Three Years After Crackdown, Red-Shirts And Army Demand Clarity, Justice

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Tensions stirred on anniversary
THE NATION



Three years after crackdown, reds and Army demand clarity, justice

BANGKOK: -- Yesterday marked the third anniversary of the April 10 crackdown on protesters during 2010’s political turmoil. Both the red-shirt movement and the Army renewed their calls for clarity and justice in dealing with the aftermath of the protests, while the blame game intensified again.

The Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship (DAAD) rallied at Democracy Monument yesterday to commemorate the incident.

Around the rally stage, shops sold red-shirt merchandise including T-shirts, stickers and souvenirs, while tents were set up to exhibit images of the crackdown and the damage incurred during the 2010 political unrest.

Police were on hand to provide security and control traffic in the area, while medical personnel manned a station nearby. Mobile toilets were made available for the crowds attending the event.

Red shirts also gathered at Democracy Monument, despite the punishing temperatures.

Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha said the red-shirt group, like the Army, had the right to commemorate those who had lost their lives as a result of the political unrest.

He said that after having received letters of complaint from families of soldiers killed in the political |turmoil, he would now assign |Army legal advisers to ask the Department of Special Investigation to speed up its investigation.

"I feel that there has not been much progress. We need to know" who killed these soldiers, he said.

The Department of Special Investigation would respond to such a request, confirmed DSI director general Tarit Pengdith said yesterday.

"If asked by the Army, the DSI will explain it has been consistently working to solve the cases of the killings of soldiers," he said.

Tarit was responding to news reports that the Army as well as a Senate-appointed panel had been critical of what they called slow progress in unmasking the culprits behind attacks on security forces during the political unrest.

Singling out the killing of Army officer Romklao Thuwatham, Tarit said he was willing to pursue any leads based on evidence supplied by parties concerned.

He said that public prosecutors had asked the DSI to come up with incriminating evidence in the Romklao case, rather than just circumstantial evidence.

Thus far the DSI had collected images of the armed men who ambushed and killed Romklao but it had been unable to identify them, he said.

Supporters of the two opposing sides intensified their war of words via social media on the eve of yesterday's events. Others posted messages calling for an end to such divisiveness.

@Bangkok_2474 wrote: One side believes wholeheartedly that there were no "Men in Black", the other side believes wholeheartedly that the military is totally innocent.

@Ananlada wrote: Commemorating only one side of the truth is useless. Society does not learn, rifts remain, loss can happen again.

In a separate move, more than 1,000 red shirts from the provinces yesterday rallied outside the Council of State, calling on the agency to provide speedy legal advice to the government on proposed amnesty bills so as to aid the release of those imprisoned on charges relating to political unrest.

Travelling from Chiang Mai, Maha Sarakham, Ubon Ratcha-thani and Khon Kaen, the red shirts made a statement on behalf of the January 29 Front, saying the amnesty bill's passage was urgent so the country could move forward. They also cited the deaths of two red-shirt prisoners who had earlier been denied bail.

The group asked the Council of State and other state agencies to do their part to help speed up the legislation process.

Rally leader Suda Rangkupan said that some 1,857 prisoners were facing charges related to political unrest and hundreds were currently detained.

She said that if justice were delayed, those in detention were at risk of dying in prison. "Amnesty bills would provide much-needed justice and enable the country to achieve reconciliation,'' she said.


-- The Nation 2013-04-11

[kimamey]

With regards to the red shirts awaiting trial would it not be better, particularly for those accused of less serious crimes, for their trials to be dealt with as quickly as possible as the length of sentence could well be less or close to the length of time they've been in prison anyway? That way they can be released and the more serious crimes dealt with.

[reiltin]

Again it boils down to owning your mistakes as a first step to avoid repeating them,by and large small errors or lethal failures in Thailand are orphaned by Ego-it's the Thai way,honest self analysis would have the same appeal as Dorian Gray visiting the attic to look at his painting...too much reality

[NongKhaiKid]

I'm sure this is a problem that many don't really want solved as there are skeletons in everybody's cupboard so in Thai fashion do nothing or at least as little as possible.

I do love the DSI being painted into a corner as they can hardly upset their government paymasters by finding against red shirts and nobody likes to upset the army.

[Buchholz]

Police were on hand to provide security

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To avoid the vaunted Red Shirt cry of double standards, did Deputy Prime Minister Police Captain Dr. Chalerm order 50,000 police for this?

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Edited April 11, 2013 by Buchholz

[GentlemanJim]

It seems 'Clarity' is the new word of the week. Can we have a sweepstake for when the press say Thailand needs to become a hub of clarity?

