File police complaint over crackdown order
MANOP THIP-OSOD and SIRIKUL BUNNAG and ANUCHA CHAROENPO
The Democrat party yesterday filed a police complaint against Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, accusing him of ordering the crackdown on demonstrators outside parliament on Tuesday.
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| Lay theedownto rest Helmets and shields are laid on the ground in front of the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Bureau while riot police take a rest. PHONGTHAI WATTANAVANITVUT |
Democrat executive Sathit Wongnongtoey said the violence on Tuesday resulted from Mr Somchai's order and there were attempts to distort the truth about the weapons used in the crackdown and to blame losses on a third party.
Thirty rectors of public and private universities demanded Mr Somchai dissolve the House in the next few days and set up an independent committee to investigate Tuesday's incident so that law breakers can be punished.
"This is the only way to relieve conflicts. If the government refuses to dissolve the House, we believe the situation will grow into a disaster," said Thammasat rector Surapol Nitikraipoj.
The National Economic and Social Advisory Council urged the government to rehabilitate and compensate affected people immediately, have an independent committee investigate the incident, and order officials dealing with demonstrators to start their approaches with negotiation.
The October 14 Foundation demanded the government resign. It stated that, in firing tear gas rounds directly at demonstrators, police apparently took a violent approach at the first opportunity. It said their first steps must always start with negotiation. Only after that can there be the use of shields and rubber batons, while tear gas rounds if they need to be fired must be lobbed into the air and not aimed directly at people, the foundation said.
The crackdown was a severe and apparently wrongful approach and the government would have to form a credible committee to investigate the incident and catch those who broke the law, said Wichai Chokewiwat, chairman of the foundation.
A group of 55 lecturers from the public health faculty of Mahidol University condemned cabinet ministers and MPs who attended the parliament session for cold-bloodedly continuing with the session while people were being injured outside.
Social critic Prawase Wasi called on Mr Somchai to resign to take responsibility for the bloody incident.
His resignation would pave the way for parliament to appoint a new prime minister to lead political reform within two years, he said.
Dr Prawase said Mr Somchai showed his inability to ensure safety for the people when police fired tear gas canisters at the PAD demonstrators
"As prime minister, he is duty-bound to give priority to people's safety but he didn't do that," he said.
"Now the country is in deep crisis, parliamentarians must join together in selecting a new prime minister to replace Mr Somchai as quickly as possible.
"The prime minister must apologise to the people."
He said in developed countries such as Britain, Japan and South Korea leaders resign as "a gesture of social responsibility" after being accused of failing to administer their countries or being involved in corruption scandals.
He said he did not know exactly whether Mr Somchai wanted to be prime minister or was commanded to take the position. But being prime minister might be too tough a job for him because he had been a civil servant his whole life.
He disagreed with a House dissolution saying it would be a waste of taxpayer money, and would not guarantee the country new politicians to represent the people.
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