Pubdate: Wed, 26 Feb 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: Anjira Assavanonda 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. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth