» 01/12/2012 17:13 THAILAND Compensation for victims of political violence causes row Thailand’s opposition asks administrative court to rule, claiming that the 2 bn baht package for victims of recent political unrest is illegal and discriminatory. Yellow shirt spokesperson says Shinawatra wants to compensate her supporters.
Bangkok (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The Administrative Court is set to rule on whether the cabinet's decision to set up a 2 billion baht (US$ 63 million) compensation package for victims of political violence is legal or not. The government of Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra, has in fact approved a compensation fund for victims of political unrest in the country to be paid to the families of those killed, as well as those who were hurt or ''unfairly detained''. The opposition does not like the idea, and has announced that it would seek a court injunction against the fund. For Democrat Party MP Sathit Pitutecha, the cabinet was being discriminatory, using taxpayers' money to compensate its supporters, not all those who suffered.
Since 2005, Thailand has been the scene of confrontation between pro-Shinawatra ‘red shirts’, whose support is found mainly in rural areas and urban poor, and Democrat Party’s ‘yellow shirts’, backed by the middle and upper classes, especially in the capital, and led by former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva
In 2008, ‘yellow shirt’ protesters occupied Bangkok’s international airport, causing the downfall of a pro-Shinawatra government and the rise of the Democrat Party
Two years later, ‘red shirt’ protesters took to the streets, occupying Bangkok’s commercial district. About a hundred demonstrators and police died in clashes in the spring of 2010, setting in motion a process that led to new elections and a new Shinawatra as prime minister.
Under the fund, families of those killed would get 250,000 baht for funeral expenses and an additional 3 million baht for ''psychological trauma caused''.
The initiative is part of the government’s attempt to promote “national reconciliation” after years of political and social strife.
The opposition is against the fund, and promises a legal battle.
Noting that political violence has caused deaths as far back as 1973 and 1976, People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) spokesperson Panthep Puapongpan said that the government only wants to compensate victims of its own persuasion stripe, including ‘red shirts’ from the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).
Similarly, Sathit Pitutecha said he would file a complaint against the government for abuse of power on 17 January.
