Rights body fights for life, appeals to PM Prayut

[webfact]

CONSTITUTION WATCH
Rights body fights for life, appeals to PM
Wiraj Sripong
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The national human rights agency will submit a petition to the prime minister, the president of the National Legislative Assembly and the chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee to express its opposition to a CDC proposal calling for the watchdog to be merged with the Ombudsman.

Niran Pitakwatchara, a member of the National Human Rights Commission, said the NHRC was in the process of preparing the petition and it would soon be submitted to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the other two institutions.

He said the petition would provide detailed information regarding the NHRC's results and why it deserved to remain a single entity.

Meanwhile, a source said a group of non-profit organisation representatives would submit a paper on their position opposing the merger to the premier at Government House today.

Last week the NHRC issued a statement highlighting the differences in the power wielded by the two agencies.

It noted the role of the NHRC in combating human rights violations in the private and public sectors.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Rights-body-fights-for-life-appeals-to-PM-30253240.html


-- The Nation 2015-02-03

[BSJ]

If the Ombudsman has similar powers there is no need for 2 parallel organisations.

[yellowboat]

If the Ombudsman has similar powers there is no need for 2 parallel organisations.

Be that as it may, why not let an elected government decide ? How is absorbing the NHRC helping the reform process ?

[Robby nz]

If the Ombudsman has similar powers there is no need for 2 parallel organisations.

Be that as it may, why not let an elected government decide ? How is absorbing the NHRC helping the reform process ?

If you were to look at the results of what the last elected government decided than perhaps that's not such a good idea.

For instance they slashed the budgets of the Ombudsman, NACC and if I remember correctly the NHRC, thereby making it more difficult for them to do their work.

Of course when part of that work is investigating corruption and abuse of rights within Government then it is little wonder PT would want to make it difficult for anyone to investigate.

[PepperMe]

Do the decent thing...... Just close it down.

[lucky11]

If the Ombudsman has similar powers there is no need for 2 parallel organisations.

Be that as it may, why not let an elected government decide ? How is absorbing the NHRC helping the reform process ?

Turfing them out and letting them die would be a better thing as they are a worthless organisation that doesn't have a clue about anything that is going on and serves no useful purpose - just like Amnesty International and Liberty. A bunch of wasters that do more harm than good!!!

[candide]

But, but, we always supported "good people"

[rickirs]

It seems fool-hearty to diminish the role of the HRC at a time the military is trying to convince the USA that the Junta is doing all it can to prevent, reduce, and eliminate human trafficking and putting Thailand on the road back to democracy if it wants to be removed from Tier 3 rating. A military that has been accused of participating in trafficking activities. This merger gives the impression that the role of the HRC is not only a low priority but unnecessary as an independent organization by a military establishment that has acquired and maintained its power of rule over the Thai people through the abrogation of their rights and liberties.

When you consider that General Prayuth recently (September 2014) appointed General Wittawat Ratchatanan (former Director-General of the Defense Information and Space Technology Department, Director of the Office of Policy and Planning for Defense, and Deputy Permanent Secretary for Defense) as one of the three Ombudsmen, you get a sense that the military will control the actions of the Thailand HRC. The HRC will have no creditability, authority, or resources to effectively investigate human right violations.