DSI to question Army snipers on deaths
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The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) will summon Army snipers for questioning tomorrowon Wednesday to further investigate allegations that sharpshooters were deployed to target red-shirt protesters in April and May 2010. Weapons experts will also
The DSI has urged all concerned parties to come forward with whatever evidence or rebuttals they have in order to aid the investigation.
Pol Colonel Prawase Moonpramuk, deputy director-general of the DSI, said yesterday(Monday) that a written order issued by the now-defunct Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) that was later disclosed by the DSI is not a classified document.
Prawase met with deputy Metropolitan Police chief Pol Maj-General Anuchai Lekbamrung yesterday to discuss whether more witnesses should be summoned. The DSI also plans to request documents from the House Committee on Military Affairs that contain details about the list of weapons and ammunition used, and to question some officers involved in the crackdown.
Experts will offer their opinion about the weapons used in the 2010 violence. The DSI said it is not worried that the Army may cast doubt on the qualifications of the weapons experts, since they have already received court approval.
So far, 22 deaths have been attributed to the Army by the DSI, and five more that occurred in the Bon Kai area may be added to the list. The DSI said more witnesses are coming forward to aid the investigation.
DSI chief Tharith Pengdit said the weekly meeting on the investigation into the 91 deaths is being conducted as normal and a press conference will be held when significant progress is made. He denied a claim by the Army that the DSI has lost documents crucial to the investigation. He added, however, that as someone who took part in CRES meetings back in 2010, he thought that action taken by CRES was appropriate.
Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha meanwhile warned the media to be careful in reporting about the DSI claims that orders were given by CRES to use snipers, and not to create more rifts in society. The Army chief said if the press continued to dig into the matter, there would be no end to the rift. Prayuth said the documents did not put any pressure on him, but added that he wouldn’t say anything more to defend the Army because he was “bored” of doing so.
Asked if he was concerned about red shirts threatening him, Prayuth said he was not.
