Junta-initiated road to reconciliation long and full of hurdles

[rooster59]

Junta-initiated road to reconciliation long and full of hurdles

By KASAMAKORN CHANWANPEN 
THE SUNDAY NATION

 

 

SEVERAL KEY political factions have shown support for, or given way to, the junta-initiated reconciliation effort that came in the form of a national harmony pact revealed last week. But does this non-hostile position mean that reconciliation will be achieved? Critics remain sceptical that this will be the case.

 

The final public hearings to introduce the draft of the so-called social contract, and seek opinions on it, were held at four regional military barracks around the country from Monday to Thursday last week. Hundreds of people joined in, but the significance of that remains questionable.

 

First, seats were reserved mostly for those enlisted or invited. Most participants were civil servants called up by Interior agencies. Although NGO workers and political camps had been invited, it is unclear how many actually showed up at the forums.

 

Despite it being a top national agenda item, only one well-known figure, red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan, attended the seminar on Monday at the First Army Area command in Bangkok.

 

Of the two-hour long presentation by the military, less than 30 minutes were spent on the introduction of the draft social contract – the very highly anticipated end results of the reconciliation attempts that have been ongoing for the past six months. The rest of the time involved officers emphasising the military’s dedication to recreating national harmony and the inclusive, non-dictatorial approach they had adopted in the scheme.

 

The question-and-answer session after the presentation was broadly welcomed, as some dozen active citizens took to the stage and expressed their thoughts on every issue except those relevant to the topic of reconciliation. Each and every time a person finished making a point, the operating officers had to repeat and remind speakers to stay focused on national harmony before they finally gave in and called it off.

 

Despite the awkwardness, Jatuporn welcomed the harmony pact, showing his support and promising that the red shirts would not stand in the way.

 

The political-turned-charity group People’s Democratic Reform Foundation and the Democrat Party, too, gave way to the scheme and said they would provide full co-operation.

 

But the previously ruling Pheu Thai Party made an official announcement against the contract plan, saying it was problematic and would not be effective.

 

Political critic Sukhum Nualsakul pointed out that although key political groups said they would cooperate, this did not guarantee the scheme’s success.

 

Success would depend more on the draft’s content and its practice than what people said about it. If the contract could not result in changes, it would not mean anything, the critic said. 

 

“Plus, I’m not sure about the stances of the political groups. I think it is understandable that they come in support of the contract. Opposing it will only make them look bad,” Sukhum remarked.

 

Ekachai Srivilas, director of Peace and Governance at the King Prajadhipok’s Institute, too, said that the contract was “just a piece of paper”. There was so much left to do if harmony was really to be achieved, he said.

 

The scholar, who also sits on the junta-backed reconciliation committee, admitted that the contract remained the main goal of the whole harmonisation attempt. The committee currently had no further plan to put anything into practice to achieve concrete results, he said.

 

“They will have final meetings in the upcoming weeks. And I’ll see what comes next, if anything,” Ekachai said.

 

Another scholar, Chamnan Chanruang, thought the social contract was joke, saying the effort did not work from the beginning, and it was never going to.

“It will do nothing to create harmony. How are you supposed to unite people using a contract?” he asked.

 

Chamnan said the scheme was just another ritual. He cited its process, saying it had been selective and its clear purpose was to serve the 20-year national strategy. He referred to the two last points in the pact that asked all Thai people to support reform and the national strategy.

 

Reconciliation in other countries, the scholar pointed out, had been achieved rather through “transitional justice” that proposed, for instance, finding the truth and compensating those who had been affected by conflict. These aspects were nowhere to be found in the junta’s reconciliation scheme.

“So, I suggest that the junta learn about this transitional justice which has worked in many countries and try to apply it with our country,” Chamnan said.

 

Likewise, Chaturon Chaisang, a key Pheu Thai Party politician, said the NCPO had not been sincere in bringing about reconciliation, and had only used the scheme to show it had fulfilled the job it said it would do when seizing power three years ago.

 

The whole process, he told The Sunday Nation, was apparently another propaganda effort to show that it has attempted to create national harmony. But, in reality, it was a matter of setting up questions that they answer themselves, while ignoring the real problems and their causes. 

