Angry families storm human rights day celebration

The relatives were led by Payao Akhad, mother of paramedic volunteer Kamolkaed Akhad, who was killed inside the Pathumwanaram Temple on May 19, 2010.

The NHRC was holding the event at its head office at the Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road to mark Human Rights Day by awarding several people for outstanding work protecting human rights.

Initially, Payao and some 30 others rallied outside the B Building, where the NHRC head office is located. They demanded that the NHRC explain why its report on the 2010 political violence had not yet been officially released.

The protesters also demanded explanation why the NHRC would not request documents from the Army related to the security operations in April and May 2010, during which more than 90 people were killed.

The protesters noted that the NHRC summoned police to be questioned over the clashes with demonstrators led by Pitak Siam last month, but the NHRC would not request information on operations from the Army.

After no NHRC commissioners came out to meet the demonstrators, they stormed into the office and disrupted the Human Rights Day activities.

Wirawit Wiraworawit, acting secretary-general of the NHRC Office, tried to negotiate with the protesters but they insisted on meeting with commission chairwoman Amara Pongsapich.

Wirawit told the protesters that Amara was preoccupied with an activity and could not meet them. The protesters then went up on the stage and disrupted the performance.

They also mocked the NHRC by giving an imitation golden coffin to the agency for allegedly protecting the oppressors instead of protecting human rights.

Wirawit received the mock award and told the protesters the NHRC was taking time to investigate the issue because there was a lot of information to review.

In a separate development, the Criminal Court ruled yesterday that a red-shirt protester was killed by a bullet fired by unidentified troops during the anti-government rally on May 13, 2010.

The inquest found that Chartchai Chalao, a member of the Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship (DAAD), was on Rama IV Road when he was hit in the head by a 0.223-calibre bullet that tore through his skull and brain.

The troops were carrying out an operation under orders from the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation, but the examination was unable to identity which agency they came from. 

This is the third case involving the political chaos in which the culpability for a death has been pinned on government troops.

On September 17, the Criminal Court determined that Phan Kamkong, 43, a taxicab driver, was shot dead when he ran out of an apartment to see what was happening after hearing soldiers open fire at a van that had strayed into an area under Army control. He then collapsed outside the IDO condominium near the Airport Rail Link’s Rajprarop Station.

And on November 27, the Criminal Court determined that troops had shot Charnnarong Polsriwala, a DAAD member, near a petrol station on Rangnam Road. The 0.223 bullets ripped up his intestines. 

The court is set to divulge the results of the fourth inquest this Thursday.