Investigators fail to identify killers of foreign journalists

http://asiancorrespondent.com/bangko...alist-s-sister


Are the Thai authorities trying to buy the silence of killed foreign journalist's sister?

Dec. 03 2010 - 10:45 pm
Fellow AC blogger Saksith has a post entitled "Thai authorities try to 'buy' silence of killed foreign journalist's sister" in regards to an AFP article Elisabetta Polenghi's brother Fabio who was killed during the crackdown on the red shirts on May 19. An excerpt from the letter that has been passed onto BP and you can download it from here:

We believe that these offers are absolutely inappropriate, not to mention incongrous, and although we do not doubt your good faith we believe it is an obvious attempt to close our mouths and pay back the dignity of our Fabio with a little money. Obviously, the economic aspect is in second order for us when compared to the matter of establishing the true circumstances that led to the death of our dear family member, the protection of human rights and the upholding of those recognised values of justice and democracy for which Fabio sacrificed his life.

BP: For previous posts by BP on Fabio's death, see Slain journalist cremated in Thailand, How did the Italian journalist die?, and The Department of "Sluggish Investigation's" probe into protests' deaths.

Compensation paid by governments when people are killed by the militaryis not uncommon although it is more common that the money is paid out in countries and to families where such compensation is an accepted practice (although even then it is criticized as blood money). Such compensation has paid out (or at least offered) to the families of victims of Black May 1992 and other instances where Thai soldiers have killed people. This including the families of foreign victims although BP is personally aware (seen letter from the family member who rejected it) of one instance from the past where money was offered to the family and it was strongly rejected as an insult. So unless there are details of a quid-pro-quo, it is not "blood money" although from the perspective of the family who are still awaiting answers and feel they are being fobbed off and only offered money, one can understand how it may appear. One way to counter that view would be to have a complete investigation and to reach a conclusion on how Fabio died, but the likelihood of that happening under this government is not high.

Nevertheless, perhaps some sensitivity training is in order. It is the sending of an invitation without answering her previous questions appears to be what has angered Fabio's sister. One wonders in the circumstances, why the Embassy would send an invitation....

Was it the army that offered them the 'shut up' money though?

They don't even pay blood money to the Cambodians they shoot.

Ratchaprasong News
Somyos Prueksakasemsuk has set up an appointment with the Japanese Ambassador on Monday 13th 10am at the Japanese Embassy. He plans to hand in some secret information to His Excellency the Ambassador about the death of Japanese reporter on April 10th. I hope there are many international reporters on the scene. Amarin Phachonyut

</title> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> <title>FCCT-The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand

FCCT/OnAsia PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS - 2010

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Spot News - First Place: Athit Perawongmetha

There was no bigger news story for Thailand-based correspondents this year than the epic struggle between "Red Shirt" protesters and the Thai government led by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. The Red Shirt demonstrators backed by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra occupied major sections of Bangkok, bringing parts of the city to a standstill. As tensions mounted in early May, running street battles broke out across the city.

The story brought photographers from across the world, and some of the year's most compelling images. But this photo stood out for its intensity, drama and artful composition. A Red Shirt protester is seen throwing a tire toward a burned truck in the heart of downtown Bangkok, as the political violence escalated on May 16, 2010. At least 90 people were eventually killed, and thousands more injured, as the clashes between military forces and protesters intensified. The drama ended when soldiers drove out the protesters a few days later.

Incredible photo

Yep, from my neighbourhood too...about 50 metres away from where I was living...and he must have taken some serious risks to have taken it. You can see people taking cover in the doorway in the building opposite. Gunfire (from the soldiers) was a constant threat there.

Captures the moment perfectly.

wrong thread

Why is the red shirt wearing a yellow shirt?

90 people shot to death, and suprisingly not one murderer has been found.........

^ Thats cos no fcukers lookin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sabang

Why is the red shirt wearing a yellow shirt?

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PAD Terrorist

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sabang

Why is the red shirt wearing a yellow shirt?

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yeah..I wondered about that too.

