Uniforms must not absolve the guilty

But, reconciliation depends on quickly finding the truth and seeing justice done, with monetary compensation playing a necessary but distinctly secondary role. Justice cannot be for sale. The 4th Army Region cannot be counted upon to be either neutral or competent in investigating their ranger colleagues; it should be a specialised unit, e.g. the Department of Special Investigation, aided by Khunying Pornthip Rojanasunand, director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science, the Ministry of Justice. For example, the rangers claim that they were fired upon first by those in the pickup. The weapons found in the vehicle would support this allegation, but could have been planted by the authorities after the fact. Forensic tests by Khunying Pornthip would credibly show if the pickup’s passengers had fired any weapons, and the lab results must be made public quickly. Even if those in the truck did, in fact, fire first, then how could the rangers kill four people whom they now accept were not insurgents? Were the rangers’ rules of engagement/training faulty? How competent were their commanding officers, especially the senior-most officer at the scene?

Find out the truth behind this tragedy, regardless of where the truth may lead, and give swift and fair courts-martial to the accused. We must not let uniforms absolve the guilty of blame – as at Krue Se or Tak Bai, where nobody has been held accountable, despite being found guilty by the government’s own investigation.

When truth and justice have been seen to be done, then, and only then, can we begin the long road to reconciliation. You can’t buy justice.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok