TRC Grappling With Revealing Names Related To April-May Crackdown: Thailand

[webfact]

TRC grappling with revealing names related to April-May crackdown

By Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

Commission wonders if Thais strong enough to face truth as critics worry truth may end up being covered up

The Truth for Reconciliation Commission (TRC) said yesterday that it has yet to decide whether or not it will eventually reveal the names of people responsible for the April-May 2010 clashes.

"The difficulty TRC faces is how we reveal the truth," Kittipong Kittayarak, chief of TRC's Subcommittee on Reconciliation Strategy, said yesterday. "Whether we reveal the names or not is something TRC needs to consider."

However, critics have expressed concern that the real truth may not be uncovered and might even be sacrificed for the sake of an unsustainable reconciliation, thus encouraging more impunity in the future.

Another TRC member said that despite the intention to dig out the real truth, Thais would need real courage to speak about and face the reality of what happened last year. TRC member Decha Sangkawan, who is also dean of Thammasat University's Faculty of Social Work, said that even though a year had passed since the April-May crackdown, which led to at least 92 deaths, some people were still reluctant to recount their experiences to the commission.

"It's difficult to directly ask Thais for the truth," he said at a TRC symposium yesterday.

"We still don't have the truth in some parts of Bangkok," he said, adding that the process will take a long while yet.

Kittipong added that foreign statesmen would be invited to get involved in TRC's work in the future, while people like former deputy PM Surakiat Sathirathai and peace expert Chaiwat Satha-anand have already been appointed as advisers.

The Nation asked how the "truth" can be told when Thais are limited by the lese majeste law to speak openly about the events in 2010 and the years preceding the 2006 military coup, which saw the monarchy being dragged by various groups into politics.

Priscilla Hayner, an expert on transitional justice and a consultant to the TRC, said the commission and the Thai society should possess a true political will to "exercise the telling of truth". She added that there was no correct answer as to whether or not TRC should name the perpetrators. Hayner also warned that it was not enough to just report about what happened, but the report should also explain why some events took place and where the country should go. "The question is: why is it that things went off balance?"

Hayner said a public apology from key actors and heads of government can go a long way in healing the wounds. She also recommended that a community-level reconciliation process be set up and urged TRC to initiate dialogues between opposing groups.

TRC chairman Kanit na Nakorn said the commission was also looking into ways to prevent another military coup, adding that they were also researching the option of setting up a military ombudsman.

"We shall inform the public on what should be the right relationship between the public and the military," he said, adding that coups d'etat should become a thing of the past, as they have in Japan and South Korea.

-- The Nation 2011-09-24

[OzMick]

"The difficulty TRC faces is how we reveal the truth,........."

Understandable when the main perpetrators own and are members of the current government, and the foot-soldiers are allowed to form a militia to intimidate any opposition, committing acts of violence free from police intervention.

How does an academic deal with the possibility of 100 or more red-shirts camped outside his house and using his garden as a toilet, blood sprayed on his door, and maybe even an M-79 grenade or two through the windows? If he was well-connected, he could call Thaksin's BIL for help. 55555555

[whybother]

Does that mean that they know the names of those responsible, or are they worried IF they find out who's responsible?

[Nisa]

Is this about who was responsible for the "crackdown" or who was responsible for the rioting, lawlessness and holding Bangkok hostage?

One group deserves a medal (has they not waited so long to act) and the other deserves scorn.

[Briggsy]

Many are still waiting for the truth about who was responsible for "bloody crackdowns" (read 'massacres') in the 1970's. Thai politics remains as opaque as ever and the politicians, generals and leaders on all sides remain completely unaccountable for their actions.

[hammered]

There is an irony in that elite groups of people have been managing Thai demcoracy and deciding what the limits of demcoracy the people are allowed are and now a group of possibly enlightened but still elite group of people are maybe going to decide that there are some things it is best the Thai people dont know.

Personally I would have thought the full truth however unpalatable is the best approach and to be honest probably the only approach that will bring any form of lasting reconcilliation. Another fudge with names removed will only create worse conditions. The other sad reality is that people already have their own ideas of what happened and who ordered and did what and the likelihood is that they are not far off the truth. It is just maybe difficult for those who did things in the upper echelons on all sides to actually admit to it. However, the likelihood is things will leak whatever the committee decide, which is another reason to just be totally open.

How many times can a state just keep everything hidden before there are eventually repercussions? Especially with modern communications

[OzMick]

During the red shirts little soiree in BKK, how many people walked up to armed red shirt thugs and told them that is exactly what they were?

Don't expect a group of academics to do what nobody else was game enough to do.

[rubl]

There is an irony in that elite groups of people have been managing Thai demcoracy and deciding what the limits of demcoracy the people are allowed are and now a group of possibly enlightened but still elite group of people are maybe going to decide that there are some things it is best the Thai people dont know.

Personally I would have thought the full truth however unpalatable is the best approach and to be honest probably the only approach that will bring any form of lasting reconcilliation. Another fudge with names removed will only create worse conditions. The other sad reality is that people already have their own ideas of what happened and who ordered and did what and the likelihood is that they are not far off the truth. It is just maybe difficult for those who did things in the upper echelons on all sides to actually admit to it. However, the likelihood is things will leak whatever the committee decide, which is another reason to just be totally open.

How many times can a state just keep everything hidden before there are eventually repercussions? Especially with modern communications

I agree on publishing names of all involved. I'm only afraid it may lead to a bloodshed and all sides have shown a lack of compassion to one or more deaths.

[Orac]

During the red shirts little soiree in BKK, how many people walked up to armed red shirt thugs and told them that is exactly what they were?

Don't expect a group of academics to do what nobody else was game enough to do.

I would have thought charging them with terrorism was pretty much the powers that be telling them exactly what they are. Thats what makes me think that the TRC is refering to a different group of participants in the events who haven't faced official scrutiny yet. Very telling that The Nation sites Lese Majesty laws as potential problem here.

[lannarebirth]

During the red shirts little soiree in BKK, how many people walked up to armed red shirt thugs and told them that is exactly what they were?

Don't expect a group of academics to do what nobody else was game enough to do.

I would have thought charging them with terrorism was pretty much the powers that be telling them exactly what they are. Thats what makes me think that the TRC is refering to a different group of participants in the events who haven't faced official scrutiny yet. Very telling that The Nation sites Lese Majesty laws as potential problem here.

If they could speak I imagine a lot of the dangerous loose ends that darken Thailand's future might be tied up. Just guessing of course.