Sian Powell, in Bangkok
From: The Australian
A RED Shirt leader on the run from Thai police has warned of "difficult weeks and years ahead".
The warning comes as the anti-government protesters regroup after their bloody defeat by the military.
Former national human rights commissioner and key Red Shirt negotiator Jaran Ditapichai also told The Australian that police had issued arrest warrants for more than 80 protesters who were in hiding. "I don't how many Red Shirts are in the clandestine (movement) because it is secret," he wrote in an email, adding two arrest warrants had been issued for him.
The government has yet to lift an emergency decree blanketing one-third of Thailand, fearing further unrest, and perhaps guerilla attacks.
Mr Jaran said the "serious violation of human rights" was now widespread; 400 Red Shirts had been arrested, rebel media had been shut down, and the bank accounts of more than 100 people had been frozen. Abhisit Vejjajiva's government was an "aristocratic dictatorship", he added.
Mr Jaran did not specify where he was hiding, but some Red Shirt leaders are believed to have sought refuge in Cambodia.
The Red Shirts left Thailand in a state of shock. Troops gunned down protesters, grenades were aimed at commuter train stations, a dissident general was shot in the head, and homemade bombs were hurled at soldiers.
Yet the struggle was no longer simply between the poor, mostly rural supporters of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the establishment, Mr Jaran wrote, but a "socio-political struggle between the democratic and aristocratic camps". Last week, he added, three Red Shirt guards had been killed.
Mr Jaran called for an amnesty for "red and yellow". Thai prosecutors recently again delayed a decision on whether they would indict leaders from the "yellow shirt" People's Alliance for Democracy for the months-long occupation of Government House in 2008. The Yellow Shirt protest, culminating in the occupation of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport, finally helped force the red-aligned government out of office. Red Shirts have pointed to a double standard in Thai justice, noting the men behind the Government House occupation were free, while nearly all Red Shirt leaders have been denied bail.
"(Thailand) needs an amnesty for red and yellow, government and protest leaders, a truth and reconciliation commission, and a new constitution," Mr Jaran said.
An amnesty could see the release of Australian Conor Purcell, accused of breaching the emergency law when he gave speeches to massed Red Shirts, and Briton Jeff Savage, who was seen in a YouTube clip promising to burn down a shopping centre. Neither has been granted bail.
Besides Mr Jaran, Red Shirt leaders on the run include the flamboyant Arisman Pongruangrong, who in April evaded an inept arrest attempt by having himself lowered by cable from a hotel window.
Sean Boonpracong, an international spokesman for the Red Shirts, said: "The people are so enraged by what happened. They do not believe in Abhisit's reconciliation plans, or that he is sincere. Things will not return to normal any time soon."
Last week, eight of the captive senior protest leaders, and three Red Shirt guards, were charged with terrorism, which carries the death penalty. Some had turned themselves in after the barricades of the protest encampment in Bangkok's retail hub were last month finally breached by the military in a slow onslaught. Although Red Shirt leaders surrendered, and asked their followers to leave peacefully, some protesters sought revenge, and set fire to buildings across Bangkok, including a shopping centre.
At least 89 people were killed during the 10-week protest.
The Red Shirts say Mr Abhisit's government is illegitimate because he has never won an election. Mr Sean said most Red Shirts believed the Prime Minister would cling to power. "It's gone beyond politics now."
The warning comes as the anti-government protesters regroup after their bloody defeat by the military.
Former national human rights commissioner and key Red Shirt negotiator Jaran Ditapichai also told The Australian that police had issued arrest warrants for more than 80 protesters who were in hiding. "I don't how many Red Shirts are in the clandestine (movement) because it is secret," he wrote in an email, adding two arrest warrants had been issued for him.
The government has yet to lift an emergency decree blanketing one-third of Thailand, fearing further unrest, and perhaps guerilla attacks.
Mr Jaran said the "serious violation of human rights" was now widespread; 400 Red Shirts had been arrested, rebel media had been shut down, and the bank accounts of more than 100 people had been frozen. Abhisit Vejjajiva's government was an "aristocratic dictatorship", he added.
Mr Jaran did not specify where he was hiding, but some Red Shirt leaders are believed to have sought refuge in Cambodia.
The Red Shirts left Thailand in a state of shock. Troops gunned down protesters, grenades were aimed at commuter train stations, a dissident general was shot in the head, and homemade bombs were hurled at soldiers.
Yet the struggle was no longer simply between the poor, mostly rural supporters of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the establishment, Mr Jaran wrote, but a "socio-political struggle between the democratic and aristocratic camps". Last week, he added, three Red Shirt guards had been killed.
Mr Jaran called for an amnesty for "red and yellow". Thai prosecutors recently again delayed a decision on whether they would indict leaders from the "yellow shirt" People's Alliance for Democracy for the months-long occupation of Government House in 2008. The Yellow Shirt protest, culminating in the occupation of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport, finally helped force the red-aligned government out of office. Red Shirts have pointed to a double standard in Thai justice, noting the men behind the Government House occupation were free, while nearly all Red Shirt leaders have been denied bail.
"(Thailand) needs an amnesty for red and yellow, government and protest leaders, a truth and reconciliation commission, and a new constitution," Mr Jaran said.
An amnesty could see the release of Australian Conor Purcell, accused of breaching the emergency law when he gave speeches to massed Red Shirts, and Briton Jeff Savage, who was seen in a YouTube clip promising to burn down a shopping centre. Neither has been granted bail.
Besides Mr Jaran, Red Shirt leaders on the run include the flamboyant Arisman Pongruangrong, who in April evaded an inept arrest attempt by having himself lowered by cable from a hotel window.
Sean Boonpracong, an international spokesman for the Red Shirts, said: "The people are so enraged by what happened. They do not believe in Abhisit's reconciliation plans, or that he is sincere. Things will not return to normal any time soon."
Last week, eight of the captive senior protest leaders, and three Red Shirt guards, were charged with terrorism, which carries the death penalty. Some had turned themselves in after the barricades of the protest encampment in Bangkok's retail hub were last month finally breached by the military in a slow onslaught. Although Red Shirt leaders surrendered, and asked their followers to leave peacefully, some protesters sought revenge, and set fire to buildings across Bangkok, including a shopping centre.
At least 89 people were killed during the 10-week protest.
The Red Shirts say Mr Abhisit's government is illegitimate because he has never won an election. Mr Sean said most Red Shirts believed the Prime Minister would cling to power. "It's gone beyond politics now."
4 comments:
that's siem problem! why they discuss it here? not interested, ok!
Ah siames gonna doom soon. Hopefully in the near future we're getting all the lands that ah Siames stolen from us back to Cambodian.
Sadeng and others died for us. We must continue
That your problem! 12:15PM! ok!
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