Thai Muslims launch campaign to commemorate 20th anniversary of Tak Bai massacre

By Serdar Dincel

ISTANBUL (AA) – Just two days before the statute of limitations for the seven people wanted in connection with the Tak Bai massacre expired, Muslims and activists in Thailand launched a campaign on Wednesday to commemorate the brutal incident by cycling the same route as the 78 victims from southern Narathiwat province to the Pattani army base.

All 78 victims died of suffocation during the 145-kilometer journey, and the campaign aims to symbolically provide them with “oxygen," Thai PBS World News reported.

The campaign was launched as the case approached its statute of limitations on Friday, with the likelihood of it being dropped because none of the defendants, including the highest-profile fugitive, recently-resigned former ruling Pheu Thai Party MP Gen Pisal Wattanawongkuri (who was commander of the Fourth Army Region at the time), has surrendered or been arrested.

A statute of limitations, also known as a prescriptive period in civil law systems, is a legislative act that establishes the maximum time after an event for legal proceedings to be initiated.

The Tak Bai incident began on Oct. 19, 2004, when six village defense volunteers in Narathiwat were arrested on suspicion of handing over their government-issued guns to insurgents.

On Oct. 25, 2004, hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the Tak Bai police station, leading to the transport of detainees to a military camp, during which 78 died during the journey from suffocation.