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50 ICJ Newsl. 1 (1992)

handle is hein.icj/icjnews0050 and id is 1 raw text is: ADIT CETR FOR THE INDPNEC OF JUGE AN LAYR 6 10 J 1 ICJ investigates abuses in Thailand T he ICJ sent a mission to Thailand at the height of the disturbances in May to investigate human rights abuses and the military's massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators. The two ICJ observers - Malaysian advocate Param Cumaraswamy and David Hallmark, a solicitor of the Su- preme Court of England - met with General Suchinda Kraprayoon several hours before he resigned as the non- elected Prime Minister. They received statements from the commanders of troops that had cleared the site of the demonstrations in Bangkok as well as from other military and police officials. In addition, they saw opposition leaders Chamlong Srimuang and Chavalit Yongchaiyut, pro-democracy activists and members of non-govern- mental organizations. During their stay they managed to speak to some of the wounded in hospital. One controversial issue was the number of casualties among the dem- onstrators. The two observers checked with hospital and NGO centres to ob- tain figures. According to the latest figures, 52 people were killed, 789 were wounded and 252 were still miss- ing. The Interior Ministry had said that 40 people died and 669 were injured. The mission said that accounts from eyewitnesses, injured victims and video recordings indicate that soldiers shot directly at the crowd during the protests from 17 to 20 May. No soldiers were reported to have been shot at by the crowd. The ICJ expressed concern about eyewitness statements that military officers were seen dragging bodies away and putting them into military trucks. There was also concern about an executive decree issued by General Suchinda, as his last act in power, which granted amnesty to all those in authority who were involved in the massacre. In June the ICJ reported that lead- ers of Thailand's Confederation for De- mocracy began to receive death threats following the demonstrations. Opposition leader Chamlong Srimuang, opposition Member of Par- liament Chaiwat Sinsuwong, student leader Parinya Thevanaruemitkul and Prateep Ungsongtham Hata, known as the angel of the slums, were among the pro-democracy activists who told the ICJ that they had received tel- ephoned threats. Many of them said that they were moving from place to place in fear of anything untoward happening to them or their families. The observers are preparing an up- dated report on their mission. 0 In this issue: Human rights training course goes on despite coup in Peru British government criticized over treatment of Hong Kong citizens Activities of national sections and affiliated organizations

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