Elizabeth Polenghi, Italian justice seeker for 2010 crackdown victims dies

[webfact]

Justice Seeker for 2010 Crackdown Victims Dies
By Khaosod English


Elizabeth Polenghi appears on a Redshirt rally stage next to the mother of a volunteer nurse killed in the 2010 crackdown, 19 May 2013.

BANGKOK — The Italian photographer-turned-activist who campaigned for justice on behalf of victims of the 2010 crackdown, including her own brother, passed away last night.

Elizabeth Polenghi died at a hospital in Milan, Italy, where she had been hospitalised for pancreatic cancer, Prachatai reports. She was 51.

A photographer and artist by profession, Ms. Polenghi turned to activism shortly after her brother, photojournalist Fabio Polenghi, was shot dead while covering the Thai military’s assault on Redshirt protesters in downtown Bangkok on 19 May, 2010.

Citing ample evidence and numerous witnesses, a 2013 court inquest ruled that the military was most likely responsible for Fabio's death, despite its insistence otherwise.

Ms. Polenghi has made numerous trips to Thailand—an expense she covered by selling her photography studio, she said—to seek justice on behalf of her brother and other victims who lost their lives in the 2010 unrest. She had also expressed her opposition to the idea of granting amnesty to politicians and military leaders behind the crackdown.

Her quest for accountability from the Thai authorities, whom Ms. Polenghi once described as plagued by the culture of impunity, was featured in a 2011 BBC documentary, "Thailand: Justice on Fire."

"She has devoted the last years of her life to uncovering the truth for the world," said Jarupan Kuldilok, a former Pheu Thai MP and associate of Ms. Polenghi.

Ms. Jarupan said she and her fellow activists intend to continue Ms. Polenghi's fight for justice by filing a complaint to a European court if the Thai justice system fails to prosecute the authorities who approved the deadly crackdown in 2010.

The former Pheu Thai MP, who provided assistance to Ms. Polenghi during her stays in Thailand, added that she last saw Ms. Polenghi on 29 May 2013, when the court ruled on the circumstances of Fabio's death.

According to Ms. Jarupan, Ms. Polenghi left her with two instructions before she passed away: to pursue Fabio's case to the end for the sake the rule of law, and to construct a memorial in honour of journalists who were killed and wounded during the political unrest of April-May 2010.

Ms. Polenghi has already provided her with a detailed plan of the memorial, Ms. Jarupan said. The memorial—dubbed "Frames"—will consist of a large rectangular concrete frame, symbolising a camera viewfinder, set in a pond in Lumpini Park, close to where Fabio lost his life.

The draft also features the inscription, "Freedom of Information Guarantees Human Rights," on the memorial.

Ms. Jarupan said her organisation, the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), will discuss the draft of the memorial and campaign for its construction, though its location and physical design may be altered.

Fabio Polenghi was one of two journalists who died in the 2010 unrest; the other was Hiroyuki Maramoto, a Japanese national who was working as a cameraman for Reuters. Many other journalists, both Thai and foreign, were also injured by the violence.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1398776120&section=11


-- Khaosod English 2014-04-30

[englishoak]

There is and will be no justice for Fabio.

Rest in peace Liz you at least tried like any loving parent would.

[chooka]

Nothing is going to happen whilst Suthep is to busy disrupting the country and if he does bring down the government then all this will swept away and never heard of again.

[noitom]

Condolences to the Polenghi family. Very admirable that she fought on for justice and principle through her personal pain and struggle.

[webfact]

Late Italian photographer's sister succumbs to cancer
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Elisabetta Polenghi, who had been tirelessly hunting for the truth behind her brother Fabio's death during the bloody crackdown on red shirts in May 2010, passed away from pancreatic cancer in Milan, Italy, on Monday. She was 51.

The news of her death was first announced on Prachatai.com online newspaper yesterday. Elisabetta, a professional photographer like her late brother, became a human rights activist after Fabio's killing and has since been active on social media.

Her loss was felt deeply by those who knew her and many expressed condolences and praise for her on Twitter. Elisabetta visited Bangkok several times to pursue the inquest into Fabio's death, but in vain. In frequent interviews with Thai and foreign media, she also criticised the Army and the then-Abhisit Vejjajiva administration for its handling of the protest.

"[Elisabetta] was as brave as they come, courageous and will be missed," red-shirt lawyer Robert Amsterdam tweeted yesterday after learning about her untimely death.

Elisabetta repeatedly told The Nation that she believed the Army was behind the shooting of her brother when it led the final crackdown, though she insisted she was not seeking revenge and hoped the Army would become more professional.

"I like to thank those who remember my brother's case and my willingness to go on fighting for life," the last tweet from Elisabetta on April 12.


-- The Nation 2014-04-30

[NongKhaiKid]

The quest for justice is nothing new here and my first exposure was all those years ago when on holiday from Hong Kong and reading how the army commanders who ordered live fire against the students protestors had gone on their annual trip to China on the anniversary of the incident.

In more recent times we had the crackdown on drug traffickers, Tak Bai and so on.

PTP take the high moral ground on 2010 and this lady's personal tragedy, what a joke. Can't remember any moves to deport her for involvement in Thai politics.

[virtualtraveller]

It's sad when someone dies relatively young, and I admire her for trying to pursue accountability and taking it international, but I have to disagree with her on 'seeking justice'. Listening to her, seems that she became emotionally involved after the death of her brother and fell in line with all the red propaganda that Abhisit 'ordered' the 'murder' of her brother. It was a complicated situation with plenty of different people complicit to varying degrees of intention or duty. There will never be 'justice' for these people because their idea of 'justice' is built on misinformation, false ideology and deceptive agendas.

[mrtoad]

Sad that her son died, even sadder that she associated herself with Boppe Amsterdam.

[Prbkk]

"...a culture of impunity". A fairly accurate description of Thailand regardless of one's political perspective. RIP.

[newcomer71]

It's sad when someone dies relatively young, and I admire her for trying to pursue accountability and taking it international, but I have to disagree with her on 'seeking justice'. Listening to her, seems that she became emotionally involved after the death of her brother and fell in line with all the red propaganda that Abhisit 'ordered' the 'murder' of her brother. It was a complicated situation with plenty of different people complicit to varying degrees of intention or duty. There will never be 'justice' for these people because their idea of 'justice' is built on misinformation, false ideology and deceptive agendas.

Elisabetta Polenghi never took sides with Reds, or Government,or military. She only fought to know the truth to know who killed her brother and fought till the end. She never accused someone, but wanted the truth to come up.

She never accused Abhisit to be a murderer.

To tell she fell in line with Red propaganda is an utter lie and an offense to her memory and her brother's memory.

[theoldgit]

A number of off topic posts and responses removed, as well as some making wild accusations.

[Nickymaster]

Nothing is going to happen whilst Suthep is to busy disrupting the country and if he does bring down the government then all this will swept away and never heard of again.

I didn't know that Suthep was in charge of this case. I thought it was your beloved police force.

This poor lady thought she was doing the right thing but ended up with the wrong people and advise. And on top of it was she was used by Thaksin's fancy mouthpiece Robert Amsterdam to get some international attention for their red propaganda.

TIT and your fight was a very difficult one. RIP Elizabeth

[edgarfriendly]

Now U Know.....

BROTHER

[chooka]

Nothing is going to happen whilst Suthep is to busy disrupting the country and if he does bring down the government then all this will swept away and never heard of again.

I didn't know that Suthep was in charge of this case. I thought it was your beloved police force.

This poor lady thought she was doing the right thing but ended up with the wrong people and advise. And on top of it was she was used by Thaksin's fancy mouthpiece Robert Amsterdam to get some international attention for their red propaganda.

TIT and your fight was a very difficult one. RIP Elizabeth

Pardon ? The Victoria police have absolutely no jurisdiction in Thailand nor do we try to interfere in Thai politics. In fact we don't even get involved in local politics we are totally independent to avoid corruption and bias. Do you even know anything about Victoria Police and what we do?

Before you mouth off about my beloved police force learn a little about us first.

Just a tip as it helps.

No Suthep is not in charge of this case as he is wanted in relation to the case.

Edited April 30, 2014 by chooka