Reconciliation Impossible If Truth Obscured, Thai Panel Says

[webfact]

Reconciliation impossible if truth obscured, panel says

By PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK

The Nation

KHON KAEN

There can be no national reconciliation if Thai society fails to hold the culprits accountable and fails to discover the truth about what happened in last year's April and May crackdown on red-shirt protesters.

Panellists discussing the progress of investigations by various groups said this at Khon Kaen University's faculty of law on Monday.

"I don't believe reconciliation is possible if no common truth emerges," said Somchai Hom-laor, head of the investigation subcommittee of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), whose chairman was appointed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Somchai, whose subcommittee will take another year to release a full report on the 91 deaths and more than a thousand injuries urged all sides to be open-minded about the findings.

He admitted that some soldiers, police officers and some red shirts were not giving their full cooperation, but insisted the situation was getting better.

"The past six months have seen some progress," Somchai said, such as this symposium organised by Khon Kaen University's Centre for Human Rights and Rule of Law in cooperation with Mahidol University's Centre for Human Rights Studies and Social Development.

Somchai said he was perplexed as to why police had failed to follow up on the initial probes by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), which were leaked and later released. They suggested that at least 13 deaths had likely been caused by security officials.

The National Police, said Somchai, refused to follow through with the investigation but instead set up a committee to review the DSI's work.

He admitted that the TRC did not have the power to summon people to testify but insisted that the commission's work was transparent and open to scrutiny.

Kwanrawee Wang-udom, representing the People's Information Centre (PIC) - a non-governmental organisation of activists attempting to carry out a parallel investigation - said whatever PIC revealed later this year would likely result in a larger puzzle. Kwanrawee said that while some red shirts might have resorted to violence, the force used by the Army and security officers was definitely disproportionate.

She warned that the continuation of the Internal Security Act and the issuing of more arrest warrants were making a mockery of the government's claim that it wanted reconciliation.

Her PIC colleague, Sarayuth Tangprasert, said the public should note that live ammunition was first used by security officers in the afternoon of April 10 last year and not in the evening, as claimed by the Army and the government.

Khon Kaen's red-shirt lawyer Wan Suwanpong said many knew who were responsible for the deaths, however.

"Nobody wants to admit [to being responsible]. And even if we know we can't speak. What does this mean?" Wan asked.

Nittaya Pachuai, a villager who lost her taxi-driver husband Inplaeng Pachuai during the protest, said tearfully that she wanted to see justice for her late husband. "But from that day to today, I have not seen it yet."

Truth and reconciliation could not occur without accountability, said Sriprapha Petchmeesri, adding that people should make a distinction between fact and truth.

Sriprapha said truth was dependent on a set of beliefs. She urged Thai society to not confuse compromise with reconciliation.

-- The Nation 2011-05-11

[PhilHarries]

Reconciliation is impossible, period!

Whatever the decision, whoever gets indicted or not one side or the other will cry foul. That's the way of today's world, democratic processes are only democratic if "I" get what "I" want. If "I" don't "I" will protest and riot until people see "my" point of view.

And that holds true all over, not just Thailand.

[whybother]

AV & ST & others responsible will be doing everything (including shooting PT members <BP Link removed> ??) to stop the findings getting out, as they will be facing long jail sentences if they do. Shoe will certainly be on the other foot if PT can overcome the establishment to win this one.

The PT aren't saying "We admit we did some bad things, but the government aren't admitting anything".

If PT win the election, it won't change anything. It will just be a different side doing the same thing.

[animatic]

Putting down in black and white on paper what happened last April and May will not cause any form of reconciliation, HRW has done it and driven the wedge even deeper. Forgive and forget ain't gonna happen, elephants have long memories. Access to the trough is more important to the group leaders than the benefits of the rank and file, and unless they get their way, there is no reconciliation, if they do get their way it will be revenge and back stabbing till they fall from the trough yet again.

The possibility of any amount of documentation creating reconciliation is infinitesimal.

Edited May 11, 2011 by animatic

[fatfather]

..... that people should make a distinction between fact and truth

..... so .... facts are not true?????

fatfather

[JurgenG]

Thailand is not ready to face the truth. Most civilized countries have law to protect sensible documents from public view for long period of time (20, 30, 40 years) and I believe there are good reason for that.

What is most important is to have clean election. And to protect everybody from any revenge, the best is a blanket amnesty. Of course both side will cry foul but I don't think there is any other option if people are genuinely looking for some form of reconciliation.

[whybother]

Thailand is not ready to face the truth. Most civilized countries have law to protect sensible documents from public view for long period of time (20, 30, 40 years) and I believe there are good reason for that.

What is most important is to have clean election. And to protect everybody from any revenge, the best is a blanket amnesty. Of course both side will cry foul but I don't think there is any other option if people are genuinely looking for some form of reconciliation.

Rather than a blanket amnesty, why not a blanket jailing? Same result, except the people are better off.

[baboon]

It seems to me `reconciliation` is just another way of saying "re imposition of the status quo to benefit the same old faces."

[animatic]

Thailand is not ready to face the truth. Most civilized countries have law to protect sensible documents from public view for long period of time (20, 30, 40 years) and I believe there are good reason for that.

What is most important is to have clean election. And to protect everybody from any revenge, the best is a blanket amnesty. Of course both side will cry foul but I don't think there is any other option if people are genuinely looking for some form of reconciliation.

Rather than a blanket amnesty, why not a blanket jailing? Same result, except the people are better off.

Keelhauling against the current seems more appropriate....

[MaiChai]

It seemed pretty obvious what happened in April. What were the government supposed to do; let the rioters who had their own private army, continue to build a fortress in downtown Bangkok? Terrorising the locals, disrupting people living and working there? Letting off mortars and Molotov cocktails? Some Thais just don't the difference between right and wrong and dont respect the laws. There is no excuse for anarchy?