Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2014 8:47:23 GMT 7
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Slain general's widow vows to continue fight for justice
PIMNARA PRADUBWIT
THE NATION April 11, 2014 1:00 am
WHILE commemorating the death of her husband on April 10 four years ago, Nicha Hiranburana Thuvatham told The Nation it was time for Thai society to join hands and set good moral standards in order to block bad people from continuing to violate laws.
The people between the two sides [of the political conflict] should focus on justice, rather than just being neutral.
"We need brave people to say what is right and what is wrong. We need a society that accepts rules and regulations. Wrongdoing is not negotiable, and once wrongdoers concede their mistakes, then we can discuss how to punish or forgive them. That's the only way society can find a solution together," she said, adding that all parts of society must share the responsibility of setting good moral standards.
Nicha's husband General Romklao Thuvatham was killed in a clash with red-shirt protesters at Khok Wua intersection in 2010. The red shirts were at the time protesting against the Abhisit Vejjajiva government.
"Over the past four years, I have fought to prevent wrongdoers from getting the chance to do this again. Yet, what I feared is happening once again.
"Those who were responsible for the wrongdoings in 2010 are once again threatening the lives of innocent people in 2013-2014. Although we can't find them and bring them to justice, we all know who is behind all the violence. They are cruel," she pointed out.
In terms of possible solutions, Nicha said that though some people believe the conflict would come to an end if both sides agreed on a compromise and conceded their mistakes, she said she disagreed because what's wrong is wrong.
Wasted effort
"I used to call on Thai society to learn from losses, but when I met bad people in power, who are ready to do anything for the sake of power, I realised that my efforts were a waste. Society can only learn if every member of society has the same goal - living peacefully together. Yet we continue fighting with those who only care for their personal benefits," she said.
"The problem is that Thais, despite speaking the same language, just don't understand each other because their morals are different and their viewpoints toward society don't match.
"Yet, I will never give up. I insist on fighting for as long as the wrongdoers do not admit their guilt. Doesn't matter how long that takes. I can wait for justice.
"The day that PM Yingluck [Shinawatra] said she wasn't being treated fairly by the National Anti-Corruption Commission with regards to the rice-pledging scheme, I chuckled inside because when other people called on her for justice, she did not care.
"I personally asked her - as chief of the government - to give me justice, but she did nothing.
"There has been no progress in the investigation into the death of soldiers. The relatives of those who were killed in 2010 asked Yingluck to change the investigation team's leader from [Department of Special Investigation director general] Tarit Pengdith [but he has never been replaced].
"How many innocent people have lost their lives and not been given justice yet?" Nicha asked.
Slain general's widow vows to continue fight for justice
PIMNARA PRADUBWIT
THE NATION April 11, 2014 1:00 am
WHILE commemorating the death of her husband on April 10 four years ago, Nicha Hiranburana Thuvatham told The Nation it was time for Thai society to join hands and set good moral standards in order to block bad people from continuing to violate laws.
The people between the two sides [of the political conflict] should focus on justice, rather than just being neutral.
"We need brave people to say what is right and what is wrong. We need a society that accepts rules and regulations. Wrongdoing is not negotiable, and once wrongdoers concede their mistakes, then we can discuss how to punish or forgive them. That's the only way society can find a solution together," she said, adding that all parts of society must share the responsibility of setting good moral standards.
Nicha's husband General Romklao Thuvatham was killed in a clash with red-shirt protesters at Khok Wua intersection in 2010. The red shirts were at the time protesting against the Abhisit Vejjajiva government.
"Over the past four years, I have fought to prevent wrongdoers from getting the chance to do this again. Yet, what I feared is happening once again.
"Those who were responsible for the wrongdoings in 2010 are once again threatening the lives of innocent people in 2013-2014. Although we can't find them and bring them to justice, we all know who is behind all the violence. They are cruel," she pointed out.
In terms of possible solutions, Nicha said that though some people believe the conflict would come to an end if both sides agreed on a compromise and conceded their mistakes, she said she disagreed because what's wrong is wrong.
Wasted effort
"I used to call on Thai society to learn from losses, but when I met bad people in power, who are ready to do anything for the sake of power, I realised that my efforts were a waste. Society can only learn if every member of society has the same goal - living peacefully together. Yet we continue fighting with those who only care for their personal benefits," she said.
"The problem is that Thais, despite speaking the same language, just don't understand each other because their morals are different and their viewpoints toward society don't match.
"Yet, I will never give up. I insist on fighting for as long as the wrongdoers do not admit their guilt. Doesn't matter how long that takes. I can wait for justice.
"The day that PM Yingluck [Shinawatra] said she wasn't being treated fairly by the National Anti-Corruption Commission with regards to the rice-pledging scheme, I chuckled inside because when other people called on her for justice, she did not care.
"I personally asked her - as chief of the government - to give me justice, but she did nothing.
"There has been no progress in the investigation into the death of soldiers. The relatives of those who were killed in 2010 asked Yingluck to change the investigation team's leader from [Department of Special Investigation director general] Tarit Pengdith [but he has never been replaced].
"How many innocent people have lost their lives and not been given justice yet?" Nicha asked.