 

Chaturon said the points addressed in the pact were good, but they were irrelevant to reconciliation.

 

“It is like to telling people to exercise or eat healthy. It is nice but irrelevant,” he said. “This social contract will be useless.”

 

To achieve harmony, Chaturon suggested the NCPO open up a stage for all sides to talk equally, and address the problems and the causes. 

Most importantly, the NCPO must accept that it was part of the conflict, too, the veteran politician said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30321527

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-23

[Bluespunk]

The country doesn't need reconciliation or social contract. 

 

It needs a functioning justice system, the rule of law and a willingness to accept other have a right to views even when you disagree with them. 

 

On all sides. 

Edited July 22, 2017 by Bluespunk

[Samui Bodoh]

47 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

To achieve harmony, Chaturon suggested the NCPO open up a stage for all sides to talk equally, and address the problems and the causes. 

Most importantly, the NCPO must accept that it was part of the conflict, too, the veteran politician said.

 

 

The above quote gets to the root of the problem. 'Reconciliation' cannot be achieved through a process where one side has all the power and doesn't agree that it is part of the problem.

 

If Thailand wants to achieve reconciliation, the military needs to understand that it is a part of the problem, and that power needs to be diffused to other sectors of society as well.

 

I ain't holding my breath.

 

[jaywalker]

10 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

The above quote gets to the root of the problem. 'Reconciliation' cannot be achieved through a process where one side has all the power and doesn't agree that it is part of the problem.

 

If Thailand wants to achieve reconciliation, the military needs to understand that it is a part of the problem, and that power needs to be diffused to other sectors of society as well.

 

I ain't holding my breath.

 

Methinks the General's 20 year plan, is to hold elections, in, MAYBE 20 years.

[yellowboat]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

so-called social contract

So-called as fairness are still absent in Thailand

[Pridilives]

3 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

The country doesn't need reconciliation or social contract. 

 

It needs a functioning justice system, the rule of law and a willingness to accept other have a right to views even when you disagree with them. 

 

On all sides. 

Surely surely surely that begins with democracy. Would you agree.

[YetAnother]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

expressed their thoughts on every issue except those relevant to the topic of reconciliation. Each and every time a person finished making a point, the operating officers had to repeat and remind speakers to stay focused on national harmony before they finally gave in and called it off.

remarkable success then

[worgeordie]

"Junta-initiated road to reconciliation long and full of hurdles",

they forgot to mention roadblocks !

regards Worgeordie

[mtls2005]

The first step in most successful reconciliations involving countries' past issues involve acknowledging those issues, exposing them, talking about them. The Military could take the first step. /just kidding

 

Can't see that ever happening here. Best to never teach history, or learn from it, then it's easy to repeat past problems.

 

 

 

 

[Bluespunk]

3 hours ago, Pridilives said:

Surely surely surely that begins with democracy. Would you agree.

Without rule of law, without equality of justice, without respect for the rights of others to hold views you disagree with,  there is no democracy. 

 

Just parties ruling according to the whims of their puppet masters. 

 

[Lupatria]

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Junta-initiated road to reconciliation long

Yes, as long as they want to cling to power.

[trainman34014]

If ever there was a 'Road to Nowhere' this is it !

[lvr181]

The changing face of 'evil'? 

No system is perfect but one system suits the majority more than the others.

Democracy is not perfect but it is far better than whatever is second 

[Pridilives]

5 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

I never mentioned terrorist. 

 

I pointed out the fact the udd are intolerant street thugs. 

 

The UDD have nothing to do with democracy. 

 

You were abusive and are now wriggling to get out of it.

 

No. You falsely claimed the udd are intolerant street thugs to which I provided a photo of udd members to which you reply not them one different one to which I replied if you say some Udd not thug then how come you always label all UDd thug to which you too scared for answer. 99.9% udd is not thug. 

 

Second i I was not abusive you are either crazy crazy sensitive or you try to get me in trouble with moderate by make false claim. 

 

For me me this is typical appeal to authority common trait for people support junta.

 

ha!

Edited July 23, 2017 by Pridilives

[Bluespunk]

7 minutes ago, Pridilives said:

No. You falsely claimed the udd are intolerant street thugs to which I provided a photo of udd members to which you reply not them one different one to which I replied if you say some Udd not thug then how come you always label all UDd thug to which you too scared for answer. 99.9% udd is not thug. 

 

Second i I was not abusive you are either crazy crazy sensitive or you try to get me in trouble with moderate by make false claim. 

 

For me me this is typical appeal to authority common trait for people support junta.

 

ha!

Answered all this. 

 

PS, calling someone crazy because they disagree with you is abusive. 

 

And very udd. 

[Pridilives]

16 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Answered all this. 

 

PS, calling someone crazy because they disagree with you is abusive. 

 

And very udd. 

You not read very good. I call you sensitive and use crazy as adjective to describe sensitivity.

no wonder you are mistake about udd. Very junta.

[Bluespunk]

6 minutes ago, Pridilives said:

You not read very good. I call you sensitive and use crazy as adjective to describe sensitivity.

no wonder you are mistake about udd. Very junta.

It's abuse. 

 

No mistakes in my understanding of the UDD. 

[lvr181]

13 hours ago, Pridilives said:

You are perfectly backward.

thailand doesn't have much democracy for 80 year and have every problem you write. If Thailand have 80 year democracy not have every problem you write.

 

who ruling according to whims of puppet now - just junta.

The 'junta' is NOT a party! I believe that Bluespunk is referring to various 'elected parties' and their masters.

 

 

P.S. My apologies Bluespunk if I have misunderstood your post.

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, Pridilives said:

You mean what. Because junta not party is fine for them to rule according to whims of puppet master?  You don't make sense. Why if something bad for party it is good for not party. 

Your just try semantics but backfire because nonsense.

 

I think he might mean having an elected party actually owned, controlled, told what to do and acting in the interests of one person isn't actually democracy. Especially when the owner is a convicted crook, 

[lvr181]

13 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

I think he might mean having an elected party actually owned, controlled, told what to do and acting in the interests of one person isn't actually democracy. Especially when the owner is a convicted crook, 

Thank you.

 

Perhaps Pridilives does not have English as his/her first language? So I must forgive him/her for their misunderstanding.

 

 

Edited July 24, 2017 by lvr181
Correction

[metisdead]

Posts in violation of the following forum rules have been removed as well as the replies:

 

7) You will respect fellow members and post in a civil manner. No personal attacks, hateful or insulting towards other members, (flaming) Stalking of members on either the forum or via PM will not be allowed.

 

9) You will not post inflammatory messages on the forum, or attempt to disrupt discussions to upset its participants, or trolling. Trolling can be defined as the act of purposefully antagonizing other people on the internet by posting controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.

[Eric Loh]

18 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Neither are democratic.

 

The Junta answers to the wealthy elites, the establishment.

 

PTP is controlled by just one person.

 

 

And how's that BB.

One took part in an election while the other took power not from an election. Kind of oxymoronic comment. 

[Baerboxer]

19 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

And how's that BB.

One took part in an election while the other took power not from an election. Kind of oxymoronic comment. 

 

One took part in an election. 

 

But then control was handed over to one man. The man who pays their salaries, gives instructions, promotes and demotes them, picks and deselects ministers, and runs things for his own convenience and betterment,

 

The system is totally flawed. 

[Eric Loh]

15 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

One took part in an election. 

 

But then control was handed over to one man. The man who pays their salaries, gives instructions, promotes and demotes them, picks and deselects ministers, and runs things for his own convenience and betterment,

 

The system is totally flawed. 

Still regurgitating the same stuff. Thaksin think PT act. The voters know that and they remembered the economic good times and the policies that provide for them and they responded by giving PT the mandate. He was getting too popular for the amart and military liking and they have to plot a coup. That thinking is totally flawed. The next popular PM not from PT will also meet the same fate as the amart and the military refuse to relinquish power and share the country wealth. History have proven that fact.