The Confederation for Democracy (CFD), a non-governmental organization of
Thai political activists, on Wednesday called on Thailand's military Council for
Democratic Reform (CDR) to quickly return power to the Thai people as the
council leaders pledged after last week's coup d'etat, The Thai News Agency
reported.
Visiting Royal Thai Army Headquarters Wednesday morning, CFD chairman Weng
Tojirakarn, and other two members presented their letter with five proposals to
the council.
As the first priority, the democracy activists urged the Council to lift
martial law and the ban on political gatherings, and to restore citizen freedom
of communication, information access, and other basic human rights.
Secondly, they asked the council to quickly return sovereignty to the people
by holding a general election soon, as an Election Commission (EC) is already in
place.
Regarding the constitution, the CFD recommended adopting the dissolved 1997
constitution as a temporary charter during the interim government's rule, and
that the whole people should have direct participation in drafting Thailand's
new constitution instead of doing so via their representatives, no matter
whether those selected, or appointed.
The CFD letter pointed out that the temporary charter with 39 articles
drafted by the CDR and set for royal approval this weekend has content
essentially not different from the 1991 constitution enacted by the National
Peacekeeping Council, former military coup makers.
Accordingly, it would be more appropriate for the CDR to apply the 1997
constitution temporarily.
Last, but not least, the CFD called for structural reform of the armed forces
to make military personnel "professional soldiers" who will never again become
involved in politics or stage a coupd'etat.
The pro-democracy activists expressed their hope that the military council
will keep its word by quickly returning power to the people, as the coup leaders
said earlier that they did not stage the coup for their own benefit or power.
Receiving the CFD letter, army secretary Maj-Gen Veeran Chantasatkosol
affirmed that the military council will quickly return power to the people as it
promised, otherwise there will surely be problems.
At the first stage, the council is in the process of transferring power to an
interim government, he said. The next step is drafting the new constitution and
holding the general election.
The council is doing what it promised, Gen Veeran explained.
