[Peace-discuss] Thailand

[Karen Aram]

Activists and academics join forces in defence of democracyDecember 23, 2013 uglytruththailand			 		 Numnual Yapparat
Last Sunday, 22nd December 2013, the Assembly for the Defence of Democracy (AFDD) held a large rally in Thammasart University. The AFDD advocates moving forward to the election in February. They launched the campaign “We are equal, we support the election and political reforms.
Sombat Boonngamanong, a high profile Red Shirt, who has called successful protests by radicals when the official UDD leadership preferred to do nothing, stated that it is now impossible for to turn Thailand back to the past.
Vorajet Pakeerat, from the Nitirat group, highlighted that people should be the real masters of Thailand; no one should rule over them. “We are equally citizens who have one vote and we are going to use it on 2nd February 2014”, he said. “For those who believe that people are unequal, not only are they looking down on others, but they debase themselves too”. Vorajet added that “Sutep claims to want democracy, but in truth he wants Rule by Thugs”.
Vorajet also condemned the Democrats for boycotting the election. He said, “the political crisis has reached the turning point. Are we going to have democracy or not? For sure we do not want a few people to make decisions for us; we need the right to express our will. The Democrats need to urgently reform their own party. Vorajet also sent a message to the Thai Ruling Class; “they cannot kill or expel us all from the country to prevent change”.
Jittra Cotchadet, a labour leader, said that the dictatorship only views us as dust. “Ninety un-armed Red Shirts have died but those in the power don’t give a damn. The dictatorship cannot accept that we are all equal. If we allow the election to be postponed, nothing will change.”
My heart is with them.
 		 	   		  
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