Govt to host reconciliation meeting
The government will host a meeting of political parties and other groups to discuss how to coexist peacefully as part of reconciliation efforts.
In line with a government push for political reconciliation, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan Monday set up a committee to prepare dialogue on unity and reconciliation.
The committee, whose members were appointed yesterday, is charged with seeking opinions from the military, police, academics, experts and political figures to compose an “agreement of truth” to be applied to political parties and groups involved in the conflicts.
The agreement would not touch on pardons or amnesty for law violators involved in the conflicts and it would be distinct from enforcing laws or the constitution, Prawit said.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, meanwhile, Monday called for a transparent process aimed at achieving political reconciliation.
He said any agreements reached between political groups involved in conflicts should be done openly and the public should be informed clearly.
The prime minister also voiced support for Prawit’s idea of having conflicting parties sign an “agreement of truth” promising to cooperate to reach reconciliation.
“Political parties and groups may need to promise what they will do and not do. This is an agreement of truth. They have to comply with the conditions and keep their promise,” Prayut said.
“In the meantime, we have to allow society to know about the agreement. This should not be done surreptitiously,” he said.
The prime minister reiterated that reconciliation should not be tied to amnesties or reduced penalties for lawbreakers involved in political conflicts.
Prawit has been assigned to deal with political parties and other groups involved in reconciliation.
