Thursday, 3 June 2010

Thailand, the role of militants

http://www.freshbuzz.org/
Published By Wayne On Wednesday, June 2nd 2010

via CAAI News Media

The “red shirts” of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) supporters of the deposed and exiled (2006) Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will not leave the square until the Thai deputy Thaugsuban not deliver to the police. Thaugsuban is accused by opponents of being responsible for the riots of April 10, in which 29 people were killed between demonstrators and police forces and the families of the dead have sued.

The anti-government protesters have accepted the scheme proposed by the government to arrive early elections 14 November 2010. April 10 attacks had occurred in the area of Silom Road, near the area where they are camped for two months the “red shirts” rebels. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has proposed a plan to end the demonstrations, according to him there are terrorists behind the violent attacks. Leaders of the demonstrators immediately condemned the violence, fearing the possible special laws of the government and the military intervention.

Amnesty International has asked the Thai government to protect life and ensure the safety of all people by preventing attacks from anywhere they come. The situation in Bangkok is very similar to that of 2006 when the pro-Thaksin forces were in government and who were protesting the monarchists (who then wore the “yellow shirts”) that after months of siege of the palace of government and in fact protected by police and military had dropped the government. Thaksin swept fell after the 2005 elections. In 2007 elections were held, he won the party of resorting to fraud Somchai Wongsawat, fraud later (2008) cleared by the Constitutional Court dissolved the majority party, even banishing Somchai Wongsawat from politics for five years. Since then, Thaksin’s red shirts began to show a little ‘anywhere in Thailand to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the return of former Prime Minister Thaksin in exile. The economic crisis and the greed of politicians are aggravating the social and political tensions in the country, an ideal situation for those in opposition.

Thaksin Shinawatra, the exiled leader of the opposition is a Thai political and wealthy businessman at the head of Shin Corporation, which also controls the largest mobile phone company in Thailand. In 2001 was very close to the arrests and a ban from politics for five years but then managed to get out, as stated, “corrupting and manipulating the court legal investigations. In 2003, Thaksin’s campaign against drug dealers led to extra-judicial execution of several hundred (more than a thousand according to some) of suspected drug traffickers and was highly criticized by human rights defenders. Another scandal concerning his political life was the support he gave to the passing of his cousin Chaiyasit Shinawatra can be simple in a small district military commander in general.

Thaskin had initiated development projects in the poorest Laos but also had controversial relations with the dictatorship in Burma by granting credits to come to the conclusion of a deal linked to satellite communications and then to his family business. Former prime minister but still enjoys popular support for its policy that favors one hand battles of “right” as the fight against crime and the revival of industry, advocates also other battles of the “left” as free health care and micro-loans to farmers in rural areas of the country. His politics brought down drug production in national territory, almost to disappear. Even from an economic point of view the results led to the recovery, so that the national GDP is among those with the highest growth rate in the world, Thailand has managed to settle the debt with the IMF.

Thaksin from his exile in London continues to use his wealth to fund anti-government protests and why the Thai Supreme Court decided the seizure of 46 billion baht (1 billion), more than half of the estate of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra considered guilty of taking advantage of his political role for personal enrichment (in 2006, Shinawatra was seized assets amounting to 76 billion baht (1.7 billion).

Unlike Thaskin who does not enjoy popular support is the current Thai Prime Minister Abhisit came to power without popular legitimacy, thanks to the pressure of the square and palace conspiracies. He had the support of the armed forces of Parliament and the Monarchy but never that of universal suffrage. The will of the voters was trampled in an undemocratic manner.

To gain a bit ‘of popular support the current regime has encouraged Thai protests Cambodian nationalist and anti. The Foreign Minister gave the “gangsters” to Prime Minister Hun Sen. cambodian between the armies of Thailand and Cambodia deadly skirmishes have taken place due to dispute over the ruins of the Hindu temple of Preah Vihear. But the real reason for the dispute are the huge reserves of oil and gas find in the Gulf of Malacca where Thaialndia bordering Cambodia. Even the Golden Triangle, the geographic region of Southeast Asia, situated on the border between Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, known for drug production and cultivation of the poppy has always been the center of border disputes between the three states.

Historically, the most powerful in the country, the army and the reason is given by the country’s geostrategic position, surrounded by communist countries (Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam) and a Muslim country (Malaysia), without considering that China is only 40 km from its northern borders, divided only by Laos. This has prompted governments in Bangkok to lean to the U.S. to avoid being crushed by the bulky neighboring Washington likes to turn the possibility of support base, especially naval, in a strategic area, just think of the bases used during the Vietnam War and the fleet that carries out the mission in the Persian Gulf, is based in Pattaya, a coastal town south-east of Bangkok. The power of the armed forces has been manifested in repeated coups: 18 in 70 years.

For some behind the scenes of social and political tensions would act the army, not at all like the popular national policy of Thaksin against drug trafficking and against Islamic terrorism. Terrorism is particularly acute in the southern regions of the country, especially from the minority ethnic Malay, Muslim groups of fishermen. They are fomented by extremists in Malaysia on the one hand, it is certain the presence of stirring time in a fishing village in the South, and men of Al Qaeda. ” The Malay would be a separatist state that would federate with Malaysia. In 2004, 32 suspected terrorists were killed during a raid on a mosque-training center and alter 100 people died in clashes that followed. In 2004 a demonstration in the Muslim province of Narathiwat, degenerated into clashes with police, who opened fire on the crowd, killing several hundred demonstrators and arrested several thousand (during the trip he died in prison 78 crushed or suffocated). Thaskin was the instigator of this anti-terrorist policy and enemies for this high-ranking army led by General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, the first Muslim to hold that office in Thailand, against the iron fist against terrorists.

Thaksin had finally another enemy, a telecommunications magnate, a competitor of Shin Corp., which still supports the “Democratic Party”, the ruling party which enjoys the tacit support of the favor of the monarchy and the military against the hard line Thaksin against drug dealers (often business partners of the military) and against Muslim terrorists (co-head of the armed forces).

All these facts little known to the public explaining why the country is unstable. And instability in third world countries is in favor of drug trafficking criminals and their accomplices.

All we ask what will happen in the next elections in November (dates to overcome the red shirts): a new coup by the military or the democratic transition of power to the legitimate winners of the elections? And the Thai monarchy is watching?

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