Member of Democrat Party Marco Fedi Tables Question on the Death of Fabio Polenghi | Facebook


by Ratchaprasong News on Tuesday, 24 May 2011 at 17:48


Friday May 20, 2011
ROME \ aise \

On May 19, 2010, the Italian photojournalist Fabio Polenghi died in Bangkok, by a gunshot to the abdomen. Fabio was killed while documenting the final assault by government forces on the camp of the opposition group UDD "Red Shirts".

During this time, Thailand was the scene of violent anti-government demonstrations. The clashes resulted in the death of seventy demonstrators and civilians, eleven members of the security forces, four doctors and two journalists. The streetbattles between protesters and security forces resulted in the use of excessive force, including deadly weapons and the use of "zones of gunfire."

Twelve months after the tragic event, Marco Fedi, a member of the Democratic Party, today presented a question asking the Minister for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken by the Italian government against the Thai authorities in order to clarify what happened and any liability, whether in accordance with requirements laid down by international standards.

The Polenghi family, who in recent days, has denounced the indifference and inadequacy on the part of the Thai authorities to clarify and provide news and comprehensive answers to the questions raised through institutional channels. Fedi expressed his solemness, hoping that light will be shed on what happened to Polenghi Fabio, one of many media workers who died in the field. (AISE)

source: FEDI (PD) PRESENTA UN

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SteveCM

Marco Fedi, a member of the Democratic Party, today presented a question asking the Minister for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken by the Italian government against the Thai authorities in order to clarify what happened and any liability, whether in accordance with requirements laid down by international standards.

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Huh? None at all, why would they care if they kill a few farangs?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SteveCM

Member of Democrat Party Marco Fedi Tables Question on the Death of Fabio Polenghi | Facebook


by Ratchaprasong News on Tuesday, 24 May 2011 at 17:48


Friday May 20, 2011
ROME \ aise \

On May 19, 2010, the Italian photojournalist Fabio Polenghi died in Bangkok, by a gunshot to the abdomen. Fabio was killed while documenting the final assault by government forces on the camp of the opposition group UDD "Red Shirts".

During this time, Thailand was the scene of violent anti-government demonstrations. The clashes resulted in the death of seventy demonstrators and civilians, eleven members of the security forces, four doctors and two journalists. The streetbattles between protesters and security forces resulted in the use of excessive force, including deadly weapons and the use of "zones of gunfire."

Twelve months after the tragic event, Marco Fedi, a member of the Democratic Party, today presented a question asking the Minister for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken by the Italian government against the Thai authorities in order to clarify what happened and any liability, whether in accordance with requirements laid down by international standards.

The Polenghi family, who in recent days, has denounced the indifference and inadequacy on the part of the Thai authorities to clarify and provide news and comprehensive answers to the questions raised through institutional channels. Fedi expressed his solemness, hoping that light will be shed on what happened to Polenghi Fabio, one of many media workers who died in the field. (AISE)

source: FEDI (PD) PRESENTA UN

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If I were in the Thai government (:mid:) I'd probably immediately retort: 'Are you Thai?'

That'd teach Marco Fedi to ask impertinent questions...

robertamsterdam Robert Amsterdam

A video of my speech during memorial event hosted by the family of the fallen journalist Fabio Polenghi

YouTube - &#x202a;RFP N°0411 Fabio Polenghi Un Anno Dopo Robert Amsterdam.m4v&#x202c;&rlm;

Video: Robert Amsterdam Speech at Fabio Polenghi RFP Association

The following is a video of a speech delivered by Robert Amsterdam at an event a few weeks ago in Milan hosted by the family of Fabio Polenghi, a photojournalist who was allegedly shot and killed by the Thai army during the Bangkok crackdowns of May 19, 2010.


Video: Robert Amsterdam Speech at Fabio Polenghi RFP Association | Robert Amsterdam Thailand

New Thai PM urged to probe Italian's death

Jul 8, 2011

New Thai PM urged to probe Italian's death

BANGKOK - THE sister of an Italian photographer killed in Thailand during a military crackdown on opposition protests last year has called on the new government to relaunch an investigation into his death.

