Quote:Somchai's wife to sue police force

ANJIRA ASSAVANONDA

The wife of missing human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit will sue the Royal Thai Police and acting police chief Seripisuth Temiyavej for failing to take disciplinary action against the police officer convicted of a charge relating to her husband's disappearance.

Angkhana Neelaphaijit said she will lodge her complaint with the Administrative Court today, the third anniversary of Mr Somchai's disappearance.

"Many people have asked me how much progress has been made in my husband's case over the past two years, and I would say that very little has been done. And despite a good sign and commitment from the interim government to uphold justice, I still find it hard to believe that the prime minister will really care for the disappearance of Khun Somchai," she said.

"I have this feeling because those involved in his disappearance are still performing their duties in the government agency, which I'm afraid would affect the safety of the witnesses in this case," said Ms Angkhana.

She was apparently referring to Pol Maj Ngern Thongsuk of the Crime Suppression Bureau, who was convicted of coercion _ physically forcing others into submission _ after eyewitnesses testified they had seen the officer force Mr Somchai into a car on the night he disappeared.

The defendant appealed and has not been given any disciplinary punishment so far, according to Ms Angkhana.

She said her lawsuit was also directed at Pol Gen Seripisuth because he is now in charge of the Royal Thai Police.

She called on the government to put an end to disappearances and torture of criminal suspects as they are extreme violations of human rights.

Sunai Pasuk of Human Rights Watch said Mr Somchai was the only one of the 23 recorded missing persons whose case had proceeded to court.

"But even with this single case, we still couldn't bring the culprit to punishment," said Mr Sunai.

"With the impunity still given to those state officers involved in the crimes, the public will never trust the government even though you apologised for them a million times."

Lawyer Somchai Homla-or called on the government to sign up to the new United Nations Convention for the Protection of all persons from Enforced Disappearances.

The convention requires member countries to issue legislation naming the practice of enforced disappearances as a serious criminal offence, and those who give an order or support such offences must also be held responsible.

"If we had this kind of convention four years ago, we could probably have got Mr Thaksin [Shinawatra] as a defendant in the missing lawyer's case," he said.

He also demanded that the issue be included in the new constitution, which is in the process of being drafted.

The Asian Human Rights Commission issued an open letter to the Bangkok governor, asking permission for the construction of a memorial to Mr Somchai on Ramkhamhaeng road, at the spot where the lawyer is believed to have been kidnapped. The organisation said the memorial would be a symbol to remind people of all the missing persons in the country, and of Mr Somchai's life-long devotion to fighting for justice.

Quote:Police to investigate 'the disappeared'

By Post Reporters

Police are to establish a missing persons investigation after Human Rights Watch charged that police and the military had a hand in the disappearance of 22 people in the deep South. But the regional police chief says there is no substance to the reports.

Assistant police chief Adul Saengsingkaew said he ordered a probe be set up, and admitted there had been reports about the disappearances, mostly under the deposed Thaksin Shinawatra government.

Pol Lt-Gen Adul said police stations in the deep South would notify the police forward command in Yala when reports about the missing persons are filed.

However, Pol Lt-Gen Jetanakorn Napeetapat, chief of Provincial Police Region 9 supervising the deep South, felt there was no substance to the report.

The report by the New York-based HRW gave details of 22 cases of forced disappearances, most carried out under the Thaksin government. The report said that senior police and military officials responsible for carrying out the policy remained on active duty.

The 69-page report is based on interviews with dozens of witnesses, families of victims and Thai officials since February 2005.

It said most "disappeared" were suspected by the police or the army of being separatist militants, supporters or having knowledge about attacks.

"The Thai security forces are using disappearances as a way to weaken the militants and instill fear in the Malay Muslim community," said Brad Adams, Asia director for HRW.

The organisation also accused the police, the Department of Special Investigation, the National Human Rights Commission and the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre of failure to carry out full and impartial investigations into the disappearances.

Surapong Jayanama, deputy secretary to Prime Minister Gen Surayud Chulanont, insisted the government never took missing persons cases lightly.

However, Mr Surapong said police had to be answerable for issues raised in the past. This government firmly upholds the rule of law and human rights as it swore to do when it took office, he said.

"Human Rights Watch's perspective on forced disappearances, which it also acknowledged took place during the Thaksin regime, is understandable. But from the government's point of view, human rights is one of its priorities," said the former ambassador.

However, Mr Surapong said the government had limited time. "The government needs to address the internal public opinion first, and the domestic opinion has a broad spectrum."

He said the government would not ignore or belittle suggestions by international human rights organisations.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas yesterday insisted southern separatist groups were least likely to be responsible for the nine New Year bomb blasts in Bangkok and Nonthaburi.

He said he believed the old power clique masterminded the bombings.

Gen Boonrawd said the attackers set off the bombs to show their capacity to do damage, and it was only "10% possible" southern rebels were behind the attacks.

Acting police chief Seripisuth Temiyavej yesterday said at least one more warrant will be issued next week for the arrest of a suspect in the Dec 31 bombings.