AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ALLEGES TORTURE IN SOUTHERN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 000124 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP, DRL, IO; NSC FOR PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2019 TAGS: PHUM PGOV KPAO KJUS TH SUBJECT: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ALLEGES TORTURE IN SOUTHERN THAILAND; RTG RESPONSE TEMPERED REF: A. BANGKOK 78 ¶B. 08 BANGKOK 2410 BANGKOK 00000124 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: DCM JAMES F. ENTWISTLE, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) SUMMARY AND COMMENT -------------- ¶1. (C) Amnesty International (AI) released a report entitled "Thailand: Torture in the Southern Counter-Insurgency" on January 13. The report cited 34 accounts of alleged torture in the four southernmost provinces, including four cases that resulted in the death of the detainee. The report claimed these incidents reflected a pattern of behavior by the Army and Police, encouraged by certain weaknesses in Thailand's laws. An AI researcher alleged that Army and Police officials interviewed under conditions of anonymity had conceded that torture occurred, but only by low-ranking officials. In response, the RTA and PM Abhisit publicly stated that such actions were not systemic and that RTG and RTA policy did not condone torture. AI reps told us that Ministry of Justice officials had reacted positively to the report's findings during private meetings with AI, indicating they hoped to prosecute security officials abusing detainees' rights. ¶2. (C) Comment: The AI report on torture in southern Thailand, covering the period from mid-2007 to mid-2008, appears painstakingly researched, and we believe Thai NGOs view its allegations as credible. The AI report has received a good deal of press coverage, and AI told us they have an upcoming meeting with PM Abhisit to discuss its findings, but it will take time to assess the report's impact on the situation in the South. It is worth noting that in the aftermath of the publicized death of suspected insurgent facilitator Imam Yapa in custody in March 2008, which led to heightened public scrutiny of security force actions, a policy review, and changes, the number of alleged incidents of torture while in detention decreased notably, according to statistics kept by a credible Muslim lawyers' association (ref B); this most recent trend occurred after the period covered by the AI report. ¶3. (C) Comment, continued: The report was released the same week in which the new Thai government launched a major effort to overhaul policy addressing the situation in the deep south, with PM Abhisit stating that reconciliation and progress without justice will be impossible (septel). We find it encouraging that Justice Ministry officials seemed to welcome the AI report, but based on experience, effective prosecution of security officials engaged in human rights abuses will be a challenge. In our ongoing dialogue with the RTG on the South, we will tell them that the AI report appears to us to be the result of careful, painstaking research and that they should use it as a basis for their own inquiries. End Summary and Comment. REPORT PORTRAYS PATTERN OF TORTURE -------------- ¶4. (U) Amnesty International (AI) released a report entitled "Thailand: Torture in the Southern Counter-Insurgency" at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand (FCCT) on January ¶13. AI staff researched and wrote the report between June and December 2008, and it details alleged "systematic" use of torture by Thai security forces in the South between March 2007 and May 2008. The report focused on the experiences of 34 detainees, and suggested that low-level officials used means such as beatings, stomping, and plastic bags placed over the head to extract confessions from suspects and to intimidate communities into withdrawing support for the insurgents. The report identified 21 unofficial detention centers used in southern Thailand, four deaths due to torture, and 18 units accused of conducting torture. BANGKOK 00000124 002.2 OF 003 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL'S MEETINGS WITH AUTHORITIES -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) Benjamin Zawacki, the main author of the AI report, told poloff on January 8 that, with the exception of the chief of a paramilitary unit, all RTG officials referenced in the report, including the Deputy Director of the Internal Security Operations Command, had conceded to AI that torture took place, and that most officials blamed low-level "loose cannons." Zawacki noted that he spoke with nearly 50 victims or relatives of victims who alleged torture, but had to narrow the pool to 34 individuals whose claims he could verify. Zawacki acknowledged that AI's mandate was to focus on behavior of governments, rather