a yellow scarf around his neck to show allegiance to Thailand’s king and also as a symbol of the anti-Thaksin coalition.

I thought to myself, “Here is a very brave man who is doing great things, not only for his peers with disabilities but also for his nation.”

Therefore, there was a great reluctance in my heart to accept that this great person has left us so soon and so suddenly. There is still so much that he can do to contribute to the disability movement in Thailand and the Asia-Pacific. There is still so much that we can learn from him. He was a free spirit and very charismatic. He never let his disability stop him from living life to the fullest. His demise has left a gaping void in the disability movement that will be difficult to fill.

Rest in peace Topong.

We shall carry on the advocacy on equality for disabled persons from where you left off.

Peter Tan
Malaysia

Memory of Topong

Dear Friends,

As I mentioned in my previous email, Topong passed away at 11:20 (Thai local times) on 7 June 2007. He returned from the South Asian workshop on ‘Capacity Building of Southern Disabled People’s Organizations in Bangladesh on 4 June. At that time his condition was bad, so that he stayed at home for a while. Then he developed a high fever over 40 degrees and was taken to the Army Hospital. In the night on 6 June, his condition turned to be critical. He had cardio-respiratory arrest 5 times until the morning. After the struggle with illness, while he was taken heart massage from doctors, he passed away.
Topong was a great leader of disability movement. Before he became disabled in 1986, Topong had served Royal Thai Army. Following his graduation from Royal Military Academy in 1981, he extended his study and training at the US. Army Infantry School in 1984-85. He got car accident during his patrol duty near Thailand-Malaysia border in 1986, injured his cervical cord, and became quadriplegic. He was promoted to be lieutenant colonel after leaving the army in 1989. While taking rehabilitation at the hospital, he participated in DPI Regional Assembly held in Thailand in 1988.
His encounter with disability sector led him to deep commitment to equal opportunities of persons with disabilities in society. Then he got a chance to participate in the Nagoya City Handi-Marathon and to visit an independent living center, Human Care Association, in Japan. During his visit, he stayed my home and learned that a person with severe disability could live in community not in hospital. He began to live in community where he started to drive a car and to write by himself.
Then he became President of the Association of the Physically Handicapped in Thailand (APHD) and developed APHD from a small organization coving only Bangkok area to a nation-wide organization. He was also an activist in an independent living (IL) movement, after he had invited to an IL study trip in USA in 1991 organized by the Human Care Association. He was always a great leader of our movements, such as establishing Rehabilitation Law, making accessible stations of Bangkok Sky-train, and organizing campaign for barrier-free new Bangkok airport. Appointed as Regional Development Officer of DPI-Asia-Pacific region in 1999, he used his talent for fostering young leaders with disabilities in Asia and the Pacific. His attractive character caught many disabled persons’ minds and brought unprecedented success in the last 20 years of disabled persons’ movements in Asia-Pacific region. In the region, there is no person with disability who has never heard of Topong Kulkhanchit.
Our strong movement deeply owes to his activity. Once he said “Leader works when staff are tired. Leader keeps awake to work when staff go to bed. Leader works without taking meal when staff are hungry.” He spent his life as his words. He continued his fight until his last moment and I believe he fulfilled his life.
May he rest in peace. I also offer my sincere condolences to his wife Ying, and his mother and sister.
We persons with disabilities left behind carry his torch and continue to fight to realize his vision of society of equality and full participation.

Yours sincerely,
Shoji Nakanishi
Chairperson, DPI Asia-Pacific Region

Activity Report from Philippines

Life Haven conducted IL Seminar Workshops at Philippine Orthopedic Center and at Tahanang Walang Hagdanan

The Psychology Department of Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC) located at Banawe St., Quezon City approved the proposal of Life Haven Independent Living Center to introduce the Independent Living Philosophy for-discharge-patients.

Initially, presentation was made to Dr. Marilyn Deocareza, Dr. Layee Alaba, Dr. Cynthia Malig and Dr. Jovelyn Mangahas on April 27, 2007. The audience appreciated the concept of Independent Living and were impressed by Joon Baltazar, Jun Bernandino, and Abner Manlapaz members of LHILC. The orientation won their support and pledge to include IL programs and services as part of their program for patients who are candidates for discharge.

On May 10, 2007, the first orientation to patients of POC was conducted. Thirteen patients and several personal assistants and occupational/physical therapy interns attended.

The Psychology Department thru Dr. Layee Alaba and the Rehab Chief Dr. Ma. Eulalia Beredo announced that they would take up on their upcoming Executive Committee meeting this development to include Independent Living as part of their program for patients who are about to be discharged.

Last May 29 – 31, 2007 Life Haven and SCI Foundation in cooperation with Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, Inc. conducted an IL Peer Counseling Seminar Workshop at Bahay San Leonardo (San Leonardo House) in Jala-jala, Rizal. Fourteen persons with disabilities attended the seminar workshop which lasted for 3 days. Tahanang Walang Hagdanan (TWH) is the biggest institution in the Philippines with several Sheltered Workshops and Residential Institutions scattered across the Philippines. TWH is advocating Independent Living and are promoting inclusion and barrier-free society. Virgie Montilla of TWH conveyed to us their intention to have more IL workshops to empower persons with disabilities and promote community living of persons with disabilities. Many participants noted that they never seen severely disabled persons leading seminar workshops and that they were inspired by severely disabled persons living independently in the community.

News from Japan (June 27, 2007)

Serious shortage of personal assistants

In Japan, many IL centers are now facing serious shortage of personal assistants. Shortage of PAs becomes major threat to many PWDs’ who practicing independent living in community.

Shortage is attributed to the drastic cut-back of public financial support for PAs by Japanese national government two years ago in the name of revenue shortfall. Since then, despite of serious effort of IL centers to rationalize operation, IL centers have lost certain number of PAs and also have difficulty in recruiting new ones.

Currently, we continuously and widely offer job while negotiating with national government and municipalities to restore the cut of public financial support.

Activity report from Taiwan, June 27, 2007

1. Study group
We held study groups on personal assistance service and operation of IL center. Currently we are making a program for PA service, and will apply for grants from government or any private foundations next year.

2. Peer-support
We visit to PWDs at home and have consultation on living issue. We empower ourselves through mutual support of PWDs, and think together to improve quality of life. Mutual support also restore the sense of self-confidence. We also have consultation about discrimination and advocate together.

3. Public relations through media
We disseminate philosophy of independent living and human rights of PWDs through interviews by media.

4. 2007 Asia Try
From Taiwan, 12 persons will participate into “2007 Asia Try,” which is the event held at the same period of 7th DPI World Assembly in Korea. Camera crew for documentary will go together with us. Taiwan’s PWDs did not have much record of active participation to demonstration. Hence, we hope this event will be good opportunity for participant to experience demonstration. We also want to present video about the event to many Taiwanese people after our return from Korea. Now we try to raise fund for 2007 Asia Try.

5. We are planning to make a documentary
We are planning to make a documentary not only about 2007 Asia Try but also about PWDs’ independent living and IL center. We are in the process of consideration.

(Lin)