Hasn't forgotten, but justice takes time

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday defended the government's handling of the case regarding missing Muslim lawyer Somchai Neelapaichit, saying authorities were not trying to ignore it but that legal proceedings take time.

Mr Thaksin's comments, made on his radio programme, came a day after a human rights group asked His Majesty the King to intervene in the matter.

Mr Somchai was defending suspects against allegations of being Islamic militants when he vanished exactly a year ago yesterday _ on March 12, 2004.

Mr Thaksin said the government was not sitting on the case, and urged authorities concerned to act to the best of their ability in investigating the lawyer's disappearance.

Authorities have arrested five police suspects on charges of abducting the lawyer. They go to trial on March 21.

``We're still working on the case, but it's not always easy [to solve] because those who do wrong always cover their wrongdoing,'' he said during the weekly radio programme.

Mr Thaksin also said the government was working to bring violence in the three southernmost provinces to an end.

He said the national reconciliation committee chaired by former prime minister Anand Panyarachun, was mobilising resources to help solve the problems, while the Southern Border Provinces Peace-building Command (SBPPC) was focusing on outreach and development schemes.

The Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission took the unusual step of asking His Majesty to ``express concern'' about the case, which has focused international attention on Thailand's human rights record.

``The AHRC has decided to approach Your Majesty with all due respect, in order that the wife and five children of the victim may at last know what happened to him, and see the perpetrators held to account,'' the group said in its petition.

``The reputation of Your Majesty's kingdom abroad also rests very much upon the whereabouts of Mr Somchai being uncovered and the perpetrators of his disappearance being held fully accountable,'' it said.

Meanwhile, the Muslim organisation network in the South will hold a fund-raising event later this month to mark the anniversary of Mr Somchai's disappearance.

Anantachai Thaiprathan, vice-president of the network, said proceeds from the March 26 event at Prince of Songkhla University's Pattani campus, will be used to fund human rights activities.

The event will feature an exhibition on Mr Somchai's career and life, and discussion forums about his disappearance and the southern unrest.

Link: http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/13Mar2005_news15.php

March 13, 2005