12th Session of the UPR Working Group
Delegation of the United States of America
October 5, 2011
– as delivered –
It gives us great pleasure to extend warm regards to our colleague And warmly welcome the Kingdom of Thailand’s delegation to the UPR Working Group. We congratulate the Thailand on the completion of its national report and presentation today.
We commend Thailand on its recent elections, and encourage the government to continue to move forward on the political reconciliation process aimed at addressing the violence that surrounded political protests in 2010.
With regard to the protests in April and May 2010, we take note that investigations are ongoing to bring the perpetrators of violence and property damage to justice. The government of Abhisit Vejjajiva established the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT) to investigate and document the 2010 political protests. Given sufficient support from all entities of the government, the TRCT’s efforts to document facts, establish causes, determine appropriate remedies, and recommend prevention measures could facilitate national political reconciliation. Meaningful reconciliation requires that all sectors of society, including private citizens, be able to engage in open debate and public discourse free from censorship or reprisal in order to achieve lasting results.
The United States welcomes the stated commitment of the new government under Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to increase official support for the TRCT so that it may continue its ongoing inquiry and fully complete its goals as part of the overall political reconciliation process.
Bearing in mind these concerns, the United States would like to make the following three recommendations: that Thailand,
1. Provide the TRCT with necessary power, sufficient resources, and the continued independence it requires to be effective.
2. Ensure full cooperation with the TRCT by all branches of the Government.
3. Permit the TRCT full access to assistance from the United Nations Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights, other UN agencies, foreign governments and human rights organizations.