US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK3145

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 003145 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV, USPACOM FOR FPA HUSO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, TH, HUMAN RIGHTS, NRC - National Reconciliation Committee 
SUBJECT: NATIONAL RECONCILIATION COMMISSION RELEASES FULL 
REPORTS FROM TAK BAI AND KRUE SE INCIDENTS 
 
REF: A) 04 BANGKOK 5360 B) BANGKOK 687 C) 04 BANGKOK 
 
     3111 D) 04 BANGKOK 2941 
 
 1. (U) SUMMARY:  The National Reconciliation Commission 
(NRC) recently released the complete texts of reports 
authored by two government-authorized "Independent 
Commissions" which investigated separate high casualty 
incidents in 2004 in southern Thailand involving Thai 
security forces.  In April 2004, 32 armed insurgents were 
killed at the Krue Se Mosque and 85 demonstrators were killed 
at the Tak Bai Police Station in October 2004.  No startling 
new facts were revealed about either event.  However, the 
full reports do provide more details about the shooting of 7 
of 85 demonstrators killed at Tak Bai and actions of military 
commanders shortly after the crackdown began.  Muslim leaders 
generally reacted positively to the NRC's release of the 
reports but again voiced concern that promised compensation 
to families of those killed has not been dispersed.  The NRC 
met again on May 9 to set up sub-committees to pursue 
specific goals more systematically.  END SUMMARY. 
 
ONE YEAR LATER: THE (IN)-COMPLETE STORY OF APRIL 28, 2004 AND 
KRUE SE MOSQUE 
 
2. (SBU)  After completing a three-day fact-finding trip in 
Narathiwat Province on April 20, the 48-member NRC released 
the complete texts of the reports from separate Independent 
Commissions (authorized by the Thai government) on the 
controversial Tak Bai and Krue Se Mosque incidents.  During 
the fact-finding trip, NRC members had been urged to release 
these reports by religious leaders and families of victims 
from the violence in the South, many of whom argued that 
doing so would clear the air significantly.  The NRC also 
consulted with police and military officials in the South 
(and perhaps the issue was discussed privately with the Prime 
Minister).  The Thai media aired the debate over the value of 
releasing the full texts.  On April 20, after a closed 
session meeting of the NRC, Chairman and former Prime 
Minister Anand Panyarachun appeared at a press conference and 
provided copies of the 52-page Tak Bai report and the 38-page 
Krue Se report to the media.  "We insist on transparency," he 
said. English versions of the reports can be found on the 
Internet site of The Nation newspaper at: 
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/takb ai. 
 
3. (U)  The Krue Se report covers only one of several violent 
incidents that occurred in three different provinces on April 
28, 2004.  As noted in the report, "Some 100 militants staged 
simultaneous assaults on seven targets in Yala, three in 
Pattani, and one in Songkhla." The full report provides 
details about the weapons used by the militants and security 
forces, names of persons involved on both sides and a 
detailed timeline. This is in contrast to the four-page 
summary report released on August 4, 2004 by the RTG.  The 
authors of the full report state that autopsies were not 
performed on the bodies of the 31 militants killed by Thai 
Special Forces at Krue Se Mosque.  However, samples of body 
fluids were taken and later tests concluded that no narcotics 
or other "illegal substances" were present.  (Note: This 
appears to contradict an official RTG statement of April 29, 
2004 stating, "the perpetrators were under the influence of 
drugs and were instigated to resort to violence.  It was 
disclosed that those arrested were subject to urine test 
(sic) and found to have taken drugs."  See Reftel C. End 
Note.)  The full report criticizes General Panlop Pinmanee, 
Deputy Director of the Internal Security Operations Command 
(ISOC), who ordered the raid on the Mosque, as well as 
then-4th Army Commander General Pisan Wattanawongkhiri, for 
failing to negotiate with the insurgents.  "In their 
negotiations with the militants, anti-riot forces conducted 
no talks, but simply announced a series of warnings to 
encourage surrender." 
 
