Tak Bai Massacre: Thailand apologizes for killing of Muslim protesters
Thailand Prime Minister Thursday October 24, 2024 apologised for the brutal killing of 85 Muslim protesters in the 20-year-old incident infamous as ‘Tak Bai Massacre’
[A memorial for the 85 victims of the Tak Bai incident is built in the graveyard at Wadil-Husen Mosque in Pattani.]
Bangkok: Thailand Prime Minister Thursday October 24, 2024 apologised for the brutal killing of 85 Muslim protesters in the 20-year-old incident infamous as ‘Tak Bai Massacre’.
“I am deeply saddened for what happened and apologize on behalf of the government,” Paetongtarn Shinawatra said.
The massacre took place under the administration of her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, a key figure in the ruling Pheu Thai Party.
Shinawatra's apology came on the 20th anniversary of the brutal incident.
Tak Bai Massacre
The security crackdown in the southern town of Tak Bai on October 25, 2004 was one of the most high-profile events of a separatist insurgency that re-ignited that same year and has since killed more than 7,600 people.
The Tak Bai massacre occurred after six village defense volunteers in the southern Narathiwat province were arrested October 19, 2004 on suspicion of handing over their government-issued guns to insurgents.
The arrests triggered mass demonstrations and hundreds gathered at the Tak Bai police station, leading to a subsequent crackdown on demonstrators.
Security officials detained dozens and transported them to a military base in neighboring Pattani province where 78 people Muslims died from suffocation when they were piled up on army trucks on their way to the base.
“I hope everyone remains mindful of the violence that occurred in the Tak Bai case. No one wants to see such an incident happen again. Every party, including the government, should do their best to ensure it doesn't happen in the future," Paetongtarn Shinawatra said while apologising for the tragic incident.
Members of the Thai Muslim community as well as activists launched a campaign Wednesday to commemorate the deaths by cycling the same route as the victims from southern Narathiwat province to the Pattani army base.
'Statute of Limitations'
Thailand also commemorates today the tragedy when a 20-year statute of limitations on the case expires.
The statute of limitations, also known as a prescriptive period in civil law systems, is a legislative act that establishes the maximum time after an event for legal proceedings to be initiated.
There are demands, however, that the Paetongtarn government should issue a decree to extend the statute of limitations in the case.
No one has ever surrendered nor taken responsibility for the massacre and no one has been arrested in the case.
Malay Muslims in Thailand are also angry as the clock ran down on legal avenues to hold soldiers accountable for the Tak Bai Massacre.
In August, seven military and police officers were charged with murder. But the suspects believed to have fled Thailand, meaning the charges will have to be dropped by the court.
UN expresses concerns
In Geneva, UN rights experts said they were extremely concerned that no one would be held accountable over the massacre.
In a joint statement, the UN experts said they were “extremely alarmed that without further action,” the cases “will end prematurely when a statute of limitations expires.”
“Failure to investigate and bring perpetrators to justice is itself a violation of Thailand’s human rights obligations,” the UN experts said.
“International law also prohibits statutes of limitations for torture and other forms of ill-treatment", the experts said.
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