Rally has ended but dissenting voice must be heard

The anti-government rally organised by retired General Boonlert Kaewprasit concluded on Saturday evening with a small number of people injured. In spite of concerns about possible escalation of violence after the police started using tear gas to disperse protesters early in the morning, the event ended on a peaceful note. Organisers announced an end to the rally saying they had honoured their pledge to call it a day if the turnout of protesters was lower than expectation.

The conclusion of the event overall is good news as there were concerns and worries about the possible eruption of violence at any time all day. The untimely use of tear gas could have been the trigger to provoke the protesters. The red-shirt leaders, representing the other political camp, had already called on their supporters to stay on alert and said they were ready for a confrontation with the anti-government group if an attempt was made to overthrow the Yingluck government. 

Overall, however, the police officers and protesters managed to exercise restraint. The protesters failed to topple the Yingluck government as they had vowed to do, but their message could not be ignored. The turnout of protesters, albeit smaller than what the organisers had hoped for, also points to a growing dissent.

First of all, while many political gurus had commented that the allegations made by the rally organisers against the government were not fresh enough to draw a massive number of protesters to join the protest, it is quite interesting that no one dismissed the allegations as untrue. The allegations that the Yingluck government had mismanaged policy or was being a “puppet” of Thaksin Shinawatra have been known for some time. But they were simply not fresh enough to serve as the tipping point to draw the crowds to the rally.

In short, the simmering discontent against the Yingluck government over policy mismanagement and its role in regard to Thaksin was still there. That’s the reason why the rally organisers, regardless of their inexperience in organising large crowds, could easily draw several tens of thousands of people to the street. These people wanted to vent their discontent against the government.

The incidents prior to the rally on Saturday showed the government’s attempt to silence people who wanted to express opposing views. The critics of the government’s rice-pledging policy were unfairly dismissed by Pheu Thai Party politicians as the “elites” who took advantage of “poor farmers”. Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung intimidated a reporter who raised a legitimate question over the Saturday rally. And let’s face it, Yingluck announced the Internal Security Act and mobilised a massive number of police officers to deal with protesters before the rally to discourage people from joining the campaign.

 

Unanswered questions

The rally has ended but the allegations and questions of the protesters have not been answered. Now, it is up to Parliament members to prove to the public that the parliamentary system can represent the concerns of all people. The politicians must bring the public concerns to the House and Prime Minister Yingluck must address questions such as alleged corruption in the rice deal, to show her leadership and prove that she is not a puppet of her brother as alleged. The timing of the House session represents the best opportunity for Yingluck and her government to prove the critics wrong.

The suspense that came with the Saturday protest may end sooner than many had anticipated, but that should be welcome. The organisers cited the safety and well being of the protesters as the reason to end the rally, which is the most important element that rally organisers have to be responsible for. Once the leaders cannot guarantee their supporters’ safety, they have to make a decision in the best interest of the rally participants. After all, no rally organisers can avoid the responsibility for the lives of their supporters if they lead them into a dangerous situation.

Saturday evening concluded with high emotion. Many of the rain-soaked protesters did not want to give up because they wanted to press their concerns. Pitak Siam Group may not appear in the headlines for a while. But the Saturday crowds came out not because of the charisma of the mob leader but to make their voices heard. And their dissenting voice is still out there.