Reconciliation Is Everyone's Job; Thai Opinion

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EDITORIAL

Reconciliation is everyone's job

By The Nation

But its implementation rests heavily on one man and Truth Commission

Kanit na Nakhon looked like a man burdened with something beyond his capability when he visited The Nation's editorial department on Friday. And that was no surprise. His name has not only been constantly in the news over the past few days, but is also associated with the hottest potato of the hour - the issue of political "amnesty". Everyone has said the term - from Thaksin Shinawatra to his sister Yingluck and Chalerm Yoobamrung, but "reconciliation" seems to have fallen squarely on the 74-year-old man's shoulders. The head of the Truth for Reconciliation Commission, who obviously abhorred publicity, has become the focus of fierce attention.

Initially, it seemed Kanit was poised to fade away along with the Abhisit government that appointed him. But an apparent about-turn by the Thaksin camp not only kept alive the Kanit panel but also apparently enhanced its role. In an interview with CNN, would-be prime minister Yingluck suggested the panel's work was key to how her government would proceed with the controversial and highly-sensitive amnesty scheme. That turned the sleepy atmosphere at the Kanit panel upside down.

Kanit, it seemed, was still trying to come to terms with what the whole thing was all about. During his meeting on Friday with Nation Group editors, he exercised extreme caution when it came to the issue that he can't avoid - Thaksin's shadows and the possibility of the man's return. He said it was imperative that he was given independence to carry on his job but Kanit expressed confidence that nobody could influence his panel anyway.

Kanit proclaims, and rightly so, that "reconciliation" does not depend on him. At the end of the day, his commission would only give the public and the Yingluck government some researched information and recommendations. "Whether Thais can reconcile or not is up to them," he said. He wants to change one thing about how his panel functions, though, and that is the scale of public participation. Kanit is set to suggest to the new government that the future process of making Thailand peaceful again should involve the Thai public as much as possible.

He needs a lot of support, but first of all, the Kanit commission must get what Yingluck had promised him. On Friday, the would-be prime minister reaffirmed that the panel would be allowed to work independently, and the pledge must be followed by real action. The amnesty scheme, for example, must not be thrust upon Kanit's shoulders, or all the talks about "reconciliation" might come to nothing.

The Pheu Thai camp has managed one brave move by keeping the Kanit commission intact. His previous link to Thaksin (Kanit was a co-founder of the Thai Rak Thai Party) must have been evened out by the two men's estrangement. Moreover, if Abhisit Vejjajiva had had doubts about Kanit, the outgoing prime minister would not have named him chairman of the Truth for Reconciliation Commission to begin with.

The show of goodwill, therefore, must not be allowed to fall through. Mistrust certainly remains but any attempt to get personal gain out of the reconciliation process will worsen the situation. It will snuff out the glimmer of hope that not everyone is seeing.

A lot is being asked of the Thaksin camp, but like Kanit has tried to say, how the country goes depends on everyone. "Reaching out" sounds like one side has to do it, but for real peace to return to Thailand, all "colours" and even the "non-colours" must tone down their prejudices all at once. "I'm not too worried about political parties," said Kittipong Kittiyanurak, the permanent secretary for justice and a member of the Kanit commission. That is spot-on. And that is why the so-called reconciliation is such an uphill battle and why political interference can blow things apart.

-- The Nation 2011-07-11