The head of the National Reconciliation Com-mission (NRC) urged Thais yesterday to stand up and take direct ac-tion to bring an end to the ongoing violence in the restive south and create a just society - even if the government does not appreciate their action.

Speaking at a seminar, Anand Panyarachun said now is a good opportunity for people to right the wrongs by demanding and working towards a just society. They should not to be discouraged if the government does not acknowledge their efforts.

The former premier fell short of calling the public to make matters into their own hands but maintained that justice would not come about un-less society de-mands it.

Anand said injustice and deplorable actions would always prevail without justice and proper check-and-balance mechanisms, as seen in the three Muslim-majority provinces.

He urged society not to be complacent as their regions could become like the troubled South, where more than 800 people have died since January 2004.

Government’s laws were subjected to constant debate, he said, because the legal profession was not like other disciplines, such as physics where the answers are black and white.

Thai society still does not fully understand their rights, he said. But the most difficult task for him as NRC chairman was gaining the trust of the people.

“If you ask if Thai society understands their rights and justice, the answer is no. Therefore we should seize this opportunity and learn from the complex and deep-rooted problems in the South. We must unite and fight against the enemy of the state so that we bring about justice to all regions in the country,” Anand said.

He also touched the sticky issue of abduction and extrajudicial killings by state officials, saying that such practices have been happening for some time. But the problem was that society had chosen to tolerate it, instead of making somebody accountable.

In his speech, Anand stressed peaceful means and reconciliation as the proper ways to handling the crisis.

From his observation of the area, he feared that enhanced power in the hands of authorities with no proper understanding of local customs and traditions would fuel violence.

The region’s justice system needed an urgent overhaul as many detainees have been denied their right to bail hearings, he said.

Moreover, law enforcement authorities, including soldiers and police, lack an integrated approach to quell violence and authorities are not relying on forensic science when collecting evidence.

Anand said the government needs to involve community leaders to resolve local disputes and stop them escalating into a larger issue.

An independent agency should be formed to handle complaints about arbitrary justice, forced disappearances, abductions and legal grievances in the three southern provinces, he said.

Former deputy national police chief General Visit Dejkunchorn, also a seminar panellist, said the government should apologise for southern residents who have suffered erroneous acts.

“It is not difficult to express regret and remorse. Authorities are not liable for criminal prosecution although they would face disciplinary proceedings,” he said.
Visit said the government could never regain the people’s trust unless it proved its sincerity.

Judge Jaran Pakdithanakul urged the government to convince disenchanted Muslim residents to reform by ensuring them justice instead of mistreatment.

Jaran said from his judicial experience in the South, he saw that law enforcement authorities had caused hatred and misunderstanding.

“Many officials work hard to solve crimes. But some vent their frustration at Muslim suspects by smearing them with pork lard,” he said.

Piyanuch Thamnukasetchai
The Nation