Fund raising concerts planned next month
It's nearly two months since red-shirt demonstrations calling on the government dissolve the House of Representative and set up a fresh election were ended by government troops.
Now Jatuporn Promphan, a central red-shirt figure, reveals to The Nation why their leadership could not end the demonstration, and the next anticipated moves for the red shirts.
Q: Why did you not make your decision to end the demonstration on April 10, when over 800 people were injured and 21 people killed?
A: We could not end the demonstration at that time because there was no justice for people who were killed and injured in the April 10 violence. Moreover, the brutality of the government continued after that bloody incident. Actually, the red-shirts' leaders had already agreed to end the demonstration after the government announced the road map for national reconciliation and the fresh election date - but following that bloody crackdown on red-shirt protesters in April 10, nobody from the government would take any responsibility for the deaths of those 21 people.
We could not give any answers to protesters about who was behind the order to disperse and kill people.
We continued the protest to force Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who chaired the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation, to surrender to face charges at the Crime Suppression Division for allegedly ordering the April 10 crackdown.
Meanwhile, red-shirt leaders agreed to surrender to face charges if Suthep did the same thing. But Suthep did not surrender to face charges at the Crime Suppression Division. He made his decision to go to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI)'s headquarters on Chaeng Wattana road to acknowledge complaints filed by relatives of victims of the April 10 violence.
Q:Why then did you announce the end of the protest on May 19?
A: Because many people were cruelly killed as government troops proceeded to retake the operation area at Rajprasong Intersection and surrounding areas such as Rajprarob road, Din Daeng, Silom and Bon Kai.
When I looked into the eyes of protesters standing in front of and behind the stage I suddenly knew they were ready to die, but I did not want them to die.
Moreover, we could not control people at the small protest sites surrounding Rajprasong Intersection. They also wanted to enter to the area to help us, but the situation was too dangerous for them.
It would be better for them if the red-shirt leaders made their decision to end the demonstration to save lives.
Q : There was a rumour about conflict among the red-shirt leaders, particularly with Visa Khanthap, who had different ideas and asked to unconditionally end the demonstration after the government announced the fresh election as he did not want anyone to be killed. What did you think about him ?
A : Visa is always my friend. As the red-shirt demonstration was a democratic organisation, we (red-shirt leaders) could have differing ideas about the political movement. Visa had a different approach to the movement. He told us to stop. But I thought we could not, because people would fall into hopelessness. Other red-shirt leaders also agreed with Visa to stop if someone from the government would take responsibility for the deaths of protesters. If I have a chance I would like to talk and explain to him about what we had done in the past.
Q; What were the weakest points in the red-shirt demonstration that have taught you lessons ?
Somebody did things that we [were not responsible for]. There were several scenes that had been set up. There was also a lot of propaganda televised by state media - such as pictures of men in black and burning commercial and residential buildings. There all were set up.
Additionally, I never thought the government would use war weapons to kill us, that the government would have learnt from the bloody clash of April 10.
Q : How are the red-shirt people nowadays ?
A: Each leader has to hold his breath to survive, as they do not know when they will be arrested. The Pheu Thai Party has provided assistance to people affected by the crackdown. But I believe most red-shirt people now live with heartbreak. Sometimes they meet each other at the temple where they organise merit-making events.
Q : What are the next movements for the red-shirts ? Will they go underground to mobilise?
I do not think they will go underground or organise massive movements by the end of this year because most red-shirt leaders were detained in prison and some are fleeing from arrest warrants.
Red-shirt supporters have learned a lot about political movements from the past. Now they are stronger than before. They also know about power and the real face of government. They know what governments will dare to do and will not do. They know cruelty. The expensive lessons learned by the red shirts are about the cruelty of humanity and the brutality of people who have power. I also want to tell them that I do not support the underground movement, as the government could take our place wrongfully.
But I want to tell you something - that the red-shirt people will never give up heart. We will organise a series of concerts next month - called "From Friend to Friend" - to raise funds for red shirts or other people who agree with our political movement. The concerts will be held in the provinces, where the emergency decree has been revoked.
The money collected from selling tickets will support relatives of victims and people injured in the bloody clashes. We also will create a monument to praise them as heroes. They should [be remembered] as heroic persons not as terrorists.
Q : How about the other red-shirt leaders who are now fleeing from arrest warrants ?
A: They are fine. They call me sometimes but they do not tell me where they are.
Q : What do you think about Dr Nirand Pitak-watchara of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) subcommittee who vowed to summons CRES to explain itself over the allegation that some red shirts were being detained at a military base in Kanchanaburi.
A: At least he is a human who knows about human dignity.
Q: What would you do if former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra ended his involvement ?
A: Thaksin is a person I respect, but my movement does not depend on anyone. I will fight for democracy if there is any door to open.
Thaksin was just one of 63 million people asking for equal democracy. He is also the example of a double standard. The decision to move forward is not involved with Thaksin, whether he is here or not. I tell you something, I know the people who joined the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) - such as Suriyasai Katasila and Chamlong Srimuang- better than the leaders of the red-shirt demonstration. But I did not join them because we had a different political ideology.
Q: What did you learn from the recent demonstration ?
A: As the leader of the Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship, the losses and the death of protesters are the most important concern to me. We have to take the responsibility for them as human beings.