The government and its Pitak Siam opponents have proclaimed to be protectors of democracy but they should not have done so.
Only an undemocratic regime would need vanguards of the political system.
Instead of heeding the people's voice as evidenced by the balloting outcome, organisers of Pitak Siam protests have decided to take the matter into their own hands in order to rectify what they see as false democracy.
The government and its red-shirt supporters are flaunting their mandate to govern the country as if they want to pour oil into the Pitak Siam fire.
The red shirts have been crying foul ever since the Democrat-led government branded them as terrorists. Are they different from the Democrats as they are now accusing Pitak Siam leaders of treason?
The point is not which of the rival camps is right or wrong but the refusal of both sides to engage one another in resolving the differences as it should have been in a true democracy.
The Democrats refuse to talk to the ruling Pheu Thai Party. The reds turn their back on the yellow shirts and any splinter groups, including Pitak Siam. The pro-Thaksin camp blames the anti-Thaksin camp for undemocratic spirit and vice versa.
Pitak Siam has no justification to "freeze" the democratic rule in order to complete the political cleansing. And the ruling party too has no justification to shun and silence its opponents.
If the Democrats have made a mistake in trying to silence the red shirts, then the government is about to go down the wrong path in dealing with Pitak Siam.
At issue is how to pacify street protests from spiralling out of control.
Successive leaders from Thaksin Shinawatra, Samak Sundaravej, Somchai Wongsawat, Abhisit Vejjajiva to Yingluck Shinawatra harboured false hope that security forces could rein in the crowds.
Since 1973, all major protests to overthrow a government ended up in bloodshed or power seizure or both. None got resolved in a peaceful manner.
If Pheu Thai leaders think they have a magic formula to overcome the Pitak Siam protesters, then they might need to think again.
The minor clashes between the red and yellow shirts in 2008 should serve as a warning of the dire consequence in mobilising the mobs against the other crowds.
Learning from the 2008 botched crowd control, the Democrats thought they had closed all the legal and operational loopholes. Still violence happened and blood spilled in 2010.
The government should, at least, try to reason with and pacify Pitak Siam. Thus far, it is unfortunate that coalition leaders opt to see their opponents as enemies to defeat rather than partners to work with.
Of course, Pitak Siam is totally off course in calling for a coup. But would it have played the military card if it can have a dialogue with the government?
Based on anti-Thaksin figures backing Pitak Siam, the charter rewrite is at the core of the dispute. The window of opportunity remains open for the rival sides to work out on how to improve the political system.
If the talks fail, then the government should call a snap election for a fresh mandate rather than crack down on protesters. If they are true democracy advocates, the rival camps should fight through the ballot box and not in the streets.
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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2012/11/18/rivals-must-follow-path-of-democracy/
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