Thai Political Prisoner: “I will sacrifice my liberty, but not my humanity!”
Editor of Red News and Thai Political Prisoner: Somyot Pruksakasemsuk
Somyot Pruksakasemsuk is someone who has been deeply engaged his life in social and political movements since he was a teenager, first as student activist in the troubled time of military rule of Thailand in the 1970s. After the crackdown of military coup on student in 1976, many of them fled to the jungle and later back to active engagement in social changes in all sectors. Somyot has been tireless in the work of supporting the empowerment of the workers’ movement and the establishment of democratic trade unionism in Thailand since then.
I have been fortunate to be able to work with him closely with supporting the workers struggle in Thailand and also the democratic struggle in Nepal in the last few years ago. Regardless of any shortcoming we have as human beings who have not attained perfection, we cannot avoid of making mistakes in life.
Democracy for the People of Thailand – Protest at Royal Thai Embassy, London @ 28/05/05 4pm
Indonesian activists dramatise the May 19th Thai army crackdown
The UK section of the International Solidarity for the People of Thailand Campaign is calling a demonstration today at the Royal Thai Embassy, 30 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 5JB at 4pm – 6pm. Since 10th April, more than 80 people have been killed including non-aligned protestors, independent journalists and Red Shirt leaders. By 19th May, the Abhisit government had completed a “successful mission” in Bangkok, but the uprising has spread throughout the countries with at least 22 provinces recording anti-government protests in both violent and non-violent ways. The International Solidarity for Thailand Campaign started on Tuesday 18th May with a single voice calling for solidarity against the army shooting and assassination of unarmed citizens protesting against an unelected government. The response to call made by the International Solidarity for Thailand Campaign has been humbling, and we have received messages of solidarity and witnessed solidarity protests and demonstrations in Australia, Indonesia, Hong Kong as well as in the UK. We are not aligned either side, not the Royalist government nor with the so-called “Red Shirts”, formally known as the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship as we abhor violence as a legitimate method of protest. Though any group under violent attack have a right to defend themselves, we believe however that the UDD have gone beyond self-defence an engaged in acts of aggression.
We do acknowledge although that things are changing, once the UDD was unequivocally supportive and backed by the ousted Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire and corrupt politican. Now it appears that the call for democracy and immediate elections initiated by the UDD has resonated across the country and is a cry that goes back to 1932 with the promise of Professor Pridi Phanomyong bringing the official end of Absolute Monarchy and delivering a path towards full democratic self-rule.
Thailand Solidarity Protest for Democracy @ Royal Thai Embassy London – 20th May, 4 – 6pm
Not Red nor Yellow! We want free & fair elections in Thailand
So the shootings and killings of innocent people has abaited in Thai government sanctioned bloodbath. According to very conservative government figures, at least 60 people have been killed since 10th April when the “Red Shirts” started their campaign for immediate elections.
News Report from Reuters:
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The Thai Uprising for Democracy & the Criminalisation of Dissent
By Justin Baidoo
After 10 weeks of sustained protest, violence and flames on the streets of Bangkok, it appears that anti-government dissent was seen to be decisively crushed. On 19th May 2010, the Thai government had announced that law and order was finally being restored. The anti-government protesters had relented rationalising it by claiming to prevent further loss of life, their demands ignored and the current Thai government remained intact.
Protesters carry Hiro Muramoto, a Japanese TV cameraman who was shot and killed in in Bangkok (AP Photo)
Many could conclude that the political crisis in Thailand has finally come to an abrupt though bloody end. However nothing could be further from the truth, rather than quelling the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), commonly referred to as the “Red Shirts”, the uprisings has spread throughout the country with at least 22 provinces recording anti-government protests in both violent and non-violent ways.
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