Ms Elisabetta Polenghi's brother Fabio was shot and killed on May 19, the day when soldiers firing live ammunition stormed the anti-government 'Red Shirts' sprawling rally base in the centre of Bangkok.

In an open letter to premier-in-waiting Yingluck Shinawatra, whose party won a decisive victory in Sunday's general election with the support of the Red Shirt movement, Ms Polenghi called for 'a new era of justice and respect'.

'It is my heartfelt hope that the investigations of the 2010 deaths will be reopened and reviewed and that the sacrifice of many will not have been useless,' she added. Fabio Polenghi was killed while working as a freelance photographer covering the protests, in which thousands of Reds brought central Bangkok to a standstill for two months with demands for snap elections.

Street battles between soldiers with rifles and mostly unarmed protesters during the April and May unrest claimed more than 90 lives and left nearly 1,900 people injured, mainly civilians. Families of the victims are still waiting for information from the authorities about the circumstances of the deaths. Hiro Muramoto, a Japanese cameraman working for Reuters news agency, was also among those killed.

The Red Shirts are broadly loyal to fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra whose sister Yingluck is set to become Thailand's first female premier. Thaksin has vowed not to 'seek revenge' over last year's clashes in an attempt to avoid alienating key players, such as the military. -- AFP

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Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

A video of my speech during memorial event hosted by the family of the fallen journalist Fabio Polenghi

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Comes across as a bit of a shameless 'photo oportunity' type stunt. He's quite dislikeable although he makes a lot of strong points and is doing an important job of itemizing the crimes of the Thai military/Abhisit government (a coup government, a violent government and their backers...).

Having said that, when the entire Thai (and much of the international media) is corrupt and one-sdied (against the populous) I suppose you must do whatever you can...

Certainly, the Thai military attacks and murders against healthcare workers and journalists are shocking, and premeditated.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

New Thai PM urged to probe Italian's death

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Not by the new head of the army. Realpolitik and all that.
I certainly can not fault the conciliatory tone being set by PT, although others might cringe.
In retrospect, Yingluck's appointment was an act of genius- assuming PT were confident of victory, which I reckon they were.

^ yes, I agree with that, Sabang. The idealist in my wants to take umbrage, but... gotta be pragmatic or else you just pass the keys back to the army/bluebloods.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

'It is my heartfelt hope that the investigations of the 2010 deaths will be reopened and reviewed and that the sacrifice of many will not have been useless,' she added. Fabio Polenghi was killed while working as a freelance photographer covering the protests, in which thousands of Reds brought central Bangkok to a standstill for two months with demands for snap elections.

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Another foreign journalist, Italian photographer Fabio Polenghi, was killed a month later. A government investigation failed to identify the perpetrators. Several other foreign and Thai journalists were seriously wounded that year.The government approved a budget of 2 billion baht ($65 million) on Tuesday to compensate the victims of violence from 2005 to 2010 linked to the ouster of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006.

The families of about 100 people who were killed will receive about 7.5 million baht ($250,000) each, and more than 2,000 who suffered injuries will receive as much as 4.5 million baht ($150,000) each.

Thailand to pay compensation for journalists who were injured in political violence - The Washington Post

Inquest told soldiers fired shot that killed Polenghi | Bangkok Post: news

Inquest told soldiers fired shot that killed Polenghi

• Published: 7/12/2012 at 02:52 PM
• Online news: Local News

Three witnesses told the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court on Friday they believed that Italian photo-journalist Fabio Polenghi died from shots fired by the military during the Abhisit Vejjajiva administration's crackdown of the violent red-shirt protests in 2010.

Two other witnesses have already testified, on Oct 10, at the inquest into the death of 48-year-old Polenghi, who was killed by a high-velocity bullet on May 19, 2010.

There are another 32 witnesses still to appear for the state and eight others listed by the lawyer for the dead man's relatives.

