END VIOLENCE, SAY RIGHTS GROUPS

Tragedy Perpetrated In Name Of Justice

Child and human rights advocacy groups have condemned the government and
state officials for being over-zealous in their drug crackdown, which
claimed the life of an innocent nine-year-old boy on Monday.

Chakkapan Srisa-ard, known as Fluke, was shot dead when police tried to
stop the getaway car driven by his mother, who then escaped on foot.

Activists from 11 organisations yesterday demanded an end to the
government's violent crackdown.

"We plead that this boy be the last innocent victim killed in the
government's anti-drug war," said Boonthan Tunsuthepverawongse, of the
Peace and Human Rights Resource Centre.

He called on Interior Minister Wan Muhamad Nor Matha to accept
responsibility for the tragic mistake.

Mr Wan Nor earlier pledged to resign if the three-month war on drugs failed.

"Mr Wan Nor doesn't need to wait three months. He should be accountable now
for even one innocent life lost," Mr Boonthan said.

Ticha na Nakorn, of the Working Committee on Children, said the groups
still supported the anti-drug policy, but the methods used were unacceptable.

"Seeing reports about police shooting parents in front of their child, the
murder of a woman eight months' pregnant and the latest killing of a
nine-year-old, we can't help feeling that state officials have been
over-zealous and uncaring about innocent people," she said. The violent
crackdown mostly targeted petty street dealers and would force influential
dealers into dark corners and lead to even more violence.

Therdsak Chamnongsin, of the Duang Prateep Foundation, said the widespread
killings had caused both fear and aggression among Klong Toey slum
children. "One small child told me the crackdown had made her scared of
going out with her mother, but many others seemed to enjoy the reports of
killing."

Suriyasai Katasila, secretary-general of the Campaign for Popular
Democracy, said killing and wounding of innocent people was the work of
impetuous police officers given the green light by their supervisors and
the government.

"This is a tragedy perpetrated by the state with no regard for human
rights, a cruel justice that fails to distinguish decent people from
villains," he said.