than on insurgent activities, though the introduction to the report notes the insurgent activities "have been particularly brutal" and "constitute serious human rights abuses." He stressed that AI did not want their report to be perceived as sympathetic to the insurgency. ¶6. (C) Zawacki AI Deputy Asia-Pacific Program Director Donna Guest told DCM during a January 14 meeting that AI had delivered a list of the unofficial detention centers and the accused units to the Ministry of Justice and to U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy's office; AI intended to deliver the list to other RTG offices and the RTA. According to Guest, the list was meant to encourage further investigations and future legislation. Guest stated that AI did not aim to "point fingers" at the government, but to act as a watch-dog for the government. She noted that many governments have asked AI for help in providing human rights-based training programs. Guest stressed that AI did not intend to start a campaign advising the USG to cut military assistance to Thailand, and added that AI generally favors engagement with the RTA, which has a legitimate role in resolving the insurgency in the South (Note: at the FCCT report rollout, AI experts commented favorably on Leahy vetting for USG training of security forces, rebutting questioners who attempted to tie USG training of Thai forces to the alleged Thai actions detailed in the report). OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW GOVERNMENT TO SHINE -------------- ¶7. (C) Guest and Zawacki told us on January 14 that the new Democrat Party-led government could make a positive change by granting immediate access for lawyers, medical staff and family members to all detainees and closing all unofficial detention centers. The report recommended, among other points, amending Thailand's Emergency Decree; AI believed that the Decree -- which states in Article 17 "a competent official...shall not be subject to civil, criminal or disciplinary liabilities arising from the performance of functions...performed in good faith" -- prevented the prosecution of security officials and undermined accountability for human rights violations, including torture. AI also urged a ban on the use of confessions extracted under torture, and prosecution of those responsible for torture. According to AI, a successful prosecution of a state official would be the first step to ending torture. RTG REACTION TEMPERED, LEGAL COMMUNITY PLEASED -------------- -- ¶8. (SBU) PM Abhisit's response to the report was tempered. At public appearances January 14, he stressed that there was no government or army policy directive to engage in such activities, that there could be no reconciliation without justice, that various "unfortunate incidents" in the past needed to be accounted for, and that the army commander had said that if soldiers/officers had violated the law, they should be subjected to due process. Abhisit cited the request court inquest conclusion that Imam Yapa had been killed while BANGKOK 00000124 003.2 OF 003 in custody (in March 2008, see ref A) as an indication that the Thai judicial system could be responsive. ¶9. (C) AI told us they met with MOJ officials on January 14 who appeared "very enthusiastic" in their response to the report and almost "thankful" to AI for supplying them with "ammunition" for future cases. The unspecified MOJ officials indicated they wanted to initiate prosecution of the five accused soldiers in the death in custody of suspected insurgent facilitator Imam Yapa. However, the MOJ officials warned AI that they would encounter strong resistance from the Army. Guest told us that AI remained guarded about MOJ's optimism, and added that the Ministry of Defense had refused to meet with AI. ¶10. (C) Zawacki told us that he and Guest met with the Deputy Director of International Organizations at the MFA on January 15, and described the meeting as extremely cordial -- in contrast to a MFA statement released on January 14 that rejected the AI report. MFA Spokesman Tharit Charungvat told the media on January 14 that the report was unwarranted, but said the concerned authorities would study the report. The media reported that Army Commander for the Southern Region Lieutenant General Pichet Visaichorn also rejected the report, stating on January 14 that no reports of "irregular practice" by security officials had occurred since October 1, 2008 (after the report's timeframe). Pichet also promised the media that anyone found guilty of engaging in torture would be prosecuted under both army disciplinary rules and civilian law. Zawacki called the overall RTG response as "pretty boiler plate." High-profile human rights lawyer Somchai Homlaor told us on January 16 that the AI report was credible, and reflected many incidents of torture in the South in the past few years. JOHN