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Thai PM defiant on drug wars
03/03/2003 09:44 - (SA)
Bangkok - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Monday defended his government's high-casualty war on drugs and said it "doesn't matter" if the UN sends representatives to investigate extrajudicial killings.
Speaking to reporters at Government House, Thaksin said the Thai public needs to adjust its point of view and accept a large number of violent deaths as the price for waging a successful war on drugs.
"If we don't do something, the drug problem will explode in our faces," he said.
Responding to reports that a United Nations human rights investigator might come to Thailand, Thaksin replied, "It doesn't matter if the UN comes or not" because his government would continue on its present course.
More than 1 100 alleged drug dealers and users have been murdered since Thaksin launched a three-month blitz against illegal drugs on February 1.
On February 26, when the death toll hit 1 140, including women and children, the government announced it would no longer release statistics on the killings.
Although police have claimed the vast majority of killings were carried out by drug dealers killing each other, the rising body count has triggered intense criticism within Thailand and internationally.
Former prime minister Chuan Leekpai was quoted by the Bangkok Post on Monday as saying the government could not afford to ignore comments by those outside the country who fear that the rule of law is being undermined by the killings.
"If we act outside the framework of the law by shooting to kill as we're doing, then we can't say the comments do not matter. The country's image will be hurt," said Chuan, who leads the opposition Democrat Party.
He said the campaign could give opportunities for rival political factions to kill each other under the cover of the anti-drug war.
Former foreign minister Surin Pitsuwan said the killings have created a climate of fear throughout the country.
"The extrajudicial killings are, as the phrase indicates, outside the due process of law," he said "By resorting to this, the government is admitting that it is trampling on the principle of the rule of law, which any civilised and democratic society must abide by."
"This extrajudicial power is extremely dangerous. Once unleashed, there is no stopping it. The danger will manifest itself in various forms. Personal grudges will be settled by personal violence. Local officials will be unrestrained in their use of violence to terrorise the ever more restless people around the country," he said. - Sapa-DPA
- SAPA
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