WAR ON DRUGS: UN WILL EXAMINE KILLINGS

Banharn joins outcry over rights abuse as death toll in anti-narcotics
campaign hits 833

United Nations Human Rights Com-missioners will shortly examine Thailand's
war against drugs that has killed more then 800 people in the past three
weeks, leading human-rights activist Senator Thongbai Thongpao said
yesterday.

The announcement came amid growing outcries for the government to
re-evaluate its "shoot to kill" policy, including from coalition partner,
Chat Thai party leader Banharn Silpa-archa, and leading human-rights
organisations.

But Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra gave no indication of backing down,
saying the government will continue to act decisively against drug
traffickers.

"I would like to inform all of you that the government will carry on with
decisive action to solve the problem," he said in his weekly radio address.

Banharn yesterday criticised the Interior Ministry's policy of pressuring
provincial governors and police commanders to achieve results in the drugs
war, saying it "will result in more extra-judicial killings". "It's not
always right to judge results by figures. The Interior Ministry should
review its policy," he said.

Opponents said the war on drugs was a huge mistake, the methods were wrong
and they would not work. They said the government had tried to grab
popularity by issuing rising figures to claim success, brushing aside fears
that innocent lives may be claimed and ignoring possible human-rights
violations.

Police have put the death toll as high as 833 since the war on drugs began
on February 1.

Thaksin has boasted he will zero-in on big drug traffickers. However, the
government has failed to prove that those killed were drug dealers, let
alone major traffickers, and police have also failed to arrest gunmen,
critics said.

Forum Asia secretary-general Somchai Hom-laor questioned the killings of
alleged drug suspects, claimed by police to be to the work of drug dealers
wanting to silence retail traders who might implicate them. He said he was
worried that innocent people may have been killed, and not just drug
dealers.

Somchai said he strongly doubted there were any autopsy reports. Bullets
have been removed from the bodies. "I doubt it because these are not just
murders. People were massacred and handcuffed. It is almost impossible for
ordinary citizens to execute such a mass action," he said.

If the PM wants to be a leader who respects law and order, he must review
this policy urgently, he added. "By ignoring criticism, Thaksin is failing
to do his duty," he said.

Senator Wallop Tangkananurak (Bangkok), a leading children's-rights
activist, said he supported drastic action in principle but he wanted police
to concentrate on major drug traffickers rather than small traders.