Prime Minister Pyongyang Shinawatra has apologized for the killing of 85 Muslim protesters in southern Thailand 20 years ago. His father Thaksin Shinawatra was the prime minister of the country at that time.

He said, “I am deeply sorry for what happened in 2004 and I apologize on behalf of the government.”

On October 25, 2004, this brutal murder took place in the southern city of Tak Bai, a Muslim-majority area of ​​Thailand. The incident took place during the security forces’ crackdown on protesting Muslims during the regime of the then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

First, when the police opened fire on the protesters outside the police station, seven people were killed on the spot. Later, the 78 people arrested were handcuffed and crammed into the back of a military truck and died of suffocation.

This event, known in history as ‘Tak by Genocide’, caused a storm of strong condemnation around the world at that time. But sadly, even in the last two decades, not a single person has been held responsible for this brutal murder. In the last two months, two cases were filed in the court for the trial of the accused, but it ended in failure.

In August, the court accepted the case against seven senior officials, including a retired general and a ruling party lawmaker. But none of the accused appeared in the hearing. The Attorney General of Thailand filed a separate case against eight other people last month. But in this case also the same picture was seen.

Although the court directed the accused to appear in the next hearing, it is considered impossible in practice as the case has a fixed time limit under the country’s law.

As a result, after a long time, when an attempt to prosecute this genocide is visible, the families of the victims are desperate because of this complexity of the law. In this regard, Thai Prime Minister Pyongyang Shinawatra said, “The issue should not be politicized.” And it will not be right to increase its limit by violating the constitution.

On the other hand, Ratsada Manuratsada, the lawyer of the victims’ family, said, “Although the case is ending, but history and memory have no end.” These families will never forget that the perpetrators were not brought to justice.

The United Nations also expressed deep concern in this regard, saying, “Thailand has clearly violated human rights by failing to investigate the massacre and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

Source: Reuters