Bangkok is bathed in blood, yet again. Unconfirmed reports indicate that Thai Prime Minister Abhisit's soldiers have shot dead at least 50 people do far. Hundreds are injured.
The regime says there are 500 “terrorists" in the protest site. Earlier they said that they would use snipers to shoot “terrorists”.
The only terrorists are in the Government, the army and the Palace.
The tyrants say that the Red Shirt pro-democracy protesters are all determined to overthrow the monarchy and therefore it is justifiable to kill them. So having a monarchy is an excuse to kill anyone who fights for democracy and social justice.
Various government spokespeople, including Abhisit’s academic-for-hire Panitan Wattanayagorn and Censorship Boss Satit Wongnongtuay, continue to lie and lie again, claiming that troops only fire in self defence. Yet all press reports show indiscriminate shooting of unarmed civilians including a 10 year old boy, a paramedic and foreign news reporters.
Fake human rights groups call on “both sides” to stop the violence. Yet it is only one side which is using lethal violence against unarmed pro-democracy demonstrators. Even Reporters Without Boarders demands that “both sides” guarantee the safety of reporters.
How can Red Shirts guarantee anyone's safety when they are being murdered in cold blood.
Many so-called news reports write that troops fire on rioters. No one is rioting except the army.
Others talk about “protests turning violent”. It is not the protesters who are violent.
Unarmed pro-democracy protesters are being systematically murdered in order to keep Abhisit and his military backed government in power.
The king is silent as usual. His only job, apart from counting his wealth, is to legitimise every bloody act that the army commits.
Yet so-called analysts write that he has “held the country together”. The fact is he has supported every crack down on democracy. He is weak and spineless. That is why millions of Red Shirts are becoming republicans.
The United Nations has just selected Thailand to be on the Human Rights Committee. What a joke!
But what can one expect from a body controlled by war mongers.
Some basic facts about the violence in Bangkok
1. Abhisit's government was NEVER elected. It came from a process
started by the 2006 military coup. That is why they are very afraid of
an election.
2. The Red Shirts are a mass movement of the poor. They want democratic
elections. It is totally legitimate to stage peaceful protests for this
demand, even if it disrupts a shopping centre for 2 months. Military
coups, undemocratic governments and censorship are illegitimate.
3. Abhisit and the Army turned Bangkok into a war zone and started the
violence. They have indiscriminately killed unarmed protesters by using
snipers to shoot at civilians. Nearly forty are already dead from the
actions of the army in the last few days.
4. Dissolving parliament and holding democratic elections would put an
end to the protests. This is what any democratic government would do in
this situation. That is what any responsible leader would do. Return
power to the people. So why is Abhisit refusing and answering with live
bullets?
Judge news reports and the commitment to the truth by journalists on the
basis of these 4 points. Judge foreign governments by their public positions on Thailand in this crisis. Judge academics and NGOs on their positions.
Red Shirts throughout the country are standing firm in the bloody fight for democracy, social justice and human dignity. I salute them!
[Giles Ji Ungpakorn is a Thai socialist forced into exile for the crime of “insulting the monarchy”. He is a member of Left Turn Thailand and maintains his blog features regular updates and analysis on the situation in Thailand.]