30.08.08 Red shirts call off rally in face of ISA
GOVT 'TURNING CITY INTO BATTLEFIELD'
The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) has postponed
today's mass rally in Bangkok, saying the government has drummed fear
into people while invoking the Internal Security Act (ISA).
UDD co-leader Veera Musikhapong said the postponement was because
the government has used its public relations tools to make people feel
like Bangkok has become a battlefield.
Chatuporn Prompan, another UDD leader, brushed aside reports red
shirt leaders postponed the protest because the number of demonstrators
joining the rally was not large enough. He said the postponement was
motivated by the government's aggressive stance.
"I said the UDD has always wanted to rally peacefully, but problems
were caused by the government which tried to push the red shirt people
into becoming victims of the situation," said Mr Chatuporn.
"So let them [the government side] be crazy alone." The UDD has now moved its rally to next Saturday.
If the government invokes the ISA for Sept 5, the red shirts will
postpone their rally to Sept 12. Then, if the government again uses the
ISA, the rally will be postponed to Sept 19, the third anniversary of
the coup that toppled the Thaksin Shinawatra government. However, on
that day, the UDD has vowed not to retreat again in the face of
intimidation.
"On Sept 19, the three-year anniversary of the coup which toppled
the Thaksin Shinawatra government, we will not retreat again but will
stand and fight," said Natthawut Saikua, another leader.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the cabinet will decide on
Tuesday whether the security act would be invoked for the Sept 5 rally.
"I'm surprised about the reasons they give for postponement.
"The government imposed the heightened security measure to maintain
order and prevent violence, not to bar the rally or stop the
protesting," said the prime minister.
He said officials talked to the UDD on Friday about the routes which
the protesters would use to ensure the rally would be peaceful.
The group should make sure their rallies did not create chaos or trouble for the public.
The government earlier declared the ISA would be enforced between
Aug 29 and Tuesday in Dusit district, the red shirts' rally area
located at the Royal Plaza. About 5,500 troops and police were expected
to be deployed.
Security authorities have decided to reduce their forces covering
the area following the postponement but to still keep security at
important places like Government House and the parliament building.
Yesterday afternoon, about 10 companies of troopers from the army,
the navy and the air force, mobilised to guard Government House,
withdrew from the area.
Police continued to stand by in the Government House compound, however.
Pongthep Thepkanchana, Thaksin's adviser, said the government should revoke use of the ISA in Dusit district right away.
The ISA should only be enforced when an irregular situation had
already occurred, not when somebody planned to hold a rally, he added.
Otherwise, the right and liberty of people in general would be unnecessarily limited, he said. Source: Bangkok Post, 30.08.09 http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/22930/red-shirts-call-off-rally-in-face-of-isa
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