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The Nation on Sunday
Supporters of the People
BANGKOK:-- Group vows to oppose reconciliation law, which it says is aimed at absolving Thaksin; Chamlong slams Sonthi for 'about-turn'
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) yesterday announced that it will stage a rally at the Royal Plaza on Wednesday to protest the government's move to pass a reconciliation law which the group says is aimed at whitewashing ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his cohorts.
Matubhum Party leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin has tabled the bill, and the House is expected to deliberate it on Wednesday. Sonthi has come under heavy criticism, as he had led the coup to bring down the Thaksin government and his critics have questioned why he now wants to help Thaksin escape punishment, as they see it.
PAD leaders, including Chamlong Srimuang, Pipop Thongchai, Somkiat Pongpaiboon and Panthep Puapongpan, called a press conference at Lumpini Park.
Somkiat said the bill contains provisions that would whitewash Thaksin - who was convicted by the Supreme Court's Criminal Section for Political Office Holders - and his group. He said the bill therefore is against the rule of law and the justice system, and violates the PAD's principles.
The PAD would submit a letter to the House Speaker and the government opposing the move, and would call for the lawmakers who lodged the bill for House deliberation to remove it from Parliament's agenda.
Chamlong said the PAD has yet to decide whether the rally would be a sit-in protest, and that this would depend on the situation.
"The government is committing a grave mistake by supporting legislation that will destroy the country. This is not reconciliation as claimed. It is an attempt to pardon Thaksin. If the PAD did not oppose this, it would set a bad example. If offenders have money and power and form the government, they can make laws to whitewash themselves," Chamlong said.
"We will never allow such a law to be legislated. If the government does not listen to us, we will continue our fight, depending on the situation. Although we may benefit from the reconciliation law, the country does not benefit. We want to uphold the justice system and do not want to see reconciliation that benefits any side,'' he said.
"Those who have been convicted of the crimes of burning down state premises are serving jail terms for their offences. Some committed mass murder. They would be released, and this would ruin the justice system. People will no longer respect the law because the law can be rewritten in the House. We also believe the bill aims to help Thaksin and his team escape jail terms and return to him assets that were confiscated,'' Chamlong said.
Chamlong also opposed a move to allow those tried by the Assets Examination Committee to seek compensation from the agency. "If this were the case, no one would dare to form an independent agency to check corruption,'' he said.
Chamlong also criticised Sonthi, saying no coup leader had done what Sonthi did, and urged him to remember the four reasons he cited in bringing down the Thaksin government with the 2006 coup.
"[After the coup], people offered Sonthi bouquets of flowers. Now people wonder why he backtracks. It's not just me who's disappointed, but others have been taken by surprise by his actions as well,'' Chamlong said.
Pipop said Sonthi's actions cast him in a bad light as a man with no principles. The reconciliation bill would lead to deeper divisions in the country and destroy the justice system, he said.
-- The Nation 2012-05-27
