Rights defenders must honour the rights of non-demonstrators
I fully sympathise with those protesting the junta’s reneging on PM Prayut’s promise, made in the press release co-signed by President Trump, to hold free and fair elections by November. They have every right to peacefully protest within the law.
But Thais don’t realise that, in a democracy, the right to protest does not allow them to force themselves on others.
For example, the red shirts had no legal or moral right to shut down Rajaprasong junction any more than the PDRC had the right to shut down Bangkok. Protest all you want – but you must allow non-protesters to live, work, go to school, etc unhindered. A democracy requires that you respect the rights of others.
As an example of a protest that fully respected the rights of non-protesters and which was very effective, in the 1960s I was fighting then-legal segregation in the US Deep South, picketing a restaurant that refused to serve people of colour. We worked hand in hand with local police to ensure all was peaceful and legal.
We had at least 1.5 metres between pickets so that those who wished to dine, work, etc could do so unhindered. We marched in silence so that nobody would be disturbed. We stayed entirely on public property. A single cop sufficed to keep the peace.
Our protest was very successful, generating lots of publicity state-wide, all favourable, and pressuring the restaurant to change its ways.
By requiring that protesters respect the rights of all others, a democracy encourages opposing sides to seek to understand each other and find common ground, seeking win-win solutions and being willing to compromise – for, in a democracy, you cannot win by force.
Respecting others’ rights, dreams and goals helps you achieve sustainable solutions, with buy-in from all major factions.
Burin Kantabutra
