The majority has spoken, again, now lets see if the minority can listen, for the first time.
The majority has spoken, again, now lets see if the minority can listen, for the first time.
Simple answer is their military uniforms were in the wash at the time!Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
Thai-ASEAN News Network
More than Apologies
UPDATE : 26 July 2011
Late last week, Amara Pongsapich, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand and Dr. Nirand Pitakwachara, Chairman of the Commission for Civil, Human and Community Rights, held a joint press conference where they issued a formal apology to the citizens of Thailand for the unintended leaking of documents from an investigation into human rights violations during the political demonstrations of April and May of 2010.
The two were not apologizing for the fact that the information had been made public, obviously as it was not their doing, but rather were sorry for the distress the report had caused. Their condolences went most emphatically to the family and friends of those killed and injured during the upheavals that took place last year, most of which were devastated by the report's apparent state leanings.
Amara assured that the leaked documents were not finalized or approved by her council, ensuring a thorough investigation would be carried out as to how they were released. Originally, the results of the investigation were to be publicized on July 8, 2011 but that date was pushed out when objections within the investigation panel made it impossible to reach a conclusion in time.
The Human Rights Commission chairperson added that the suppression of the untimely circulation was not due to media pressure or the nation's change in political poles. Her assertion was elaborated on by Dr. Nirand, who explained that the information had to be countered because it represented an incomplete report made up of unsorted and raw data.
Both bodies were correct in issuing their apologies and promising probes, because their lax protection did result in a public panic. More important than saying sorry however, the two agencies have to actually deal with the fallout from what has been uncovered. The truth of the matter is that the released information does show a certain imbalance in their work and raises a slew of rational questions. Worsening the situation, Amara and Dr. Nirand also have to address why, if the premature report was faulted, did Human Rights Council Secretary-General Dr. Chuchai Supawong publicly validate it.
More than apologies, Thailand needs answers.
Khao Sod, July 26, 2011
Translated and Rewritten by Itiporn Lakarnchua
"Slavery is the daughter of darkness; an ignorant people is the blind instrument of its own destruction; ambition and intrigue take advantage of the credulity and inexperience of men who have no political, economic or civil knowledge. They mistake pure illusion for reality, license for freedom, treason for patriotism, vengeance for justice."-Simón Bolívar
Bangkok Post : Victims' relatives want Tharit removed
Victims' relatives want Tharit removed
- Published: 1/08/2011 at 03:07 PM
- Online news:
A group of relatives of those who lost their lives in political protests in 2010 on Monday submitted a letter to justice permanent secretary Kittipong Kitayarak calling for the removal of Department of Special Investigation director-general Tharit Pengdit.
The group was led by Payao Akhahad, whose daughter Kamolked Akhahad, a volunteer nurse, was found shot dead inside Wat Pathumwanaram.
She said the DSI investigation into the deaths of about 91 people in the protests was very slow and had made no progress.
The group wanted Mr Tharit to be removed as soon as possible.
They submitted the letter to Mr Kittipong because the justice minister, Pirapan Saleerathavibhaga, is only in a caretaker position.
Removal?Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
Prosecution might be the correct route forward, alas not here...
Bangkok Post : Suthep denies order to shoot allegation
Suthep denies order to shoot allegation
- Published: 7/08/2011 at 03:20 PM
- Online news:
Former deputy prime minister in charge of security affairs Suthep Thaugsuban on Sunday denied a press report that the now-defunct Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) issued an order for soldiers to use weapons to disperse red-shirt protesters at Phanfa bridge on April 10 last year.
Mr Suthep was at the time director of the CRES.
He said in fact the order was issued three days after April 10, 2010 when a number of men in black showed up during the standoff and launched a violent attack in which many people including soldiers were killed and wounded.
In the orde, soldiers were allowed to use shotguns for self-defence and to ensure safety of the public.
The order stressed that the weapons must not be used to take lives. If it was necessary for them to shoot, the shots must be aimed to hit below the knees, Mr Suthep said.
Mr Suthep said he was afraid the report that the CRES ordered the use of weapons on April 10 would confuse the public.
The former deputy prime minister said the report showed that an act of revenge by the new government had begun.
Mr Suthep said he was ready to fight any legal cases which might be brought against him.