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Bradley Cox (Photo by Achara Ashayagachat)

Bradley Cox, 56, an American freelance documentary film maker, told the judges that Polenghi was shot about 10.58am on May 19, and that the bullet came from the direction of Lumpini and Sala Daeng.

"We were moving and hiding along Ratchadamri road and heard gun shots from the direction of the tents located near the Sala Daeng side," Mr Cox said.

"There was some commotion behind me which was in the direction of the Ratchaprasong side, so I and some people ran towards that direction. However, I was shot on the back of my right leg while running, so I turned back to see where the shots came from. Then I saw Fabio had falled down already on the street," said Mr Cox.

He said that initially he and some other people, including American and Japanese freelancers, were gathering and hiding near the barricades installed by the red-shirt protesters in front of the Sarasin-Ratchadamri junction.

He could see the military moving on two sides of Ratchadamri street, near the tents, some 80 metres from where he was.

"I saw different soldiers moving around six times, each of around five to six men. Inside the (red-shirt) tents, there were a dozen of them too. But I believe there were more than that," Mr Cox said.

He told the court that he did not see or hear any single gunshot from where the red-shirt protesters were, but clearly heard shots from the Lumpini and Sala Daeng sides, where military were zeroing in.

"I turned on my video (camera) when I saw Fabio on the street. I saw some people trying to help him and a man who many believed was taking Fabio's camera away too. I was surprised that he and I got shot, since we were already running far away from the army.

"Although I could not prove or identify who shoot Fabio or me, I'm 100% certain that it was the army," said Mr Cox.

In response to questions by the lawyer for the relatives, Mr Cox said he did not think the men-in-black were involved in Polenghi's death.

"Of course, some of the red-shirt protesters wore other colours, including black and dark colors, but I did not see them carrying any weapons," he said.

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Udon Wannasing (Photo by Achara Ashayagachat)

Udon Wannasing, 48, a taxi driver from Roi Et province, said he saw how Polenghi was shot.

"I think the soldiers were trying to shoot me as they were chasing the remaining red-shirts from the areas in front of Lumpini Park and Ratchadamri road from Sala Daeng side," said Mr Udon, who was a key witness in other inquests into the deaths of four people (including a Japanese Reuters cameraman) during the April 10 incident and three people inside Wat Pathumwanaram.

Mr Udon said when he fell down on the street near the Sarasin-Ratchadamri junction, he looked up and saw Polenghi was taking photos. When the gunshots came nearer, he ran away towards Ratchaprasong and that moment the Italian was shot down.

Taxi motorcyclist Kwanchai Sowapas, 38, from Bang Yi Ruea, said he took Polenghi from Ratchaprasong intersection to the Ratchadamri-Sarasin junction area less than an hour before he ws killed.

"I did not take him close to the barricades. He got off at a U-turn in front of the Bangkok Cable building. I returned to the Ratchaprasong area to get a Vietnamese reporter and dropped him off at the same place," said Mr Kwanchai, who has moved back to his native town in Roi Et's At Samart district, saying he feared for his safety.

Mr Kwanchai said he was watching events unfold from the outside the horse racing track, watching out for the Vietnamese journalist and his colleague, when there were more gunshots.

"I heard several gunshots when I was hiding near the racecourse tents and behind the tanks of ice, and I saw Fabio taking photos. While he was turning around towards the Ratchaprasong direction on my side he was shot," said Mr Kwanchai.

He told the court that it was army soldiers who shot Polenghi, because he saw them on that side, some 70 metres away from him and some 30 to 40 metres from the Italian photo-journalist.

Outside the court, he told the Bangkok Post that Polenghi was a kind person; "When I gave him a 10-baht coin as change in return for a 20-baht banknote for each ride, he told me to keep it. I saw him from time to time during the time of the protests, but never thought he would get killed."

Mr Kwanchai said he would like to see justice for those who were killed and their families.

"At the least, there should be apologies from the prime minister at the time (Abhisit Vejjajiva) and his deputy (Suthep Thaugsuban)," said Mr Kwanchai.

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Fabio Polenghi (Photo by Kosol Nakachol)