Pheu Thai's dangerous double game on amnesty
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Families of red-shirt protesters who were killed during the 2010 political unrest recently called on the government to draft a reconciliation law that gives primary consideration to ordinary protesters and is free from political influence.
They also asked the government to ensure that the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) speed up work on cases stemming from the unrest, saying there has been scant progress in the more than three years since the events.
The group also urged the government to remove DSI director-general Tarit Pengdith as chief investigator in the cases, viewing him as among those responsible for the killings of their loved ones during the red shirts’ anti-government rallies and subsequent unrest and riots between March and May 2010.
They also pressured red-shirt leaders, many of whom have since accepted government and Cabinet posts, to publicly comment on a draft law proposed by Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung. The proposed legislation calls for a general amnesty for all those involved in the recent political conflicts and those affected by the coup of September 2006.
If the draft becomes law, no one involved in the deaths of the 91 victims – who included soldiers, policemen, protesters and bystanders – would be prosecuted.
Some critics also objected to the fact that the law would void the court-ordered seizure of Bt43 billion in ill-gotten assets from ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. A clause in the legislation states that all orders resulting from the coup should be considered null and void. The Assets Examination Committee, whose investigation led to a court case that resulted in the asset seizure, was appointed by the coup-makers.
The slain red shirts’ families are unhappy that the ruling Pheu Thai Party has failed to ask Chalerm to drop his draft law, despite earlier resolving to support another bill proposed by red-shirt leader MP Worachai Hema, who is a red-shirt leader. Worachai’s draft offers amnesty to ordinary protesters, but not protest leaders.
For the red shirts’ families, Pheu Thai and the government appear to be “playing a double game”. Even Worachai is among the 160-plus Pheu Thai MPs who endorse Chalerm’s legislation.
The group, which has been considered a supporter of Pheu Thai and the government, also threatened to take to the streets if Chalerm’s draft law is tabled for the House of Representatives’ deliberation. They disagree with the idea of proclaiming a general amnesty, as former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his ex-deputy Suthep Thaugsuban would also benefit from the law. They believe that the Democrat Party’s two key figures are responsible for the deaths of their loved ones.
If Pheu Thai and the government ignore these people’s demands, they risk turning friends into foes. It will be interesting to see how the ruling party and politicians.
