• 
• 

Published on July 31, 2007

Academics and former senators yesterday called on the government to release eight detained anti-coup protest leaders.

They encouraged the Nation-al Human Rights Commission to establish a fact-finding committee to ascertain who instigated violence on July 22 which led to 270 people being injured.

The group, led by former Kalasin senator Wiboon Cha-emchuen and Thammasat Uni-versity lecturer Voraphon Prom-mikabutr, issued a statement yesterday saying protesters had the right to peaceful assembly.

Speculation as to who started the violence needs to be impartially investigated and not prematurely judged, they said.

The group will write to the United Nations' High Commis-sioner on Human Rights in Geneva as well as London-based Amnesty International.

"I don't want people to look at it as us crying out to the world community, but the matter is about the reputation of the country. We shouldn't step back too far," Wiboon said.

"However, we will first discuss the matter with the government and the Council for Na-tional Security, but we doubt if the council will listen. It is directly involved with the incident."

He admitted some protesters might have been demonstrating on behalf of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra but most Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship leaders "genuinely want to see the restoration of democracy".

They all wanted to see an end to dictatorship, he added, and a return to the rule of law.

Whatever wrongs Thaksin allegedly committed should be dealt with in the courts. "There should be no kangaroo courts," Wiboon said.

Voraphon urged fellow academics to take a stance and do whatever they could to defend human rights and justice.

Peeraphan Phalusuk, a former lawyer for the dissolved Thai Rak Thai Party, said nobody could be certain when "arbitrary applications of the law will affect them". He pleaded with the government to respect the rule of law.

Lawyer Picha Vijitsilp said some pictures revealed in the news media suggested the police may have instigated the violence.

Because Privy Council Presi-dent Prem Tinsulanonda arranged an audience for coup leaders with His Majesty the King on the eve of the military takeover, protesters had a genuine reason to demonstrate against his actions.

Meanwhile, relatives of the eight detained leaders visited them yesterday. Thida Tojira-karn, wife of protest leader Weng Tojirakarn, said both Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont and Prem should review their roles in politics.

Others who visited included protest leader and National Human Rights Commission member Jaran Ditthaapichai. He was arrested and bailed last week.

Democracy activist Sant Hattirat, former Thai Rak Thai members of Parliament Pimpha Chantrasong and Ekkaporn Rakkwamsuk and singer Aris-man Ponruengrorng visited, too.

The eight vowed not to seek bail. All have had their heads shaved in accordance with remand prison policy.

Thida said her husband felt safer in prison.

The men have had access to news restricted. Visitors said such a restriction amounted to a violation of fundamental rights.

Demonstrators were encouraged to continue protests to force the country back to democracy peacefully.

The leaders insist it was the police who attacked protesters. They warned the government against dismantling the protest stage at Sanam Luang. If it does, the demonstrators would move their site to Prem's home.

Today, 100 monks will visit the men to show their support.

In a related development, the government warned Jaran "not to distort" the facts by supplying the United Nations with "misinformation".

Prasarn Maruekapitak, chairman of the special subcommittee for government public relations, said misinformation would cost Thailand and the commission their credibility.

Prasarn insisted it was protesters who attacked the police. The government will distribute a video with English and Thai subtitles demonstrating this.