Hemma efter en dag ute så har det landat lite info från MFA i min inbox. Nej det är inte jag som skrivit den och jag lägger inga värderingar i texten. Jag tänkte bara att det kunde vara intressant för MPR´s medlemmar att se vad som händer nu enligt MFA.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Web Update
Authorities to strengthen security measures to protect against further attacks
On 15 May 2010 at 09.30 hrs., Mr. Sathit Wongnongtoey, Minister attached
to the Prime Minister’s Office and Dr. Panitan Wattanayagorn, Deputy Secretary General
to the Prime Minister and Acting Government Spokesman, gave a press conference after
the morning meeting of the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES)
to provide the latest information about events in Bangkok.
Minister Sathit observed that it had become clear from the unfolding events
that the armed elements involved were well-trained in launching attacks against security
officers, much along the line of “people’s war” or “civil war” rhetoric employed by the
protest leaders to incite the masses. Expressing concern over the use of distorted
information, he said that the Government would continue to enforce the law.
The Minister refuted allegations made by the United Front for Democracy
against Dictatorship (UDD) that the Government sent in troops to take action against
unarmed masses as completely unfounded and contrary to what had actually happened on
the ground. He said that officers trying to encircle and prevent movements of protesters
into and out of their protest areas were attacked by armed elements of the UDD using
heavy weapons. Their actions reflect the UDD’s objective of using violence to
overthrow the present Government.
Regarding the UDD’s demands in exchange for their acceptance of the fivepoint
reconciliation roadmap proposed by the Prime Minister, Minister Sathit said that
these were not made in the interest of the masses but for themselves as they were
bargaining on the handling of the cases against them and the granting of bails. When
these were not met, the UDD rejected the roadmap which, he noted, was due to the
position of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the hardliners among UDD
leaders.
The demands the UDD made in the open, such as on revocation of the
Emergency Decree and call for negotiations, were simply a sham. Noting that the UDD
had tried to present the present situation as a confrontation and fight between the officers
and the masses, Minister Sathit said that the situation must be viewed based upon the
basic fact that the rallies at Ratchaprasong were unlawful with armed elements
infiltrating therein using weapons to attack the authorities, and that the Court had already
ruled that they were not peaceful rallies as sanctioned by the Constitution. The
authorities therefore have to do their duties in accordance with the law and international
standards and principles.
The Acting Government Spokesman noted that as of 22.00 hrs. on 14 May,
the number of protesters had fallen to around 6,000. During the night of 14 May, while
not much movement was reported near the centre of the protest site, there were
continuous, systematic and relatively well-planned activities by armed groups against
officers manning checkpoints around the perimeters of the protest area, including the use
of M 79 grenades and other types of weapons with some masses being mobilized from
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outside by spreading of distorted information. He noted that while these endeavours were
unsuccessful, they had led to casualties.
Recounting incidents at different locations around the protest area, the
Acting Government Spokesman said that according to the Erawan Emergency Centre, 17
people have lost their lives and 140 injured. The officers concerned have been instructed
to step up security measures to prevent further attacks against them. Noting that the
situation remains under control and that tensions have eased, he asked the media to
exercise caution, avoiding areas where clashes may occur and helping to warn the general
public to leave such areas.
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15 May 2010
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