ID :
121275
Mon, 05/10/2010 - 18:41
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http://m.oananews.org//node/121275
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Claim on changing red shirt leadership denied
BANGKOK, May 10 (TNA) - A core leader of the red-shirted United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) Natthawut Saikua on Monday denied a claim that ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra has contemplated changing some leaders of the anti-government group.
He said the statement (on changing the leadership) reflected the personal opinion of Army Maj-Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol, who has been suspended from the military and also a staunch supporter of Thaksin.
Insisting that red shirt leaders must be well accepted by the demonstrators, Mr Natthawut said the red shirts remained committed to the road map for national
reconciliation as proposed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
The UDD is expected to come up with its final response to the road map Monday evening. He called the UDD upcoming response a "red map."
He said the UDD would be flexible and would include the date for a House dissolution, adding that the group would also propose legal actions against
Mr Abhisit and deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban who should be responsible for the death of civilians in the April 10 clash between security forces and protesters on Rajdamnern Avenue.
There have been reports that the red shirts prolonged their rally at Ratchaprasong intersection due to some leaders' fears that that they would be arrested and refused bail after calling off the month-long rally. Mr Natthawut however said it was not a big issue since many UDD leaders have had experiences in prison and they were not afraid of being jailed.
He said the UDD has given more importance to the issue of justice for them and the government should not exercise double standard. He pointed out that no
action has been taken so far to prosecute key leaders of the yellow-shirted People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) who led protesters to close down Suvarnabhumi Airport and Government House in 2008.
The PAD had played a vital role in toppling the Thaksin administration, with series of protests leading to a military coup on September 19, 2006.
PAD supporters then seized Thailand's main airports, Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang in Bangkok between November 26 to December 3, 2008, in their attempt to expel the then Somchai Wongsawat administration which, it said, was a proxy of former prime minister Thaksin.(TNA)
He said the statement (on changing the leadership) reflected the personal opinion of Army Maj-Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol, who has been suspended from the military and also a staunch supporter of Thaksin.
Insisting that red shirt leaders must be well accepted by the demonstrators, Mr Natthawut said the red shirts remained committed to the road map for national
reconciliation as proposed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
The UDD is expected to come up with its final response to the road map Monday evening. He called the UDD upcoming response a "red map."
He said the UDD would be flexible and would include the date for a House dissolution, adding that the group would also propose legal actions against
Mr Abhisit and deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban who should be responsible for the death of civilians in the April 10 clash between security forces and protesters on Rajdamnern Avenue.
There have been reports that the red shirts prolonged their rally at Ratchaprasong intersection due to some leaders' fears that that they would be arrested and refused bail after calling off the month-long rally. Mr Natthawut however said it was not a big issue since many UDD leaders have had experiences in prison and they were not afraid of being jailed.
He said the UDD has given more importance to the issue of justice for them and the government should not exercise double standard. He pointed out that no
action has been taken so far to prosecute key leaders of the yellow-shirted People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) who led protesters to close down Suvarnabhumi Airport and Government House in 2008.
The PAD had played a vital role in toppling the Thaksin administration, with series of protests leading to a military coup on September 19, 2006.
PAD supporters then seized Thailand's main airports, Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang in Bangkok between November 26 to December 3, 2008, in their attempt to expel the then Somchai Wongsawat administration which, it said, was a proxy of former prime minister Thaksin.(TNA)
