Udd Calls Mass Gathering For Saturday

[sbk]

UDD calls mass gathering for Saturday

By: 'New' bosses to organise Samut Sakhon protest

Published: 21/04/2009 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: News

BANGKOK POST AND AFP

Kuenpetch Ponram, left, is joined yesterday by Somyos Prueksakasemsuk, right, and Sansern Sri-oonruan in declaring themselves ‘‘second generation’’ leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship. TAWATCHAI KEMGUMNERD

The UDD has called a mass gathering for Saturday in Samut Sakhon to air its claimed evidence of government violence against red shirt protesters.

The rally will be the first United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship gathering since the group called off its protest on April 14 and three of its core leaders were arrested.

It will be organised by three "second generation" leaders - Somyos Prueksakasemsuk, Sansern Sri-oonruan and Kuenpetch Ponram - who presented themselves yesterday at a news conference.

Mr Somyos is a former labour activist, Mr Sansern is a taxi driver who leads a group called "Friends of the Constitution" and Mr Kuenpetch is a red shirt leader in the Northeast.

Mr Somyos said the UDD had five second generation leaders but the other two refused to declare themselves publicly because one was a businessman and the other a civil servant.

The rally is planned for Samut Sakhon because the province is not covered by the state of emergency and yet is close to Bangkok.

Mr Somyos said about 3,000 anti-government protesters were expected to attend.

Highlights of the rally will include video footage of the government's alleged use of force against protesters during the April 8-14 demonstrations. Mr Somyos said about 30 people were still missing after the protests.

The UDD leaders will call for the lifting of the state of emergency and the return of the 1997 constitution.

A merit-making ceremony for red shirt protesters allegedly killed on April 14 at Din Daeng intersection will also be held on Thursday.

The Criminal Court tomorrow will hear a petition seeking the release of three leaders of the UDD who are being held in connection with the street violence last week.

The petition was lodged yesterday by lawyer Kharom Ponthaklang, who claimed the detention of his clients - Veera Musikhapong, Natthawut Saikua and Weng Tojirakarn - was unlawful.

Mr Kharom said the state of emergency declared by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on April 12 was unlawful because it was not ratified by the cabinet.

He claimed all decrees must be approved by the cabinet within three days of their enforcement, but there was no evidence the cabinet had endorsed the emergency decree.

Without cabinet endorsement, the decree should have been revoked on April 15, he said.

The three UDD leaders turned themselves in to police to face charges on April 14 after declaring an end to the red shirt protests.

They remain in police custody after the Criminal Court rejected their petition for release. Police invoked the state of emergency to hold them.

Another UDD leader, Jakrapob Penkair, yesterday said he had left the country to avoid an arrest warrant for inciting violence.

"We have got ourselves in a safe place and we are setting up an office which we will obviously use to continue the movement," Mr Jakrapob said in a telephone call redirected by an assistant to avoid detection.

"We have developed some strategies so we have had to spend time analysing the situation," he said.

Mr Jakrapob said he was in touch with Thaksin Shinawatra, who was in Dubai until recently , "but he's not instructing what we do here".

In Chiang Rai, nine UDD supporters facing charges involving street protests are expected to turn themselves in to police today.

In a related development, veteran Buri Ram politician Newin Chidchob yesterday lodged a complaint with police against Mr Natthawut and another UDD leader Jatuporn Prompan after they accused him of engineering street violence during the UDD protests.

Mr Newin also lodged a complaint against UDD supporter Adisorn Piangkate for allegedly encouraging red shirts to hunt him down.

Mr Newin, the de facto leader of a major faction of the Bhumjaithai party, which is part of the ruling coalition, was linked to civil violence involving clashes between the blue and red shirts at the Asean summit on April 11 in Pattaya. The summit was postponed.

-- Bangkok Post 2009/04/21