http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/o...required-truth

DSI 'progress report' falls far short of required truth
  • Published: 19/11/2010 at 12:00 AM
  • Newspaper section: News

At a press conference this week, Tharit Pengdit, director-general of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), reported on the "progress" of the department's investigations into the deaths resulting from the military crackdown on the red shirt protesters.


Seeking justice: Puea Thai MP Pol Lt Gen Wiroj Pao-in (right) and relatives of dead red shirt protesters submit a petition to DSI Director- General Tharit Pengdit (left), on Sept 20, 2010.

Although he tried hard to put the statistics together for the presentation, it lacked sufficient detail to make the report credible.

Mr Tharit said the DSI was responsible for 254 cases, of which 54 have been charged. As for the deaths, he concluded that at least 12 were caused by members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), the red shirts' core organisation. Most of these deaths involved military personnel, including Colonel Romklao Tuvatham, who lost his life on April 10 at Kok Wua intersection near the Democracy Monument. Only two were civilian: one died in the arson at Central World and the other from a bomb that went off in front of Big C supermarket on Ratchadamri Road.

The causes of death for the rest, mostly unarmed civilians, were inconclusive. For instance, despite tremendous diplomatic pressure, the death of Japanese photographer Hiroyuki Muramoto remained unsolved. And the death of "Seh Daeng" _ Lieutenant General Khattiya Swasdipol, who was gunned down by sniper fire while talking to foreign journalists at Saladaeng intersection _ did not receive a mention.

The controversy surrounding the shootings at Pathumwanaram Temple where six people were shot dead, strangely could not be concluded.

Pol Col Narach Sawetanun, the DSI deputy director-general, admitted that forensics had proved that at least three of the six deaths had occurred from shots fired from higher ground; this, together with other evidence found, could imply the involvement of armed troops stationed on the BTS skytrain tracks. Pol Col Naruch even said at the press conference that the army had admitted that eight soldiers had been stationed on the BTS tracks.

Back in May, during the censure debate in Parliament following the crackdown, the government had denied the presence of soldiers on the BTS tracks, even though video clips and pictures proved otherwise. Even in light of what DSI appears to know now, the government _ both Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjaijva and Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban who defended the military on the floor of Parliament _ is not taking any responsibility and it is doubtful any military personnel will be indicted.

Mr Tharit said all the cases would be resolved by the end of the month. Few believe he will be able to keep his word.

More damage to the credibility of the DSI's investigations has come from an interview given by Kanit Na Nakorn, a respected public prosecutor whom the government appointed to head the so-called Truth Commission. After months of making the rounds talking to all concerned parties, Mr Kanit had been criticised as "slow" in carrying out the Commission's undertaking, and thus felt the need to explain.

In his Nov 17 interview with the Thai-language newspaper Khao Sod , Mr Kanit admitted there had been little cooperation from the government and he had no power to forcibly elicit any facts.

The list of names of the deceased and injured had not been made public, so no one knew the actual tally. In addition, while the military had been "all talk", it had refused to actually hand over to him any operational plans regarding the crackdown

Mr Kanit revealed that at least 252 people were currently behind bars. His Commission had proposed that those not directly involved should be released on bail. He also said the Emergency Decree should be used sparingly and only when necessary. Mr Kanit felt that the government had not been "positive" in its answers, meaning there had been no transparency or openness.

Why did the government appoint Mr Kanit to fish for the truth if in reality it never wanted the truth to come out? And if there is no truth, then how can reconciliation begin?

The government was only buying time, that's why. It hoped the nightmare would simply go away; that in time, other events would take over the news headlines and that the Thais, being Thai, would forgive and forget the whole matter.

But 91 deaths caused by unexplained bullets are not the same as the 200-plus deaths from the recent flood disaster. For the latter, the cause of death has been clear and accepted as "natural and force majeure", whereas in the case of the former, the whole affair has been murky, manipulative, violent and unjust.

A democratic government must shoulder the responsibility of protecting the citizenry from whom it derives its very existence. The power of the people given to elected representatives to form a government must never be used against the people themselves.

But a "deformed" government will always fall into the trap of power. To sustain its survival, politicians cater to interest groups: the bureaucracy, the large corporations, the influential elite, and the military. Mao Zedong was right all along: "political power" does "grow from the barrel of a gun". And it is this power of the gun that has been used to suppress the power of the people.

How long do suppressions last? Historically, anywhere in the world, Thailand included, the time and conditions vary. But in the end no dictatorial regime lasts, no matter what kind of democratic mask they may put on. The power of the people yearning for truth and freedom will prevail.

The government of Mr Abhisit should accept the fact that it is party to this conflict, and therefore it is never going to be trusted, no matter what words it may utter in seeking to resolve the causes of death and reconciliation. And even if its intentions are benign, its actions to the contrary _ of maintaining the Emergency Decree, the operations of the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) which continue to threaten red shirts elements, the shutting down and blocking of websites, and the dubious investigations of the DSI _ all point to a "cover up" more than a revelation of the truth.

The government may feel it has the legitimacy to continue on until the next general election is called. It should not do so at the expense of justice which the 91 deaths deserve.

Let Mr Kanit have what he needs in his quest for truth and reconciliation. All information should be turned over to the Commission.

Let Mr Kanit have the power to learn the "real story" and tell the public what factually happened, so that a fair and just judicial process can punish the wrongdoers and vindicate the wrongly accused.

Let the truth be told. Only then can reconciliation happen and democracy be preserved. Else, be prepared to face the power of the people.

Suranand Vejjajiva served in the Thaksin Shinawatra cabinet and is now a political analyst.