'Men in black' caravan hits the streets ahead of rally

'Men in black' caravan hits the streets ahead of rally

The Democrat Party yesterday released a "men in black" caravan to highlight the involvement of armed, black-clad men in the 2010 red-shirt rallies.

The Democrat Party’s ‘men in black’ caravan is greeted by supporters as it makes a stop at Democracy Monument. The caravan is part of an effort to attract people to a Democrat rally at Lumpini Park today. APICHART JINAKUL

The caravan, led by party MPs Tankhun Jitt-itsara and Boonyod Sukthinthai, made five stops along the route where the so-called men in black were reportedly sighted during the April-May rallies.

Accompanying the caravan was a group of men carrying mock guns and wearing masks and T-shirts that read: "Men in black were here".

They made the first stop at Wat Pathum Wanaram in Pathumwan district, where six people were shot dead on May 19, 2010.

While there, Mr Boonyod and Mr Tankhun urged the government to investigate the 92 deaths associated with the clashes between red shirts and security forces and called on the public to join the rally staged today at Lumpini Park by the Democrat Party.

The caravan went on to the Bon Kai area, the King Rama VI statue in front of Lumpini Park, Democracy Monument and the Tanao-Din So road.

The clash on April 10, 2010, near Democracy Monument resulted in more than 20 deaths including that of a military commander, Col Romklao Thuwatham.

The Democrat Party's rally today follows the earlier release of a report by the Truth for Reconciliation Commission (TRC) which lent weight to the role played by the men in black in the anti-government protests. According to the report, the black-clad men attacked security forces with war weapons, killing a number of people, including civilians.

Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said yesterday the army had information about the black-clad men who attacked security forces during the April 10, 2010, military operation.

However, he said the information should be examined and verified as the judicial process takes it course instead of being used to trade accusations.

Gen Prayuth said the men in black hid behind red-shirt protesters as they launched the attack, making it impossible for security forces to respond in kind.

He said it was important to identify the men in black or it would be unfair to the army and his men, who are being accused by the red shirts of human rights abuses and unwarranted violence.

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