I welcome army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha's stating, "Problems in the Deep South cannot be solved through force, but through legal enforcement, justice, and development." Hear, hear!
But, dear general, are you, like the yellow and red shirts, the Democrats and the Pheu Thais, guilty of double standards? As Confucius noted, "The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions." To me, the army's forte is in fighting clearly identifiable, foreign foes, whereas the police's role is to ensure domestic peace - yet it's the army that's in charge in the south. What does the army know - other than the use of force? Are commanders and front-line soldiers tested for their fluency in Yawi and knowledge of local culture before being sent to the South? If they cannot even communicate with the locals how can they help enforce the law, render justice, and develop the land? Successive governments have continually renewed the Emergency Decree, which legalises ANY action done under orders, opening the door wide to trigger-happy soldiers to "ready, fire, aim!" - as at Nong Chik, where rangers killed four unarmed men on their way to a funeral. Why did you, dear general, not join in with UN Special Rapporteur for Extrajudicial Killings Philip Ashton when he warned that the decree could be used to justify murder most foul? Why don't you join in urging the revision of the decree now?
General, you speak of legal enforcement and justice. If so, when will you court-martial your fellow generals who were responsible for the excessive usage of force at Krue Se (32 bodies) and of manslaughter at Tak Bai (73 suffocated to death) in 2004. Under your watch, are our laws silent, when your brothers-in-arms are involved?
General, show your courage and wisdom. Act on your own wise words, starting with supporting repeal of the Emergency Decree and applying rule of law to those under your command, starting with the generals of Krue Se, Tak Bai, and Nong Chik.
Burin Kantabutra
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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2012/12/16/emergency-decree-should-be-repealed/
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