Action sought on teen's killing in South
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THE THAI GOVERNMENT should immediately investigate and prosecute security personnel responsible for the killing of a 14-year-old ethnic Malay-Muslim boy in the South of Thailand, Human Rights Watch said yesterday.
On August 21, rangers from Unit 4916, allegedly shot dead Muhammad Azuwan Sohoh while he was riding his motorcycle past their camp in Narathiwat’s Si Sakhon district.
A police investigation found that a unit member, Aekapot Samansuan, had allegedly planted an 11mm pistol in the boy’s hand after the shooting to fabricate evidence that the boy was an insurgent.
“The Thai government faces a clear-cut test on whether it will arrest and prosecute those responsible for the killing of the Malay-Muslim teenager,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
“A failure to act decisively will further fuel perceptions in the Muslim community that Thai security forces are untouchable and can commit abuses with impunity.”
On August 29, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha vowed that he would act on any credible evidence of abuse and initiate prosecutions of abusive troops in the restive southern border provinces.
The government’s response to the killing of Muhammad Azuwan puts the seriousness of that pledge at stake, Human Rights Watch said.
Thai authorities defended the actions of the unit, asserting in a news |conference on September 5 that |the rangers were acting in self-defence against what they perceived was an insurgent attack.
Meanwhile, the Army and the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre has given Bt500,000 in compensation to Muhammad Azuwan’s family.
However, providing compensation does not absolve the government from its responsibility to prosecute officials responsible for an unlawful killing, Human Rights Watch said.
To date, the authorities have taken no disciplinary action against Aekapot or other members of Unit 4916.
“The Thai government should wake up to the fact that attempts to cover up misconduct of its security units and protect them from criminal responsibility fans the flames of violent reprisals,” Adams said.
“Insurgents have repeatedly used the impunity of government forces to justify brutal attacks on civilians.”
