All sides must talk to each other, Gothom advises
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With protests against the amnesty bill spreading across the nation, veteran peace expert Gothom Arya advised both sides to try and establish channels for dialogue in order to avoid violence.
He told The Nation that communication should be established at three levels: between protesters and police officers on the ground; between protest leaders and police commanders; and between leaders of both sides.
“[Violent] confrontation should be avoided,” he advised.
Gothom also called on the anti-government forces to clarify what they want – whether they are merely opposing the bill, if they want the PM to resign or dissolve the House, or if they want to oust the so-called Thaksin Shinawatra regime – so the administration can respond accordingly.
He said each group of protesters should send a representative to formally present their demands to the government and make them known to the public. He also warned military officers against considering another coup and to strictly act within the bounds of the law.
“We’ve learned that tanks and guns cannot be used against the people. Do not order any movement of war weapons, because it always leads to bloodshed,” he said.
