The Peace and Justice Network (PJN) opened a centre yesterday to gather details about operations this year to disperse red-shirt protesters.
People can contact the Information Centre (April-May '10 Crackdowns) by calling 08 6060-5433, or by email via www.peaceandjusticenetwork.org.
The centre aims to gather facts from all sides, including the government. Academics from Chulalongkorn, Mahidol, Thammasat and Burapha universities have given advice on how to set up and run the centre.
Staff have vowed to dig deep into what happened and demand justice for victims, many of whom the Network believes are reluctant to come forward.
Information gathered by the centre will be made public - presented along with information from the government-sponsored fact-finding panel for national reconciliation.
Chulalongkorn University Associate Professor Kasem Penpinan said some people were arrested merely for being in front of their provincial halls on the night buildings were set ablaze.
"These people did not light fires. But they have been detained," Kasem said.
PJN urged the government-sponsored fact-finding panel to carry out its mission transparently and accountably.
"Only by revealing facts and identifying who should be held responsible for the losses can justice and equal human rights be restored," it said in a statement.
The group said the fact-finding panel should pay equal attention to activities by all sides in the conflict, including the government, the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation, demonstrators and unidentified men.
"The panel should also present urgent solutions and recommend the government lift the state of emergency."
In a related development, police seized signal-transmission devices from a red-shirt radio station yesterday.
The Punim Radio station became the fourth "red station" to be shut down since the government declared the state of emergency.
Deputy superintendent at Mae Ping Police Station Lt-Colonel Sampan Sirima said action was taken against Punim Radio because it allowed "red" radio host Jakrapab Borirak to mobilise people politically.
Punim, or Prateep Tassaneeyaporn, would also face legal action because he was the registered operator of the radio station.
"He has violated the state-of-emergency decree," Sampan said.
More than 80 community radio stations have been blacklisted since the decree was enforced. Nearly 30 have been shut down.