Pulling of unity bills urged

[Khun Don]

Pulling of unity bills urged
Somsak's call gets cool response from govt MPs

Published: 29/06/2012 at 02:31 AMNewspaper section: News


A proposal by House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont for the four reconciliation bills to be withdrawn when parliament reconvenes in August has been met with opposition by some members of the ruling Pheu Thai Party.

Mr Somsak said yesterday the four government-backed unity bills should be withdrawn when the House of Representatives reconvenes in ordinary session on Aug 1 to allow all sides to discuss the issues further.

The House voted by a majority on May 31 to move the bills to the top of the meeting agenda for urgent deliberation.

The move was met with fierce opposition from the Democrat Party and a protest by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which blocked the parliament entrance to prevent the lawmakers from entering to debate the bills.

The Democrats and the yellow shirts have slammed the legislation as an attempt to whitewash the crimes of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The House went into a recess on June 19 without deliberating the bills.

Mr Somsak said when the House reconvenes on Aug 1, the reconciliation bills are first on the agenda.

However, he said, they should be withdrawn to allow all concerned to discuss reconciliation efforts further as proposed by King Prajadhipok's Institute.

Even if the bills were not withdrawn, other pieces of legislation could be moved up for consideration first, he added.

Mr Somsak said he had talked the matter over with Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin, who proposed one of the four bills, but the Matubhum Party leader had not answered.

He said he would also discuss his proposal to withdraw the bills with senior figures overseeing political strategy in the Pheu Thai Party.

"In my opinion, whether the government will stay in power for long depends on the reconciliation bills. Let's wait and see what happens on Aug 1.

"Personally, I think the government has some problems in its administration. We have to help it complete its four-year term, and I hope it will definitely survive," Mr Somsak said.

He said the reconciliation issue should be discussed at public forums to find a solution.

"Political parties must listen to the people," Mr Somsak said.

Responding to a suggestion by some former Thai Rak Thai Party executives that political tensions would heat up when the House reopens in August, the House speaker said this depended on whether politicians would let this happen.

But Pheu Thai MP for Chiang Rai Samart Kaewmeechai said there was no need to withdraw the unity bills.

The MP said Mr Somsak must provide a good explanation to the public if he wanted the government-backed legislation withdrawn.

Mr Samart also said approval must be sought from members of the House of Representatives first before the bills could be withdrawn. The issue must be discussed thoroughly to find a solution given that there is about a month to go before parliament reopens, he said.

Mr Samart said if opponents of the bills, particularly the Democrat Party, think the four bills still lack clarity, they could propose their own for consideration in parliament alongside the existing ones.

Mr Samart and Pheu Thai Party list-MP Niyom Worapanya have each tabled their own unity bills, while Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Nattawut Saikuar, a red-shirt co-leader, has submitted a measure on behalf of the red shirts, in addition to the one submitted by Gen Sonthi, leader of the 2006 coup.

Mr Nattawut said yesterday he and other party colleagues had never thought of withdrawing their bills and that those who have proposed bills should meet to discuss what steps should be taken.

On the charter amendment bill, Mr Somsak said all had to wait for the Constitution Court's ruling, expected early next month, on whether it contravenes Section 68 of the constitution or not.

Section 68 prevents attempts by persons or political parties to overthrow the constitutional monarchy.

BANGKOK POST

[visionchaser45]

I think they should forget about unity entirely and go after the opposition with a vengence. The current government should go after the individuals who seized the airports and occupied government house, those responsible for the deaths of red shirt protesters, those responsible for the coup, etc. Agressive prosecution and harsh sentences may generate interest among members of the opposition in reconciliation.

[Khun Don]

Red shirts agree to delay bills
Published: 1/07/2012 at 02:11 AMNewspaper section: News


Core red shirt leaders have backed off from demands for immediate House deliberation of the four national reconciliation bills.

The leaders announced the change in position yesterday at a rally at Lan Khon Muang plaza in front of City Hall. The red shirts have organised a series of rallies across the country over recent weeks to promote the bills.

Yesterday's rally was attended by about 500 supporters.

Korkaew Pikulthong, a core leader of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) and a Pheu Thai Party list-MP, said he supported a delay in the deliberation of the reconciliation bills because doing so would help stave off confrontation between those in favour of the changes and those against.

Mr Korkaew's remarks supported those of House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont, who last Thursday said the bills should be withdrawn when the House of Representatives reconvenes on Aug 1, to allow all sides to discuss the issue further.

Mr Korkaew called on red shirt supporters to wait until the political climate calms down before resuming their push for the bills to go before the House.

"Can we wait? It might be this year or next year. When the political situation is calm, we will resubmit the drafts" he said. "We don't want confrontation as it would do more harm than good."

Mr Korkaew said the government should focus instead on helping the public better understand the bills.

Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Nattawut Saikuar, who is also a key red-shirt leader, said a delay in the deliberation of the bills is no longer a big issue for the UDD.

After listening to the two leaders, Somsri Charoen, 56, a red shirt supporter from Bangkok, said she agreed there was no need at the moment to push for the unity bills to be debated in parliament.

"We don't want to reconcile with the Democrat Party that killed more than 90 red shirt supporters during the May 2010 rally," Ms Somsri said. "What we want is to bring the Democrats to justice".

She blamed the party for the 91 deaths during the red shirt protests seeking to oust the Democrat-led administration.

Preecha Kaewbanphaew, 75, also from Bangkok, said he agreed with the delay because he felt the Democrats would benefit more from the bills than Pheu Thai.

Many people charged with political offences during the yellow- hirt protests of 2008 would be exonerated, he said.

Mr Preecha said he did not believe the bills would help Thaksin Shinawatra return.

BANGKOK POST