Posted on 02/25/2003 10:37:14 AM PST by tdadams
The special rapporteur on extra-judicial, summary or arbitrary executions of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Asma Jahangir, has expressed deep concern at the many deaths in Thailand's war on drugs.
Ms Jahangir has urged Thai authorities to ensure law enforcement and security officials carry out their duties in strict compliance with national and international human rights, and in particular that ``the strict limits on the use of lethal force, as stipulated under the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law-enforcement Officials, are followed rigorously and without exception''. She also called on authorities to carry out transparent and independent investigations into each death.
Up to Monday, 977 people had lost their lives in drug-related ``gangland killings'' and 16 drug suspects had been killed by police in self-defence, according to the Interior Ministry's drug suppression centre yesterday.
The centre said 8,745 drug suspects were arrested and 36,277 had reported to authorities since Feb 1.
The government's target is for the number of drug suspects to be cut by 25% by the end of this month, and none left by the end of the three-month war on drugs on April 30. As of Feb 24, the number of drug traders and producers had fallen by 21.09%, the ministry said.
Of 928 state officials blacklisted for involvement in drug trade, 48 had been arrested. A total of 242,074 drug users had reported to authorities.
Senators and opposition MPs said the government's ``number game'' was to blame for bodies piling up, including that of an innocent nine-year-old boy.
Senator Sak Korsaengruang said threats by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Interior Minister Wan Muhamad Nor Matha to penalise officials who failed to arrest enough drug dealers had pressured them to use violence. ``They are sending out the wrong message. Their demand for high figures forces authorities to do everything to meet the target,'' he said.
He believed that was why policemen allegedly shot at a car to catch a suspect without caring that nine-year-old Chakkapan Srisa-ard was inside. ``They just formed a kangaroo court. They kill people though they don't know for sure if they are on the blacklists.''
Senate Speaker Manoonkrit Roopkachorn also voiced concern about the rising number of deaths. The government would have to answer eight motions concerning its tough drug policy in the Senate tomorrow, he said.
Of course, no law enforcement agents in Thailand are profitting from the drug trade, and none of them are killing their rivals in the trade.
Many in this country would support such a crackdown around here.
Many at this website approve of this kind of crap.
Can't-make-an-omelette ping.
By the police: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/backroom/850825/posts
Yes, they fired indiscriminately into a moving car, hitting the boy in the back.
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