Thai PM faces no-confidence motion
Thailand's parliamentary opposition has accused Abhisit Vejjajiva, the prime minister, of human rights abuses in a no-confidence motion centred on the use of violence during a crackdown on anti-government protests.
The two-day debate that began yesterday aims to focus attention on tough measures used to break up the "red shirt" protests, which ended on May 19.
Abhisit might find himself forced to defend the firing of live ammunition by government troops during a six-week period in which 88 people were killed and nearly 2,000 wounded.
"The government and army had no intention to attack people. What had happened was there was a militia group which attacked the military and that led to clashes.
We will explain this fact and we show our sincerity by allowing an independent committee to investigate."" Abhisit said ahead of the debate.
OPPOSITION CHARGE
The opposition has also accused Abhisit and five cabinet ministers of corruption and economic mismanagement.
The no-confidence motion is led by the Puea Thai Party backed by ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Puea Thai, popular in rural north and northeastern provinces, is widely expected to win the most seats in the next election.
But Abhisit is expected to survive the motion during a vote on Wednesday with strong support from his six-party coalition.
"I'm here to ask for justice for the victims of the clashes. There has to be a proper investigation instead of the government blaming terrorists for everything," Jatuporn Prompan, a red-shirt leader and Puea Thai legislator, told reporters before the debate.
Puea Thai speakers said excessive and illegal measures, such as night-time operations and the use of live ammunition, were used by troops in attempts to surround two protest sites and disperse demonstrators.
Al Jazeera's Aela Callan, reporting from Bangkok, said the opposition is gunning in particular for the deputy prime minister for his controversial role.
The red shirts blame Suthep Thaugsuban for ordering an earlier crackdown on April 10 - which left 29 people dead and hundreds injured.
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