The red shirted protestors, who for three weeks caused widespread disruption and prompted a state of emergency in the name of constitutional reform, abandoned their stronghold at Government House in Bangkok yesterday. Four senior leaders of the movement loyal to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra surrendered to police today, amid signs that anti-government protest, for the present at least, was subsiding. Thai courts issued arrest warrants for thirteen leaders of the movement, including the exiled Shinawatra, an indication that the government has little intention of an amnesty in the wake of the protests.
The toD verdict: While the cessation of the violence which has left two dead and over 120 injured can only be welcomed, it seems the underlying political deadlock in the country remains unresolved. Leaders of the protest promised to continue their struggle and claimed they had only called-off the siege to save lives after soldiers breached the ring of protesters around Government House ending a three week stand-off. Today's warrants exemplify the repressive powers of a state long troubled by domestic unrest, charging leaders with the assembly of more than ten people, an illegal offence punishable by up to five years in prison.
Media coverage of the crisis seems to have done little to penetrate the essentially political roots of the conflict, instead focusing on the drama of confrontation and the plight of western tourists. The recent struggle in Thailand has largely crystallised along class lines, ranging supporters of a traditionalist triumvirate of monarchy, army and religion, supported by business interests and the wealthy, against urban and agrarian poor. With the ascendancy of either side to electoral office, direct action has been favoured to topple the government.
The military coup against Shinawatra in 2006, the toppling of a Shinawatra sympathetic government by Yellow Shirt protests at Bangkok airport and recent events all suggest that the constitutional system is unable to peacefully contain such a polarised political spectrum. Controversy in Thailand is focused on the impartiality of the supposedly neutral establishment in these colour clashes between red and yellow movements, with alleged discrepancies between the army's inaction over the airport occupation and its latest violent clashes with protestors.
North Korea will boycott talks and resume nuclear production
North Korea today vowed to restart nuclear facilities it was in the process of decommissioning and refused to participate in the international talks that seemed, until 5 April's provocative missile test, to be making progress. The moves were taken in response to a UN Security Council statement condemning the missile launch, a measure of international hostility that left the country "no choice but to further strengthen our nuclear deterrent" according to statements released through North Korean state media.
Three further hijackings off Somali coast
As one hostage crisis drew to a close in the Gulf of Aden with the rescue of US merchant captain Richard Phillips, three further vessels were captured by Somali pirates. Pirates succeeded in boarding two Egyptian fishing boats and a large Filippino-crewed Greek container ship hours after US president Barack Obama promised at a news conference on Monday to renew efforts to halt the scourge of piracy. US plans could include the stationing of gunboats along the Somali coast and the pursuit of "mother ships" from which crews of pirates operate.
Ceasefire proposals rejected in Sri Lankan conflict
Tamil Tigers rejected the government's unilateral 48-hour halt in fighting and instead called for an indefinite ceasefire which included "a base for political negotiations". The government immediately dismissed the counterproposal, demanding that negotiations could only take place once the Tamils had laid down their arms and capitulated. The only certain outcome of the continued deadlock is that, despite the brief reprieve in fighting, more civilians will suffer.
Military grip tightens on Fiji
Fiji is on the brink of full-blown military dictatorship today as military forces occupied the central bank, clamped down on press freedom and expelled foreign journalists. Several newspapers which have had military censors appointed to editorial boards have refused to publish political stories in protest at the measures. The governments of Australia and New Zealand warned that Fiji's military chief, Frank Bainimarama, faced sanctions if he did not relent. The small island nation also faces expulsion from the Pacific Island Forum, having been suspended from the Commonwealth since 2006.
