Thais in Australia: 'Oppose human rights abuses by Thai military and government'

The following statement by Thai Red Australia Group for Democracy was released at a protest rally in Sydney on April 12, 2010.
“At least 19 people have died and 825 injured as a result of violent clashes in Bangkok Thailand, as troops tried to retake areas from anti-government protesters on 10th of April 2010.”

We, Thai Red Australia Group for Democracy, are deeply concerned over the current situation in Thailand where the military-backed government has declared a state of emergency amidst escalating protests calling for democracy and killed at least 19 people occurring on April 10, 2010. In fulfilling our obligation of human conscience, we feel the crucial need to publicly express our deepest remorse and concern for this tragedy, which has led to the massive deaths of 19 civilians so far, almost all of them meeting their horrific death while under the custody of the Thai armed forces.

We are sense that the responses of the Thai government towards this tragic incident, most notably immediately after the tragedy occurred, have demonstrated a serious deficiency in the government’s level of accountability, undeniably not proportional to the gravest harm done to its own citizens at the hands of state officials “Thai military”.

More importantly, the violence in Bangkok is not a separate incident but part of the chronic problems surrounding the relationship between poor and elite people who supported by military and using all means to scrap democracy in Thailand. The pro-democracy Red Shirts comprised of the majority of the working class, peasantry and poor, have shown their real popularity and mobilising strength which has definitely shaken the royalists and the military. With the broadening of the masses’ support for the Red Shirts, it could be a new and important step in the struggle of the ordinary people in Thailand for the restoration of democracy and social justice.

The government and the army are afraid to face real democratic elections, as they know that they would lose since the majority of the poor support the Red Shirts. Ahbisit and the ruling elite are refusing to call for elections and are trying to buy time and even preparing for a violent crackdown and killed more than 19 people in this tragedy.

In the views of these worrisome condition, we call for:

1. The immediate resignation of the military-installed Ahbisit government and the holding of fresh democratic elections.
2. A halt to all forms of violent crackdown against Red Shirt protesters.
3. Demonstrate greater accountability by all means possible. This includes, but is not limited to, a formal statement of remorse and apologies to the people, especially families of the deceased and the injured.

The Thai Red Australia Group for Democracy, together with pro-Democracy Thais throughout the world, will do all in our power to support the actions of those fighting for Democracy inside Thailand.