Govt compensation offer fails to assuage rivals
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Divisions remain with yellow shirts questioning the govt's motives while red shirts vow to continue 'pursuit of truth and justice'
The Yingluck government's compensation package for "victims" of political conflicts dating back to 2005 has met with lukewarm reaction from key figures on both sides of the polarity, raising doubts whether the measure could accelerate reconciliation as publicly intended.
The yellow shirts even slammed the package in a heated debate on social media, while the red shirts insisted that their “fight for justice” –crusade against those they deem responsible for last year’s “massacre” of protesters – would continue.
Questions were also raised on the government’s “real motives” as the compensation package embracing all parties seems to be a step too soon considering the unsettled issue of general amnesty. But those who believe the government wanted to pacify the red shirts and compensate for the continuing delay in constitutional reform have yet to see the red movement welcome the package with open arms.
“Compensation cannot be a substitute for truth and justice,” said Payao Ak-had, mother of a 25-year-old volunteer nurse who was killed on the eve of May 19, 2010 in front of Pathum Wanaram Temple.
The Cabinet, on Tuesday, approved a total compensation of Bt7.75 million to every family for every person killed while those who became physically disabled will receive Bt4.5 million each and those injured will receive Bt225,000.
Victims from all political stripes are entitled to compensation payments in connection with the political disturbances from 2005 to 2010, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung confirmed yesterday.
“The compensation will not be limited just to the red shirts because all sides are entitled to it, otherwise social divisions will deepen,” he said.
Chalerm said Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit would be in charge of mapping out the guidelines to disburse the compensation payments.
He said he would push for the extension of compensation payments to cover police officers killed or injured in the line of duty in the four southernmost provinces.
Echoing Chalerm, Defence Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha said he fully supported the compensation for victims of the political violence.
“The Bt7.5 million per victim will at least be some consolation for lives to move on following the traumatic and tragic experience,” he said.
Yuthasak said he wanted the security forces in the strife-torn areas of the Deep South to be entitled to the same compensation.
People’s Alliance for Democracy spokesman Parnthep Pourpongpan, echoing a key argument against the government’s package, questioned why the government had limited the payments to only the red and yellow shirts.
Victims of past violent incidents, including the three uprisings on October 14, 1973, October 6, 1976, May, 1992, the Krue Se Mosque attack, the Tak Bai massacre and the silence-killings in connection with the war on drugs, should be compensated too, Parnthep said.
He said he suspected the government mainly aimed to help the red shirts and extended the compensation to cover the yellow shirts in order to justify its action.
He said the PAD would not influence the victims’ decision on whether to accept the compensation. Many yellow shirts saw the government as a party to the conflict, hence they deemed it inappropriate to accept help from the adversary, he said.
Former red-shirt guard Aree Krainara said he commended the government for agreeing to compensate the red shirts even though the Bt7.55 payment for each fatality was less than the Bt10 million proposed by Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan.
“The compensation is not much for a loss of life,” he said.
Red-shirt members directly involved with losses incurred during the crisis vowed they would not give up the fight for truth and justice. Payao had a “New Year card” for former premier Abhisit Vejjajiva and former deputy premier Suthep Thaugsuban featuring pictures of those killed, including that of her daughter who died of multiple bullet wounds.
“I’ll purse the matter my whole life,” Payao insisted.
Punsak Srithep, whose 17-year-old son was fatally shot on the head on May 5, 2010 at the Soi Rang Nam area, said what he wants is justice. Punsak admitted, however, that many relatives of those killed, would be more in need of money, especially when they are from poor families and the deceased was a bread winner, or even the families of bread winners who were disabled by the bullets. He proposed that those in dire need should receive more than those who are better off although he admitted that it is more convenient for the government to distribute the same amount. He also wondered how the government had come up with the figure.
Punsak said he was worried that some relatives might stop pursuing truth and justice once they receive the money.
