[Tlc] T-protests

[justinm at ucr.edu]

Forwarded from Dr. Charnvit Kasetsiri.
Thanks,
justin

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/06/05/politics/politics_30074818.php
 
CONFRONTATION
Thais not calm and rational in solving conflicts
By Subhatra Bhumiprabhas
The Nation
Published on June 5, 2008

 
Peaceful methods urged for solution to political rows


Despite the efforts of peace groups who have been a part of Thai society for more than 30 years, a culture of non-violence has yet to take root in this country.

Historians and veteran peace advocates see a long road ahead before true peace infiltrates right throughout society.

With an atmosphere of confrontation between the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the government and anti-PAD groups, a few efforts to promote peace have been launched to cool political tensions.

But historian Charnvit Kasetsiri confesses he is a pessimist when recalling the country's political history since the People's Revolution in 1932. Most political conflicts since have ended up being settled by the power of weapons not peace, he says. The political tragedies of October 1973, October 1976 and May 1992 were clear evidence the upper echelons of Thai bureaucracy have never adopted a non-violent culture.

To signify they want to see the latest conflict end without violence, different groups of people have taken to wearing white and orange colours. Ordinary citizens, school pupils and university students, led by Thammasat University vice rector Parinya Thewanaruemitkul, have asked people to wear a white ribbon, shirt or any kind of white symbol to tell both the government and the PAD they do not want to see any more violence in society.

In a separate campaign, a network of students and political activists are asking people to wear orange ribbons or other orange symbols to signify their call for peace.

"Orange is a mixture between yellow [PAD] and red [anti-PAD]. And we,

in between the yellow and the red, are orange who believe that neither yellow

nor red can ever lead our society in overcoming the conflict. They will just create deeper wounds that are more difficult to heal," the group explained in its e-mail campaign.

In the current situation, the white campaign against violence is being rejected by all the PAD leaders. They have swiftly hit back at Parinya.

"Don't be an opportunist, otherwise you will be hit by a wooden club," said Dr Phuwadon Songprasert on the stage at the PAD rally.

Phuwadon is one of the PAD's hard-core members. He is especially displeased the white campaign was not only urging the government, but also the PAD, not to resort to violence, including abusive language.

Prominent peace advocate Gothom Arya concedes the peace approach has failed this time because the country is trapped in anger and frustration, with some people calling the current situation an "emotional cyclone".

Gothom, however, believes a lot more people support the white campaign but do not want to show themselves in public.

"But we don't know if they are a minority or a majority," said Gothom, who introduced the Coordination Group for Religions in Society, one of the first non-violence groups in the country, just a few months before the October 6 massacre in 1976.

Gothom admits a peace culture still needs more time and space in society. "We need to plant it in the schools and we need to have more social concern."

A recent incident shows the irony of the move towards peace in Thai society. It involved a peaceful protest by Lieutenant Chalard Vorachat, a former member of Parliament who was forcibly removed from the Democracy Monument where he had staged a peaceful hunger strike to protest the September 2006 coup.

Chalard was condemned as a "mad man", while the bloodless coup was praised by some peace advocates.

"I think Thai society still cannot build a culture of non-violence even though we assign students to read the story of Mahatma Gandhi," says Charnvit, a former rector of Thammasat University.

Thailand is not alone. Other countries in Southeast Asia have not adopted non-violence as a modus operandi and subsequently tragedy strikes most political conflicts, the historian said.

"These are so-called 'democratic countries', but none are real democratic societies."



______________
Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
3046 INTN
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
951-827-4530
justinm at ucr.edu