Pubdate: Mon, 10 Mar 2003
Source: Bangkok Post (Thailand)
Copyright: The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2003
Contact:  http://www.bangkokpost.co.th/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/39
Author: Surasak Tumcharoen

KIN OF DEAD MAY REQUEST UN INQUIRIES

Relatives of victims of drug-related murders are entitled to petition the 
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to investigate the 
killings, Vithit Muntabhorn, of Chulalongkorn University's law faculty, 
said yesterday.

In a discussion on violence in drug suppression at the university, Prof 
Vithit said human rights issues were borderless. Even people of nations not 
in the UN could ask for justice from the UN.

He urged people whose loved ones had died in the government campaign 
against drugs to petition the commission.

The petition could be addressed to a special rapporteur of the commission 
who could then step in to investigate.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, in his radio programme on Saturday, 
implied Pradit Charoenthaithawee, the national human rights commissioner, 
overstepped his authority by talking to the the UN regarding the campaign.

Prof Vithit said the government should invite the special rapporteur here, 
and explain its policy at a UN human rights conference in Geneva this month.

Drug production in Burma and Laos was the main cause of the problem, and 
the government should tackle these first.

Gothom Arya, a former election commissioner, said the government should 
nail the masterminds of drug-related killings and bring all murder cases to 
the justice system.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager