STOPPAGE TIME

True reconciliation hinges on the real casualties of wars

By Tulsathit Taptim

The Nation

The secret is not "how" to reconcile. The question of "how" has misguided Thailand for too long, leading us astray to such headaches as constitutional reform, budget reallocations, decentralisation, empowerment and so on. The truth is, we can't change the electoral system, throw money at rural developments, put the Pheu Thai Party back in power and expect all the problems to just disappear.

No offence to the red shirts (the so-called Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship), but if tanks rolled out to topple the Abhisit government and bring Thaksin Shinawatra back to power today, none of them would ram a car into an armoured vehicle in a suicide protest.

As for the yellow shirts, Sondhi Limthongkul's claims that the Abhisit administration is more corrupt than its Thaksin predecessor will never trigger a mass demonstration. Why?

The rival camps want to make it look like an ideological divide, but it has never been and never will be. There are elements whose views of the role of the monarchy differ, but these are just sideshows that are sometimes blown out of proportion. The real big picture is that nobody really cares about democracy, and either side will do whatever is necessary to win and retain power, regardless of where its actions lead Thailand or how they could mock their proclaimed beliefs.

Our biggest loss is the ability to be true to ourselves. We condemn violence only when "the other side" commits it, and when "we" resort to it, it's because we have no choice. The same goes for court verdicts. When they go against you, it's discrimination, but when your rivals are at the receiving end, they deserve it. Double standards have become a national pastime now. Everybody goes about his business doing two things - accusing others of being hypocritical while ignoring his own hypocrisy.

The secret, therefore, is "who" to reconcile. If we have the right people, then problems may just be solved. If not, the whole thing will become yet another farce. To begin with, we must first go through the pain of accepting that if principles ever had something to do with it, we have crossed the line and tumbled down a slippery slope. We are like the American soldiers in Iraq, who were constantly told they were doing their job for the greater good but who never saw the devil in the details. Every war begins this way. The cause convinces people they are different from the "enemy", but as the fighting gets worse, everyone's dark similarities are exposed.

So, who are the "right people"? If Abhisit Vejjajiva shakes hands with Thaksin, with Sondhi applauding in the background, will it be over? If Prem Tinsulanonda and Chavalit Yongchaiyudh reunite, will the good old days come back? What about the red-shirt leaders? Jatuporn Promphan, if he is not guilty of "terrorism", has never been seen as pro-peace, least of all during the red campaign. And even if he, Veera Musigapong, Nuttawut Saikua and weng Tochirakarn now want to play peacemaker, will any red supporter believe them? If Somsak Kosaisuk and Chamlong Srimuang all of a sudden tell their supporters to embrace their red "brothers", will it all come to an end?

Forget about them and all their "how to begin the reconciliation process" nonsense. We are the real casualties of this war, which means we are on our own. This may sound absurd, but it's far easier for Sondhi and Thaksin to clink glasses than for you to mend fences with a neighbour of a different "colour". It's easier for Chamlong to hug Jatuporn than it is for us to understand why a friend or relative or colleague thinks differently.

Wars start at the very top, but they leave the mammoth task of genuine reconciliation to those at the bottom. It's the only way and it's not going to be easy. You have the right to hate - that's all the puppet-masters told us. And hate is all we do.

Let the brain-washers harp on about reconciliation. They have sown so much hatred, so we shall let them try to undo their work. We know better, don't we? We know why the red protesters refused to go home when their leaders told them to. And we know why the yellow shirts will revolt if their leaders try to strike any deal with those they have been taught to hate.

We have no way out of this but to try to teach ourselves to be able to love and understand each other again. Only if we succeed will this war, which has wrecked families and friendships, and severed social bonds, be truly over.

-- The Nation 2010-09-08

The rival camps want to make it look like an ideological divide, but it has never been and never will be. There are elements whose views of the role of the monarchy differ, but these are just sideshows that are sometimes blown out of proportion. The real big picture is that nobody really cares about democracy, and either side will do whatever is necessary to win and retain power, regardless of where its actions lead Thailand or how they could mock their proclaimed beliefs.

Spot on.

Absolutely correct. Anyone who is still thinking in terms of ideology - for any side - is misguided at this point. We are all pawns for the self-aggrandisement, ego and greed of the few at the top...the so-called elite, on all sides. I say reject the lot of them. But then what? No answers here I fear.

No matter which way, this will never end. Just let them beef it out until they both reach the edge, maybe by then the'll realize what's happening is not worth their own lives. The old elilte will be replaced with new elites and the circle continues......

Great article - now if only someone can translate the to Thai's and spread it in the Red & Yellow camps.