Monday 5 December 2011

Former PM Abhisit will meet with police on Dec 9 to give testimony on crackdown against Red Shirts

BANGKOK, Dec 3 -- Opposition Democrat party leader and former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Saturday that he would meet with police on December 9 to give his testimony on his government’s crackdown against Red Shirt protesters during April-May last year.

Mr Abhsiit said he would take this long weekend to prepare documents as the relevant documents were not classified and have been filed in the public domain.

During the Red Shirt anti-government protests, which later turned into riots, Mr Abhisit was prime minister and Suthep Thaugsuban, the deputy prime minister, put in charge of the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES).

Mr Abhisit said the CRES management was clear under the law and the establishment of CRES and appointment of its director were legally done.

However, Mr Abhisit said he was ready to give more information because he wanted investigators to have complete information for a fair investigation.

Mr Suthep was also invited to give information but Mr Abhisit said Mr Suthep was scheduled at a different time.

Both were expected to give information about the deaths of Red Shirt protesters last year, including Japanese news photographer Hiroyuki Muramoto.

In April and May last year, over 90 people, mostly civilians, were killed in street clashes between red-clad demonstrators and soldiers.

Troops dispersed thousands of United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) aka Red Shirt protesters who had been camped at Khok Wua intersection on Ratchadamnoen Avenue and in the capital's premier shopping and hotel district of Ratchaprasong for weeks.

The anti-government protest leaders surrendered, enraging followers who allegedly used grenades and set fire to landmark buildings including Thailand’s largest shopping mall and the Stock Exchange of Thailand

No comments:

Post a Comment