The movie "Hotel Rwanda" will be screened at Hua Lumpong railway station tomorrow to remind Thai people how conflict, like the present confrontation with the red-shirt protesters, can ignite into civil war.
Members of 16 organisations will show the movie to express concern over the on-going political conflict between the government and the red shirts, which threatens to expand as the multicolour group joins in.
The 2004 dramatic movie is based on conflict between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes in Rwanda, which resulted in the deaths of at least 500,000 people in 1994. Media played a key role in the genocide.
Many people in Thailand are seeking solutions to end the on-going political dispute. A network of peace academics, led by Gothom Arya, yesterday met the red shirts and a government representative, asking both sides to discuss a timeline for Parliament dissolution and an early election - possibly five months from now. Both sides should stop using media propaganda against each other, they said.
The two parties should also work to find the truth behind the bloodshed on April 10, which left 25 dead and injured more than 800.
The government had suggested Parliament open a joint session between the lower and upper houses for general debate on the political situation, said Minister Attached to the Prime Minister's Office, Sathit Wongnongtoey.
"The debate should take place after the confrontation so that the government could answer and clarify the situation for parliamentarians," he said.
Two senators, Pichai Sunthornsajjaboun from Udon Thani and Singchai Thungthong - representing 150 senators - met leaders of the red group to ask them to resume talks with the government and end the stalemate.
However red-shirt leader Nattawut Saikua said it was too late to resume talks since the government had launched a military crackdown on the protesters. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's only option was to take responsibility by dissolving Parliament, he said.
The government, however, remains optimistic about resumption of red-shirts negotiations because it believes a military crackdown on protesters is not a long-term solution, secretary-general to the PM, Korbsak Sabhavasu said.
"I am still hopeful for a new round of talks with the red shirts," he said, hinting the government preferred a peaceful solution to the use of force.
Korbsak has pleaded for time, arguing the government was not in a position to comply with demands for an immediate dissolution of Parliament.
The government was obligated to shore up eroding confidence, prepare the 2011 Budget and resolve issues related to the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, he said.
A group of 303 academics yesterday repeated their support for the government's stance to not dissolve Parliament. Thammasat University's Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said the red-shirt group's protest was no longer protected by the constitution as they had stockpiled home-made weapons in preparation for a fight with security officials.
