Red-yellow talks backed

The Independent National Rule of Law Commission has voiced support for a dialogue between the red and yellow shirts, leading to amnesty in connection with the political mayhem.

"I agree that the parties concerned should consult one another as a way to lessen the political conflict," commission chairman Ukrit Mongkolnavin said yesterday. He said should both sides find common ground on the amnesty issue, it would help speed up the legislative process to rescue those found to have violated the emergency law.

Senator Kamnoon Sidhisamarn said he understood the parties concerned had agreed to the enactment of two amnesty legislations. He said one legislation would apply to offenders of the emergency law while the other would be for offenders of the Internal Security Act.

The remaining contentious issue was whether to grant amnesty to criminal offenders such as rally organisers and fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, he said.

He also said the draft provisions should be clearly written on what an amnesty would entail in order to avoid confusion in enforcing the legal absolution.