THAI DRUGS WAR 'TARGETED MINORITIES'

The UN secretary general's special representative on human rights has
criticised the Thai Government for its handling of a major initiative
against alleged drug dealers.

Speaking at the end of a week-long tour in Thailand, Hina Jilani said the
authorities had used the campaign to target minority groups in the country.

More than 2,000 people died in Thailand's anti-drugs campaign

The government's so-called war on drugs was a three month law enforcement
campaign beginning in March, designed to rid the country of its image as a
haven for drug dealers.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra declared it a major success - but not
everyone agrees.

Human rights groups have criticised what they call the violent conduct of
the campaign - and say that more than 2,000 people have been killed by
police since March.

Kofi Annan's representative on human rights, Hina Jilani, is the latest to
add her voice to that criticism.

"There are indications that this campaign against drugs is being used by
security forces to target the more marginalised communities," she said.

She added that those communities had been placed at risk as a result of the
campaign.

Mr Thaksin has consistently denied this criticism.

He says the initiative has broad support across the nation - and there is no
doubt that many ordinary Thais are happy that he has taken a stand on one of
the country's most entrenched problems.

In fact, it has been such a political success that Mr Thaksin is expected to
launch a new campaign at the end of the month - this time against criminal
gangs.