(3 July) The official
governing body of the Redshirts movement warns the government under PM Yingluck Shinawatra that its
supporters would turn against her if she allowed corruption and abuse of power, insisting that
Redshirts are not objects that could be easily controlled.
The National United Front of Democracy Against
Dictatorship (UDD) also unveiled many new strategies for its movements, including the
launch of English language news sites and expansion of local UDD Schools to inform its local
supporters.
The plans were unveiled during the UDD′s weekly press conference at Imperial
World shopping mall in Bangkok.
At the press conference, ex-MP Jatupon Prompan told the reporters
he decided not to take the position as the new chairperson of the UDD, handing the seat back to Ms.
Thida Tojirakarn. He said he declined the appointment, decided in a UDD conference earlier this
week, because of health reason.
He dismissed allegation that he refused the position out of
anger toward the government for not including him in the new Cabinet shakeup. Although I am not a
Minister, I am willing to stand on the side of the government ,as long as it operates with honesty,
Mr. Jatupon said.
Ms. Thida explained to the press that she
willingly resigned as the chairwoman of UDD during the conference so Mr. Jatupon can take her job
because she saw many potentials in Mr. Jatupon. She said no formal votes were taken at the meeting,
and the offer was relayed to Mr. Jatupon casually. Nevertheless, Ms. Thida said she accepted Mr.
Jatupon′s decline to take the offer.
Mr. Jatupon is not ready for it at the moment … but
in the future, when dire situation arises, Mr. Jatupon might step in and take the helm, Mr. Thida
told the reporters.
She said that the question of who takes the lead of UDD should
be decided by local chapters? election, but the organization is too plagued with conflicts and not
united enough for such procedure.
Ms. Thida said the Ammart (feudal
aristocrats) Regime has the upper hand because of high coordination between different
factions to campaign against the the government, while Ammart-allied media, Senators, political
parties, and military commanders are likewise united in forcing the democratic side to retreat from
the victory gained from the 2011 election.
The UDD chairwoman said there would be major
evamp in its structure to meet the challenge, such as the establishment of academic, financial,
international, legal, and coordinating sections. The UDD would also expand the UDD School lecture
sessions in many provinces and form English language website to offer the news in their perspective,
Ms. Thida said.
Ms. Thida also laid down goals of the UDD: abolition of the 2008
Constitution, drafting of Amnesty Bill for all sides except the leadership along with pursuit of
justice against hose who ordered killing of the people, and speeding up the compensation program
for those affected by political violence in 2009-2010.
She expressed her displeasure at the
government′s misplaced priority; she said the government should have been more focused on helping
the Redshirts who are still imprisoned instead of the 2.2 trillion bat loan program.
Don?t
prioritize money over the people. If you do that, how can I possibly convince the Redshirts to
defend their government when the crisis hits? Ms. Thida said, he Redshirts are not objects that
can be freely manipulated.
Ms. Thida said the Redshirts will be willing to back the
government as long as it refrains from corruption, abuse of power, and betraying the
people.
