COMMENTARY
Looking for signs of progress
- Published: 7/04/2009 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: News
What is in a number? Many analysts have said it is the numbers that matter, that the future of the Red movement depends solely on whether or not it can draw up to 300,000 protesters tomorrow, as advertised by its leaders.
I disagree. I think numbers are not the whole point. After all, 300,000 seems totally haphazard. It does not signify a critical mass, nor does it present a form of majority or any kind of popular consent. For me, the issue is not how big the Red Surge will be (of course, if there are 30 million red shirts out there then it's another story); the issue, rather, is that the rally has woken up a "Red Spirit." It has broken a glass ceiling, a taboo. It put an idea into people's minds, that it is okay to challenge what has long been held as a given. That is a much more important notion for us to be aware of, than speculating about the size of tomorrow's crowd.
Like it or not, Thaksin's audacious attack on members of the Privy Council - an act no politician has attempted before - has changed the rules of the game, politically and culturally. What was once unimaginable has become an everyday reality. What was once considered sacred, even inviolable, has been made profane. What is "possible" in the name of politics has been extended to reach even where it has never been applied before.
One need not be a supporter of Thaksin Shinawatra to feel the presence of the new possibilities. And messy though it seems, open debate is a sign of progress in a democracy.
Still, one must also be mature enough to differentiate between principles and the individual. One can agree with some of what Thaksin is saying without having to support his political fight, for example.
The nuance can hold the key to a peaceful transition from the protracted conflict and political turmoil.
As the political contest threatens to come to a head this week, the authorities' reaction is more crucial than ever. If they look at the Red march and see only blind lovers of Thaksin or paid protesters, they would miss a chance to steer the conflict in a direction where constructive resolution, not just a dead end, could be possible.
Some serious questions must be asked if people who genuinely love democracy, freedom of expression and accountability have no choice but to join the Red protest. For a start, why has Thaksin and democracy been made to become one and the same? How has Thaksin come to monopolise the democratic ideals when he did not symbolise or promote any of them when he was in power? Is the Red protest becoming an umbrella for people of all kinds of political leaning except authoritarianism? If so, is there something at work that is pushing people away to that side?
On a side note: it is possible that the whole Red Surge is but a plan for Thaksin to maximise his bargaining power before he finally agrees to sit down at a negotiating table. That sounds like a more sensible option than a bloody clash and Pyrrhic victory for either camp.
However, even if a negotiation does take place, it does not necessarily mean the Red Spirit will be put to rest. There are red-clad liberals who insist that their joining the movement is not about Thaksin at all but because they are either sick of the military coups d'etat or the injustice in society. How do we cope with that?
Tolerance, I think, is the key. There is no need to be fearful and to try to suppress or prosecute people who think differently. Doing so would further polarise the public and re-create the dangerous paranoia of the '70s with its disastrous outcomes. Instead of lumping everyone who embraces freedom of expression and accountability into the Red camp, the government and relevant authorities would do better by engaging these people.
Instead of trying to gag differences of opinion or suppress ones that are viewed as sensitive, it might be a better idea to try to open things up. Give public space or forums for people from various backgrounds and political ideologies to express their ideas. That way, we can probably find a new agenda for the country that goes beyond the current conflict of personalities, that is capable of accommodating the vision and dreams of the majority of the people.
Ultimately, it will not be Thaksin and Co who are able to paint the whole town red. It will be the continued suppression of a desire for change and free flow of information and ideas that will.
- Atiya Achakulwisut is Editorial Pages Editor, Bangkok Post.
About the author
- Writer: Atiya Achakulwisut
