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Published on July 26, 2007

The group of students - calling itself the "New generation of human rights activists network", said Pradit should have played a role in protecting the right to assembly, but his criticism of the anti-coup protesters in Sunday's clash showed he failed to understand human-rights principles.

"The right to assembly is guaranteed by the constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [ICCPR] says the NHRC should play a leading role in encouraging the government and society to respect these rights. Instead ... the commissioner acted as a mouthpiece of the military junta that violated the protesters' right to demonstrate," the group's open letter to Pradit said.

Members of the network are young human rights activists and students from various universities, led by Pokpong Lawansiri and Pratabjit Neelaphaichit of Chulalongkorn University, Woraphat Veerapattanakup of Thammsat University, Chutima Penpak of Ramkhamhaeng University, and Pinphaka Ngarmsom of Sungonghoe University in South Korea.

On a separate track, another group of students - calling itself "Thammapiban" (Good Governance) led by Thanomsak Nuanset, handed a letter to NHRC chairman Saneh Chamrik asking for a probe into whether commissioner Jaran Dittha-pichai's appearance at Sunday's rally breached human-rights principles.

Pradit had earlier said the protest at the residence of Privy Council President Prem Tinasulanonda was unreasonable and urged Jaran to quit for leading it.

Pradit dismissed the "new generation" group, insisting he had a full understanding of human rights.

"I respect a peaceful demonstration. But this wasn't about political and civil rights. I cannot accept the protest - why they went to the residence of General Prem and used rude words to condemn him. The Privy Council president is appointed by His Majesty the King and he has made a great contribution to the country," he said.

Pradit said he had made comments about Jaran because he wanted commissioners to be neutral.

Meanwhile, Jaran asked the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Bangkok to report Sunday's incident to the Human Rights Council and Treaty body of the ICCPR.

"As a humanrights advocate, this brutal action to disperse the crowd is against the rights to life and physical integrity of the people; it is against the rights to assembly and expression of our democratic movement," he wrote in the petition. 

 

Subhatra Bhumiprabhas

The Nation