Asked whether he would sue the newspaper that published the report, Mr Suthep said he was still undecided.
He might consider doing so if it was necessary to establish facts, Mr Suthep said.
Longer version of the above...
Crackdown report ‘doctored’ | Pattaya today newspaper
Crackdown report ‘doctored’
Posted by pattayatoday
on Aug 8th, 2011
Outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban has criticised a newspaper for allegedly doctoring a top-secret state document relating to last year’s red shirt protests that it reprinted on Saturday.
Khao Sod newspaper received a copy of the classified Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) document, which detailed the protocol for the use of weapons to disperse protesters, through the internet and published an image of it in its Saturday edition.
The document details the CRES order that allowed soldiers to use firearms for self-defence and to protect innocent people while dealing with the anti-government protests that gripped Bangkok between March and May last year.But the precise date of the order is disputed, with the newspaper claiming it was issued on April 10, the date of the first deadly clashes between the military and the protesters during the red shirt rallies.
However, Mr Suthep, who was in charge of the CRES at the time, said yesterday the order was issued three days later and claimed the newspaper had doctored the image of the document so the printed date was removed.
With no date stamp visible on the reproduction, the newspaper said in an accompanying caption that it had been issued on April 10.
The inference seems to be that armed clashes erupted on the same day as soldiers were authorised to use weapons, while Mr Suthep insists the order was issued on April 13 instead as a response to the April 10 clashes at Khok Wua intersection and Democracy Monument on Ratchadamnoen Avenue.
Twenty six people were killed and around 800 injured as soldiers attempted to move the protesters, but both sides claimed to be unarmed and blamed the violence on unidentified “men in black”.
The order stressed that weapons must not be used to take lives.
If it was necessary for soldiers to shoot, they had to aim below the knees and it was prohibited to fire at women or children.
Mr Suthep called into question the motive behind the leaking of the document and said it could lead to misunderstanding of the state authorities’ actions.
He said the order was meant to rein in violent incidents following the events of April 10.
Mr Suthep insisted that the CRES’s duty was to protect national security during the political unrest.
He said he believed a campaign against him is now under way, seeking revenge for the red shirts who died during the movement to oust the then-Democrat-led government, for which Mr Suthep was deputy prime minister as well as running the CRES.
However, he insisted he was ready to face scrutiny for his role in any investigation of the dispersal operations and their aftermath.
So all that bristling weaponry the Thai military were openly carrying at the bridge were water guns? That solves it then.Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
Not looking good for Suthep.
Probably getting the feeling he's being hung out to dry.
Better get leaking his shite now, in every respect.
Crackdown victim set for tearful Mother's Day
MOTHER'S DAY
Crackdown victim set for tearful Mother's Day
By PONGPHON SARNSAMAK
THE NATION
Published on August 11, 2011
This is the second year that Payao Akkhahad is celebrating Mother's Day without her precious daughter Kamolkade - a paramedic who was killed in Wat Pathum Wanaram during the military crackdown on May 19, last year.
Every year, Payao was given three jasmine garlands on Mother's Day - one from Kamolkade and one each from her two sons. This year, though, she will only get two garlands.
"Just like other mothers who have lost their daughters or sons in the crackdown, I offer a jasmine garland to my daughter's remains on Mother's Day," she said. "It's still difficult for me to forget about her death, but I know I have to stand up and fight for justice."
Payao has filed petitions with all involved agencies, including the Department of Special Investigation, the National Police Bureau and the National Human Rights Commission, for them to investigate her daughter's death. She has also filed a civil lawsuit seeking compensation from the government, which had ordered a military crackdown on red-shirt protesters.
So far, nobody has been held responsible for her daughter's death. "I will keep fighting until my daughter gets justice," the distraught mother insisted.
Apart from working to bring justice for her daughter, Payao has also set up a centre to help provide legal assistance to relatives of other victims of the crackdown.
She said she would ask the newly elected government to continue investigating the deaths caused by the crackdown and punish the wrongdoers.
"The government should find the truth about what really happened to my daughter and other victims and take legal action against the wrongdoers before going ahead with its reconciliation plans," she said.
She added that Yingluck Shinawatra, as the country's first female PM and mother of a nine-year-old, should understand a mother's plight.
"I will first ask her to remove DSI director-general Tarit Pengdith and other officials who have done little to help my daughter's case," she said.
This lovely lady must be immediately made Minister for Justice in the new democratically elected landslide governmentOriginally Posted by StrontiumDog
^ & ^^
Agree with LB's suggestion.Originally Posted by The Nation
This time she will get a response. This Govt. WILL investigate.
Should there be any attempted shirking of this responsibility as in the previous Govt./military Junta, the Red Shirts/UDD will ensure otherwise.
If this Govt. avoids this issue, there will be 'hell to pay'.
One of the first pronouncements by the UDD following the non-inclusion of their members in Cabinet, was to address the issue of political prisoners, and the injured.
This mother was 'injured' beyond belief.
Shooting a nurse inside a temple for heavens sake...how can anything be more egregious.
^ They even shot into clearly marked paramedic tents, whilst yelling obscenities from the BTS tracks above. In a Wat. Surely the people of Thailand deserve to know who performed this atrocity, and under who's authorisation.
^ I read on aother channel that the in the ongoing enquiry the army has admitted that it had its men on the sky train tracks already.
Meet the Editors - August 12: Investigative report on 91 deaths is ready.
Source: Meet the Editors - August 12
.....
Quite a convoluted conversation - but listen for what's said.
You have to remember that the PAD yellow amart nutter murdress criminals responsible for the slaying of the 91 innocents on the streets of the Capital will also be wanted by the international justice institutions.
So it just is not possible for the new legal democratic government to rush ahead with the prosecution and convictions of these PAD nutter criminals because there will be other external international considerations and things will probably have to occur in parallel, and we all know how slowly these wheels turn, but they always get the criminals banged up eventually,
You cant argue with that
Bangkok Post : Suspend red shirt prosecutions, truth panel urges
RECONCILIATION
Suspend red shirt prosecutions, truth panel urgesProsecutions against red shirts arrested in connection with last year's riots should be suspended, says the Truth for Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
- Published: 12/08/2011 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: News
It would serve as a political remedy for the government's deadly dispersal of the protesters, said commissioner Somchai Homla-or yesterday.
The proposal comes a year after the TRC was established by the previous government to conduct an investigation into the April-May clashes which resulted in at least 92 deaths.
Mr Somchai said justice was the best remedy for the victims and the remedy was a pre-requisite for the needed reconciliation.
Strong accusations by the last administration led to excessive charges which had resulted in the courts denying bail requests by many red shirt suspects.
Tharit Pengdit, chief of the Department of Special Investigation, said the DSI could not arbitrarily charge anyone. The department worked on cases in close collaboration with the police and the prosecution.
But Mr Somchai said defendants in at least 53 cases face serious charges such as arson and terrorism which are punishable by death.
"The TRC hearings have found that blanket arrests and the issuance of warrants based only on photos of suspects have led to a sense of unfairness not only among the suspects but also their family members," Mr Somchai said.
He said imposing serious charges such as lese majeste against many red shirts was politically motivated.
"The fact that only the protesters were on trial, but not the government officials [for their role in the clashes] has also aggravated the sense of injustice," he said. Kittipong Kritayarak, permanent secretary of justice and a commissioner, said no one seemed to benefit from treating suspects harshly.
Suspension of court cases should be reconsidered.
Banjerd Flungklinchan, father of a victim of the April 10 clash last year between the red shirt protesters and the military, said the TRC should open up more to relatives of the protesters.
Suwan Thapthong, who was shot in the back at Bon Kai on May 17 last year, said she has heard nothing from the TRC during the past year.
Writer: Achara Ashayagachat
Position: Reporter
.
“.....the world will little note nor long remember what we say here....."
^
Top-of-mind issue for both this Govt. and the UDD.
Dealt with swiftly, as was expected.
Were those who occupied the airport also labeled as 'terrorists'?
I don't recall.
I think the most notable thing about this is that it goes to show just how swiftly the members of the "Truth for Reconciliation" committee can align themselves with the new order. Of course justice is, or should be, a priority but I don't see this as any indication of truth, reconciliation, or justice. It's nothing more than the piggies suddenly discovering a new trough.
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