Amnesty bill will entrench a culture of impunity, HRW says

[Lite Beer]

Amnesty bill will entrench a culture of impunity, HRW says
The Nation

Supporters of the People

BANGKOK: -- The amnesty bill put before Parliament should not cover people who ordered or carried out human-rights abuses, Human Rights Watch said yesterday.

"The ruling party's amnesty bill lets both soldiers and militants responsible for deaths during the 2010 upheaval off the hook," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "To ensure justice for the victims of violence and to end Thailand's longstanding culture of impunity, the amnesty bill should exclude perpetrators of abuses and instead make them accountable for their crimes."

The Parliament is scheduled to begin the first reading of the amnesty bill proposed by Pheu Thai MP Worachai Hema tomorrow. This bill promises full amnesty for all protesters who have been charged, prosecuted and convicted for their actions from September 19, 2006 - when a military coup ousted then PM Thaksin Shinawatra - to May 10, 2011.

"Worachai's amnesty bill is an insult to the victims and families of the 2010 violence," Adams said. "It is unacceptable that those who committed serious abuses, including soldiers who pulled the triggers and commanders who gave the orders, would remain untouchable through an amnesty." He also urged that the investigation into the "black shirt" militants continue.

Pheu Thai Party secretary-general Phumtham Wechayachai said he would not drop the amnesty bill from the agenda - even though the opposition and anti-government groups have said they would not join Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's political-reform plan if it is not withdrawn.

"Political-reform and amnesty bills are different matters. Even though many have refused to join the political-reform debate, we will go ahead. The PM said that even with 1 per cent hope, we still must do it," he said.

Government chief whip Amnuay Klangpha said the meeting of whips resolved that a House special committee to vet the Worachai amnesty bill would comprise 35 people - three from the Cabinet, 17 Pheu Thai MPs, 10 Democrat MPs and five coalition MPs. He said the party would take only one day to deliberate the bill on the first reading from 10am to 11pm tomorrow because the bill has only six Articles.

Opposition chief whip Jurin Laksanawisit said the Democrat Party would oppose the bill in every reading. The Democrats will meet today to discuss how they will oppose the bill.

Democrat party-list MP Boonyod Sooktinthai said a national reconciliation bill was tabled in Parliament by Pheu Thai Yasothon MP Peerapan Palusuk. It carries the same content as that proposed by Labour Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung. He said the opposition would move to oppose the government whips' decision to limit deliberation of Worachai's amnesty bill to one day. It wanted 162 hours to discuss this important bill, a number corresponding to the 162 Democrat MPs.

He said the government whips should agree to the proposal because Yingluck had said that any political dispute should be discussed inside Parliament, not outside.

-- The Nation 2013-08-06

[Artisi]

Well, isn't the intention of this bill to resolve anyone of any crime, especially if red and especially if residing o/seas.

Further, it would be a fair bet that if red, your problem will be dealt with post-haste but by the time it reaches the "others", interest will have waned and amnesty will be quietly pushed to one side until forgotten about.

[Bluespunk]

. "To ensure justice for the victims of violence and to end Thailand's longstanding culture of impunity, the amnesty bill should exclude perpetrators of abuses and instead make them accountable for their crimes."

I don't think HRW and PT are on the same page as to the purpose of this amnesty bill. In fact they may be reading different books altogether. Justice?

[NongKhaiKid]

Entrench ? How can impunity become entrenched when it's already in the bedrock of this society ?

[Thait Spot]

"Worachai's amnesty bill is an insult to the victims and families of the 2010 violence," Adams said. "It is unacceptable that those who committed serious abuses, including soldiers who pulled the triggers and commanders who gave the orders, would remain untouchable through an amnesty." He also urged that the investigation into the "black shirt" militants continue.

I think anyone in a red shirt or exiled in camel land will conveniently ignore this paragraph......

[LuckyLew]

Does the HRW really think the PTP care what they say or think?

The PTP do not care what the Thai people say or think, so why would they care about the HRW?

PTP - Government for themselves by themselves

[mrtoad]

It's not just what happened in 2010

They also need to look at the Thaksin instigated violence carried out in April 2009 - although that seems to have almost been forgotton. Then they can start to move on to all the other Human Rights abuses under the Thaksin regime prior to the coup in 2006 as well.

HRW, need to add a bit more balance to this, it wasn't just the Red Shirts that are victims

[OzMick]

Someone should ask HRW how they feel about instigators of violence, propagandists and hate-mongers being given MP positions as a reward for their activities (over and above the hefty pay packets they received).

While they are at it, they might want to comment on criminal MPs being excluded from prosecution while parliament sits, a right that seems to extend to their co-accused.

Edited August 6, 2013 by OzMick

[Markaew]

What we need to understand is all the events that are culminating presently is in preparation for future events.

As expats you need to pay attention. What is happening now is a prelude to a monarchy transition.

As I do not want my post to not be deleted....

There are powers that are preparing for the future. You need to prepare as well.

[Neilly]

Amnesty bill will entrench a culture of impunity, HRW says

The Nation

HRW just doesn't get how things work in The Land of Smiles...if you're rich you have Impunity...simple

[Halion]

What we need to understand is all the events that are culminating presently is in preparation for future events.

As expats you need to pay attention. What is happening now is a prelude to a monarchy transition.

As I do not want my post to not be deleted....

There are powers that are preparing for the future. You need to prepare as well.

I would agree with you and in among all the ridiculous events that have been manifest over the past year they may well be a smoke screen for something far more reaching.

[Markaew]

What we need to understand is all the events that are culminating presently is in preparation for future events.

As expats you need to pay attention. What is happening now is a prelude to a monarchy transition.

As I do not want my post to not be deleted....

There are powers that are preparing for the future. You need to prepare as well.

I would agree with you and in among all the ridiculous events that have been manifest over the past year they may well be a smoke screen for something far more reaching.

Thank you. Exactly.

[phantomfiddler]

It is obvious that this man Adams has not got a clue about what actually happened, very similar to that totally misguided and naive female BBC reporter who was up there proclaiming "and here we see the redshirts streaming into Bangkok determined to fight for democracy". You can feed the media with all sorts of B.S. but it will not change the truth.

It's not just what happened in 2010

They also need to look at the Thaksin instigated violence carried out in April 2009 - although that seems to have almost been forgotton. Then they can start to move on to all the other Human Rights abuses under the Thaksin regime prior to the coup in 2006 as well.

HRW, need to add a bit more balance to this, it wasn't just the Red Shirts that are victims

[Wiggy]

What we need to understand is all the events that are culminating presently is in preparation for future events.

As expats you need to pay attention. What is happening now is a prelude to a monarchy transition.

As I do not want my post to not be deleted....

There are powers that are preparing for the future. You need to prepare as well.

Agreed. The current situation is just groups of people making sure they are in the ideal place when the transition occurs. Being in the right place at the right time will be crucial.

[rametindallas]

Thailand: No Amnesty for Rights Abusers

http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/08/04/thailand-no-amnesty-rights-abusers