Thai Groups Call On Red Shirts Not To Be Violent

[webfact]

CALL FOR PEACE

Groups call on red shirts to not be violent

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Groups call on red shirts to not be violent; residents told to press car horns for 1 minute in protest

The Stop Hurting Thailand Network yesterday urged all citizens to wear or carry a white ribbon as a symbol of peace.

Prinya Thevanaruemitkul, a leader of the group, also urged the red-shirt Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship (DAAD) to not shutdown the capital over the weekend.

In a press conference organised jointly with the Thai Journalists Association (TJA) yesterday, the group urged all sides to prevent clashes as the red shirts get ready to launch a massive protest from Friday.

General Ekachai Srivilart, director of the Peace and Good Governance Centre at King Prajadhipok Institute, also encouraged all sides to exercise tolerance, adding that the government should respect every citizens' Constitutional right to freedom of assembly.

He said any control imposed on the protesters should be exercised on a strictly need-to-do basis only and security officers should refrain from carrying weapons unnecessarily.

He also said that government and protest leaders should establish a hotline to prevent violence and urged people who think differently from the red shirts to not resort to violence themselves.

Meanwhile, a new group led by Sari Ongsomwang called "People Who Do Not Accept Civil War", issued a statement calling on the government and protesters to adhere to peaceful means.

She also asked protesters to not shutdown the capital as this may inconvenience those needing immediate medical attention. Sari also encouraged the protesters to not arm themselves with cans of petrol.

The "People Who Do Not Accept Civil War" will rally for peace today at the Phya Thai intersection from 2.30pm. Apart from these groups, high-school students have also joined in the call for peace.

Gothom Arya, director of the Mahidol University Research Centre of Peace, yesterday met DAAD leader Veera Musigapong to encourage him to maintain calm during the rally, and will meet the government side today to make the same plea.

The media is also worried that it is being used as a political tool. TJA president Prasong Lertrattawisut admitted that some media outlets were indeed being manipulated and urged the print media to be careful about the tone of its headlines.

He also called on broadcast media to not vilify those whom they disagree with. He said the network's statement would be forwarded to various organisations in Thailand and abroad.

In related news, a group called Bangkokians has started an e-mail campaign calling on residents to show their resistance to the red-shirt protest by pressing on their car horns for one minute after the 6pm every evening from Thursday until the rally ends.

The mail read: "Those of you who disagree with the red-shirt protest can press your car horn simultaneously every evening after the national anthem.

Let the local and foreign media see hundreds of thousands of cars in Bangkok exercise civil disobedience for the first time ever in the world.

"Please forward this message through every channel like BlackBerry, Facebook, Twitter, Hi5, e-mail or anything else. It might be a burden, but it's just for one minute. It's better than letting the country sink into trouble for a long time."

-- The Nation 2010-03-11

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[neverdie]

Pressing the car horns for a minute every evening after the national anthem ........as if there isnt enough noise in this place.

[tonglen]

I think we're all wanting the same thing for everyone: WHIRLED PEAS.....

[Asa]

The red shirts are afraid of losing its popularity if violence erupted, don't you think?

[anotherpeter]

The red shirts are afraid of losing its popularity if violence erupted, don't you think?

That's my opinion too.

But there are others that believe that if violence erupts, then the army will react with force (ala 1992). Some also believe that violence shows that the government can't control things, therefore they should step down.

There will be a lot of the blame game going on. Any violence that does eventuate will be blamed on someone else or on infiltrators.

[tonglen]

The red shirts are afraid of losing its popularity if violence erupted, don't you think?

That's my opinion too.

But there are others that believe that if violence erupts, then the army will react with force (ala 1992). Some also believe that violence shows that the government can't control things, therefore they should step down.

There will be a lot of the blame game going on. Any violence that does eventuate will be blamed on someone else or on infiltrators.

I agree with the two of you. However what are the chances that this will be a peaceful gathering?

When you gather a crowd that large, theres bound to be mayhem, especially when theres an atmosphere so politically charged as this.

I will wager to say if you gathered 30,000 boyscouts, nuns and monks (hyperbole) there would be violence of some sort.

It will be a good couple of days for books!!