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117849
Wed, 04/21/2010 - 18:46
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http://m.oananews.org//node/117849
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Red Shirt protesters not allowed to rally at other locations
BANGKOK, April 21 (TNA) – The Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) set up by the government will not allow the anti-government Red Shirt protesters to move the protest to other locations, Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd, CRES spokesman said.
Meeting Wednesday, CRES decided to not allow protesters to move to a new location, particularly at Siriraj Hospital where His Majesty King Bhumibol has been hospitalised since September and Silom business area.
Military will be deployed to protect other areas and it does not mean that protesters can encamp at Ratchaprasong, the capital's high-end shopping district for long. Troops and police will take decisive action under the law to handle that.
The Red Shirts moved to encamp at Ratchaprasong intersection on April 3. Their almost three-week blockade has critically-damaged tourism business and shopping malls in the area.
Summonses were issued for 52 people to give statements to the CRES. Twenty-one have reported, but the other 31 did not show up, Col Sansern said, adding that arrest warrants will be sought for the 31 who did not appear while additional summonses will be issued for a second batch of 54 potential witnesses, including community radio hosts, taxi and motorcycle taxi drivers and Red Shirt guards, he added.
He also denied press reports that the Japanese cameraman was killed by a bullet from soldiers, saying the investigation has yet finished and no conclusion has yet come out from the Scientific Crime Detection Division.
It is not true that bullets coming from the front of the protesters were fired by soldiers. Terrorists can fire from any direction to hurt innocent people and create misunderstanding. Video clips revealed earlier can prove that, Col Sansern said.
Gunmen in black jackets also stood in front of the protesters, the spokesman said.
Following the CRES statement on the Red Shirt’s armed militant and preparations of the use of weapons against government troops, Red Shirt key leader Nattawut Saikua on Wednesday denied the accusation and challenged the security agency to show evidence to back up its claim.
The CRES earlier said the terrorists mingling among red-shirted protesters are well-equipped with hand grenades, molotov cocktails, sharpened staves and even bags and bottles of acid for use against the troops.
Mr Nattawut claimed the sharpened staves were stabbed down on the ground of the rally site as fencing to prevent the possible crackdown of the troops, while brushing aside investigation into the activists homemade rockets, saying they were just colourful stories among the protesters, and not aimed to harm army personnel.
“The Red Shirts have only fishnets to catch the army personnel who will disperse the crowd,” said the protest leader.
"Until now the situation is still uncertain as to whether the government will order the new crackdown, said Mr Nattawut, but if the CRES is ready to disperse crowd, the people are also ready, as we believe no soldier and police are on the government’s side.
Mr Nattawut commented as he and and the families of those who died in the April 10 clashes between the protesters and the army together held a news conference reaffirming that the deceased Red Shirt protesters were killed by M16 assault rifle bullets which is the weapon of the soldiers.
Mr Nattawut said the army and the government cannot claim that the death was not caused by their operation.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court upheld the sentences for the UDD leaders convicted of defaming Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Suporn Atthawong, also known as Rambo Isaan, a former MP of the now defunct Thai Rak Thai party, was sentenced to one year and fined 20,000 bath while Theerachai Saenkaew, also a former Thai Rak Thai MP, was sentenced to six months imprisonment. The punishment was suspended for two years.
Mr Abhisit sued them for defamation as they told a news conference at Parliament in 2002 on suspicion that Mr Abhisit had accumulated unusual wealth.(TNA)
Meeting Wednesday, CRES decided to not allow protesters to move to a new location, particularly at Siriraj Hospital where His Majesty King Bhumibol has been hospitalised since September and Silom business area.
Military will be deployed to protect other areas and it does not mean that protesters can encamp at Ratchaprasong, the capital's high-end shopping district for long. Troops and police will take decisive action under the law to handle that.
The Red Shirts moved to encamp at Ratchaprasong intersection on April 3. Their almost three-week blockade has critically-damaged tourism business and shopping malls in the area.
Summonses were issued for 52 people to give statements to the CRES. Twenty-one have reported, but the other 31 did not show up, Col Sansern said, adding that arrest warrants will be sought for the 31 who did not appear while additional summonses will be issued for a second batch of 54 potential witnesses, including community radio hosts, taxi and motorcycle taxi drivers and Red Shirt guards, he added.
He also denied press reports that the Japanese cameraman was killed by a bullet from soldiers, saying the investigation has yet finished and no conclusion has yet come out from the Scientific Crime Detection Division.
It is not true that bullets coming from the front of the protesters were fired by soldiers. Terrorists can fire from any direction to hurt innocent people and create misunderstanding. Video clips revealed earlier can prove that, Col Sansern said.
Gunmen in black jackets also stood in front of the protesters, the spokesman said.
Following the CRES statement on the Red Shirt’s armed militant and preparations of the use of weapons against government troops, Red Shirt key leader Nattawut Saikua on Wednesday denied the accusation and challenged the security agency to show evidence to back up its claim.
The CRES earlier said the terrorists mingling among red-shirted protesters are well-equipped with hand grenades, molotov cocktails, sharpened staves and even bags and bottles of acid for use against the troops.
Mr Nattawut claimed the sharpened staves were stabbed down on the ground of the rally site as fencing to prevent the possible crackdown of the troops, while brushing aside investigation into the activists homemade rockets, saying they were just colourful stories among the protesters, and not aimed to harm army personnel.
“The Red Shirts have only fishnets to catch the army personnel who will disperse the crowd,” said the protest leader.
"Until now the situation is still uncertain as to whether the government will order the new crackdown, said Mr Nattawut, but if the CRES is ready to disperse crowd, the people are also ready, as we believe no soldier and police are on the government’s side.
Mr Nattawut commented as he and and the families of those who died in the April 10 clashes between the protesters and the army together held a news conference reaffirming that the deceased Red Shirt protesters were killed by M16 assault rifle bullets which is the weapon of the soldiers.
Mr Nattawut said the army and the government cannot claim that the death was not caused by their operation.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court upheld the sentences for the UDD leaders convicted of defaming Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Suporn Atthawong, also known as Rambo Isaan, a former MP of the now defunct Thai Rak Thai party, was sentenced to one year and fined 20,000 bath while Theerachai Saenkaew, also a former Thai Rak Thai MP, was sentenced to six months imprisonment. The punishment was suspended for two years.
Mr Abhisit sued them for defamation as they told a news conference at Parliament in 2002 on suspicion that Mr Abhisit had accumulated unusual wealth.(TNA)
