Thai PM Admits Police Killed Muslim Lawyer

[sonz]

BANGKOK, January 13, 2006 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – A missing Thai Muslim human rights lawyer in the South had been murdered by government officials, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra admitted Friday, January 13.

"I know that Somchai (Neelapaijit) is dead, and more than four government officials were involved, but witnesses and evidence are still being collected," Thaksin was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Somchai, Chairman of Thailand's Muslim Lawyers Association and Vice-Chairman of the Human Rights Committee of the Law Society of Thailand, went missing last March while in Bangkok.

He was reportedly taken from his car, which was found abandoned and dented.

Prior to his mysterious and mind-boggling "disappearance", Somchai had publicly accused Thai police of torturing four of his clients while in custody.

The clients, all Muslim men, were held on charges of plotting attacks in the south, where more than 1,000 people have died in two years of unrest, but were acquitted in June 2005.

Somchai, a prominent human rights lawyer and activist, told colleagues and family members that he had received threats since he took on these cases and started denouncing police torture of some suspects.

Conviction

Thaksin's comments, the first time he has publicly accepted the Muslim lawyer was murdered, come one day after a police officer was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison over the lawyer's disappearance.

Major Ngern Thongsuk was convicted Thursday of coercion for forcing Somchai into a car the night he disappeared. Four other officials were cleared of all charges for lack of evidence.

Thaksin said Thailand's department of special investigations was working on the case of the Muslim lawyer and that murder charges were being considered.

"Circumstantial evidence confirmed that he's dead. But this case is not easy at all, and because it involves government officials, it's very difficult to find evidence and witnesses," he said.

The Justice Ministry's Department of Special Investigation (DSI), which took over the case from police after the five officials were formally charged with coercion and gang robbery, is due to wrap up its inquiries by February, Thaksin said.

He, however, did not say if new charges would be filed against the same group or against other government officials.

But he said murder charges had not been filed against the five because investigators have yet to find Somchai's body.

Thaksin's admission of responsibility of government officials for the killing of the Muslim lawyer has drawn welcome.

"It's extremely satisfactory that the prime minister has publicly acknowledged that Somchai has in fact been killed, murdered of course, and that this was done by public officials," Justice Elizabeth Evatt, an Australian member of the Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists, told AFP.

"I'm very hopeful that the investigations that he's referred to will be completed quickly, and further charges laid."

Unanswered Questions

Maj. Nguen Thongsuk was sentenced for three years in prison for involvement in the "disappearance" of the Thai Muslim lawyer. (AP).

Amnesty International, however, said the verdict over the "disappearance" of the Muslim lawyer left significant questions unanswered.

"Instead of resolving the 'disappearance' of Somchai, the trial of five police officers has ended with his fate and whereabouts unclarified," said Catherine Baber, Deputy Asia Director at Amnesty International, according to Scoop Web site.

"The authorities must act to clarify these questions and ensure all suspected perpetrators of his 'disappearance' are brought to justice."

As forced "disappearance" is not a criminal offence under Thai law, the five police officers suspected of involvement in his "disappearance" were charged with lesser offences of theft and coercion.

She added that Thailand must demonstrate its commitment to ending "disappearances" by making forced "disappearances" an offence under Thai criminal law, and ratifying the UN International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearances.

The Amnesty International official urged the Thai authorities to act to guarantee a climate in which people may report on all alleged violations of human rights by state officials and seek redress without fear of reprisal, including "disappearance".

Miscarriage

The light sentence has also drawn quick condemnation from Somchai's family and human rights groups, who called the verdict a miscarriage of justice likely to inflame political tensions.

"It is clear that the metropolitan police investigation into the abduction was seriously flawed," Reuters quoted Nick Cheesman of the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission as saying.

"The DSI is now beholden to make for these shortcomings."

Muslims make up five percent of the population of Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist nation, and mostly live in the five southern provinces bordering Malaysia.

They have long complained of discrimination in jobs, education and business opportunities.

[akulion]

lol bro ur posting all the news from al jazeera :p
gotcha :D

[sonz]

lol bro ur posting all the news from al jazeera :p
gotcha :D

salama

no bro

this 1 is from islamonline. it says
(IslamOnline.net & News Agencies)

back ontopic plz

[akulion]

aha so thats where they are getting it from...lol cos i read it nearly everyday and i was like "hey didnt i just read this today, all the news casts?"

but either ways its good to have news....good job bro!