SOME TAK BAI DEMONSTRATORS SHOT FROM A DISTANCE 
 
4. (SBU)  In contrast to the Krue Se report, the full Tak Bai 
report is much more detailed and offers more specific 
accounts and recommendations (Ref B).  The full report 
reveals that after examining the bodies of the demonstrators, 
forensic scientist Dr. Pornthip Rojanasunan concluded that, 
"it was clear the victims (at the Tak Bai police station) 
died of gunshot wounds caused by bullet shot from distance 
(sic)."  Another part of the report reveals that Queen 
Sirikit summoned General Pisan to an audience at Narathiwat 
Palace at 12 midnight on October 26.  The report notes that 
Gen. Pisan, the 4th Army Commander, also met with PM Thaksin 
at a hotel in Narathiwat the same night.  Among the 
recommendations not previously revealed is the suggestion 
that the RTG produce radio and TV programs in the Malayu 
(Yawi dialect) language to create understanding between the 
local populace and the government.  The report also suggests 
that the RTG  "avoid the implementation" of martial law and 
employ "the Emergency Administration Emergency Situation Act 
B.E. 2495 (1953)," which provides for some civilian control 
over the military. 
 
MUSLIM REACTION: RTG GETTING BETTER, BUT WHERE'S THE MONEY? 
 
5. (U) Muslim leaders welcomed the release of the reports. 
Some Embassy contacts from the Islamic Committees of Pattani 
and Yala complained that the reports were not released in 
Yawi and therefore many Thai Muslims, particularly older 
religious and community leaders, still did not have full 
access to them.  Media reports quoted families of those 
killed on April 28 as stating that they have not yet received 
20,000 baht ($512) in compensation promised to them by the 
RTG last year.  The families of the young members of the Ban 
Suso soccer team in Saba Yoi, Songkhla are among those with 
this complaint.  One reported eyewitness of events at Saba 
Yoi was quoted in The Nation newspaper as saying, "Of the 19 
dead bodies we found at the scene, 14, including my younger 
brother Kamaridin, were shot in the head."  The policy of 
providing compensation for the families of those killed by 
security forces on April 28 is controversial among military 
commanders.  (Note: Five Thai security forces were killed and 
21 injured in the affected areas on April 28.  See Reftel D. 
End Note.) 
 
NRC CREATES SUBCOMMITTEES 
 
6. (U) On May 9, the NRC held its third full, formal meeting 
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Bangkok.  The 
one-day meeting followed a weekend trip by Chairman Anand to 
Narathiwat to meet with victims from the Tak Bai incident and 
some of the families of those killed in Saba Yoi, Songkhla on 
April 28, 2004.  At this meeting, the NRC decided to set up 
five subcommittees charged with responsibilities as follows: 
1) Promote Justice and Human Rights, to be chaired by Deputy 
Prime Minster Chaturon Chaisaeng; 2) Solve Conflict through 
Peaceful Means, to be chaired by Phra Paisarn Wisaro, a 
well-know Buddhist monk; 3) Study the Development of Human 
Security, to be chaired by Amnar Siamwalla; 4) Promote 
Cultural Diversity in Thailand, to be chaired by Prawes Wasi, 
a leading public intellectual and social activist; and, 5) 
Promote Local Harmony and Cooperation, to be chaired by 
General Narong Denudom, a Muslim former 4th Army Commander. 
It was also announced that PM Thaksin would recommend for 
cabinet approval on May 10, a resolution to drop pending 
criminal charges against 58 Tak Bai demonstrators.   The NRC 
will next meet in Narathiat on May 20. 
 
7. (SBU) Comment:  The NRC under Anand's leadership has taken 
a bold first step by releasing the full reports.  This move 
is responsive to calls from human rights NGOs and the Muslim 
community for a more open process in its investigation of two 
of the most important cases of claimed human rights 
violations committed against Thai Muslims in the last year. 
To his credit, PM Thaksin has not objected to the release of 
these controversial documents, although his administration 
had earlier explicitly refused to do so.  Significantly, the 
first year anniversary of the events of April 28 passed 
without any major violence or separatist attacks.  End 
Comment. 
BOYCE