[Buchholz]

In a separate move, more than 1,000 red shirts from the provinces yesterday rallied outside the Council of State, calling on the agency to provide speedy legal advice to the government on proposed amnesty bills so as to aid the release of those imprisoned on charges relating to political unrest.

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They should meet up with this group:

Relatives Of Victims Say No Amnesty

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Rally leader Suda Rangkupan said that some 1,857 prisoners were facing charges related to political unrest and hundreds were currently detained.

She said that if justice were delayed, those in detention were at risk of dying in prison.

.

Despite a dozen Red Shirt Leaders now in Parliament as MP's, it seems not much has changed for the hapless rank and file since this thread from from nearly three years ago.

Many Thai Red Shirts Abandoned By Their Leaders

nor this other thread from nearly two years ago

Pheu Thai And Red Shirts Do Nothing To Help Their Own

.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Buchholz

[yourauntbob]

Both sides are going to be waiting a long time before anyone responsible is brought to justice. A few sacrificial lambs might be slaughtered but all the guys pulling the strings on both sides will never see so much as a dirty look.

[siampolee]

Interesting to note the absence of the old guard of leadership in the Red Shirt movement.

Would this perhaps be yet another message that the Red Shirts have outlived their usefulness to Thaksin, his family and their brown nosing acolytes, also has the ''stipend'' paid to those absentee leaders been stopped along with the stipends of the pawns too thus their absenteeism is explained too?

Of course the ritual sacrifice Red Shirts languishing in gaol were all but forgotten too in the main rally, however they did get support from a splinter group, indeed loyalty to Thaksin,his family and their brown nosing acolytes is a costly affair for those incarcerated and forgotten by their despicable leadership. However it was good to observe that their comrades in arms hadn't forgotten them.

As was stated elsewhere Robert Armstrong is not vocal at all now, another money grubbing gullible opportunist idealist who can afford his principles ( perhaps) who has outlived his usefulness , One wonders if has account rendered has been paid in full yet by the puppet master?

However the DAAD and the Red Shirts should be complimented upon their conduct this time round, no paid for agitators from the sponsors of the 2010 event and we saw a political rally as it should be.

Edited April 11, 2013 by siampolee

[Buchholz]

Interesting to note the absence of the old guard of leadership in the Red Shirt movement.

Would this perhaps be yet another message that the Red Shirts have outlived their usefulness to Thaksin, his family and their brown nosing acolytes, also has the ''stipend'' paid to those absentee leaders been stopped along with the stipends of the pawns too thus their absenteeism is explained too?

.

The other paper tells us that although Thida and hubby Weng attended the Red Shirt festivities, several other major Red Shirt Leaders like Jatuporn and Natthawut did not, with no explanation.

They did, however, said floral wreaths in lieu of their attending this major Red Shirt soiree .

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Edited April 11, 2013 by Buchholz

[phantomfiddler]

Rather ridiculous in my opinion, since it was clear that the redshirts were both the instigators and perpetrators of the violence throughout the whole sad incident. Also highly unlikely that the real person responsible will ever be held accountable.

Edited April 11, 2013 by phantomfiddler

[Chrisswe]

As a soldier you has choosen the very big risk of your own deth

[Nickymaster]

As a soldier you has choosen the very big risk of your own deth

Does your reasoning also apply to reporters/cameramen and protestors?

[Buchholz]

As a soldier you has choosen the very big risk of your own deth

.

If you actually mean,

As a soldier, you have chosen a way that is a very big risk for your own death

Apropos to any soldier any where, just because someone has sworn to defend a nation with their life doesn't make their death any less important or any less worthy of investigation.

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[OzMick]

As a soldier you has choosen the very big risk of your own deth

Conscripts should report to the nearest abattoir? (is that abbatoir in Swedish?)

[Buchholz]

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Link to Photo:

http://photos.mercurynews.com/2013/04/10/photos-members-of-red-shirt-movement-gather-in-bangkok/#8

A member of the "red shirt" movement, dressed as an angel, cries during a gathering near the Democracy Monument

REUTERS April 10, 2013

Link to Photo:

http://photos.mercurynews.com/2013/04/10/photos-members-of-red-shirt-movement-gather-in-bangkok/#2

Members of the "red shirt" movement, dressed as angels hold roses during a gathering near the Democracy Monument

REUTERS April 10, 2013

[Arkady]

The DSI doesn't have enough creative writers to come up with the "truth" to satisfy all sides. Best for them to leave all cases until the statutes of limitations are nearly expired and then put up a brave last minute sprint that is doomed to failure. Then the problem goes away, as it has so many times before.