Pheu Thai MPs submit 3 reconciliation bills
Opposition wants Sonthi bill withdrawn as senators, top lawyer damn 'first-ever' move to expunge legal verdicts
Three separate reconciliation bills submitted by MPs from the ruling Pheu Thai Party will join the one submitted by General Sonthi Boonyaratglin on the(May 30) House of Representatives meeting agenda tomorrow, Deputy House Speaker Charoen Jankomol said yesterday.
In addition to Sonthi’s bill, three others have been proposed by Pheu Thai MPs Samart Kaewmeechai, Niyom Worapanya and Natthawut Saikua.
Natthawut’s draft, handed to Charoen yesterday, was supported by 74 Pheu Thai MPs, many of whom are linked to the red-shirt movement, including Kokaew Pikulthong, Vipoothalaeng Patta-napoomthai, Khattiyaa Sawat-diphol, Payap Panket and Worachai Hema.
Natthawut, a deputy agriculture minister, said his bill was similar to Sonthi’s, but there was a clause that excludes people involved in terrorism and crimes that took lives from getting an amnesty.
The opposition Democrat Party called on House Speaker Somsak Kiartsuranond yesterday to withdraw Sonthi’s reconciliation bill from the House meeting agenda following complaints by some MPs that their names were included on a list of supporters of the bill without their consent.
Democrat MP Ong-art Klampaiboon called on the Speaker to investigate the matter and make the draft law public.
The Pheu Thai politicians’ latest move came amid mounting criticism of the reconciliation bill proposed earlier by Sonthi, the former coup leader who now chairs a House committee on national reconciliation.
The yellow shirts’ People’s Alliance for Democracy plans to hold a rally against the proposed law, which would expunge post-coup court verdicts and grant general amnesty to people involved in the political conflict.
Democrat MP Thepthai Sena-pong called on supporters of all political colours yesterday to gather in front of the Parliament tomorrow to show their opposition to the reconciliation bill.
SENATOR: COUNTRY WILL |FACE IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE
Senator Somchai Sawaengkarn, a leading figure in the Group of 40 Senators, warned of “irreversible damage to the country” if Sonthi’s bill was not withdrawn from the House meeting’s agenda.
“If they still want to test the strength of people, there will be damage to Thailand that cannot be reversed,” he said.
Somchai asked the heads of the country’s administration, legislature and judiciary to look into the matter. He said if approved by Parliament, the new law would severely undermine the judiciary’s power and credibility.
“The proposed law interferes with the courts’ authority and there could be severe opposition and a ‘war of reconciliation’,” he said.
The eight-article bill proposed by Sonthi calls for expunging legal impacts and court cases stemming from the coup of September 2006 as well as a general amnesty to people involved in the political conflict.
Wicha Mahakhun, a member of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, also voiced opposition yesterday to the proposed bill, saying there had never been a bill in the country’s history that would cancel court cases and legal charges.
“Even under the tenure of a junta, there was no interference with the judiciary,” said Wicha, a former judge who also served on the Assets Examination Committee set up after the 2006 coup. He said that the judiciary’s credibility and independence would be at risk if the bill became law.
He also expressed concern at a possible resurgence of conflict.
Sonthi, now leader of the small opposition Matubhum Party, said yesterday he proposed the bill because he wanted peace to be restored in the country. “I have everything today, particularly hon
our and dignity. I don’t do any dirty work,” he told reporters.
He also dismissed suspicions he would make personal gains out of his role. He said he had good intentions towards the country, adding that he wanted to avert a new crisis.
“My question is, who is brave enough to bring back peace? Our problem is that we need brave people to work for the country to ensure there will be peace and reconciliation. This is an important point,” Sonthi said. “I just want to see the country at peace and the people love each other.”
Sonthi said he would call a press conference today to explain his reconciliation bill in more detail.
When serving as the Army chief, Sonthi in September 2006 led a coup that overthrew a government led by Thaksin Shinawatra.
Meanwhile, Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha said yesterday that differences of opinion in regard to reconciliation bills should be settled through democratic means. Asked if he was concerned about the PAD rally tomorrow, he said he also had concerns about other issues, such as border conflicts, flood and drought.
