Corentin Fohlen 法國 Fedephoto
五月中，泰國反政府的紅衫軍和政府軍在首都曼谷的Silom商業區發生衝突。在長達兩個月的對峙中，雙方發生過數起衝突。自從前總理塔克辛在２００６年９月的軍事政變中被推翻後，泰國政局就一直動盪不安。民主黨黨魁艾比希在２００８年贏得大選，並開始掌權，但新政府卻一直受到紅衫軍的反對。他們的成員主要是來自鄉村的窮人，他們曾是塔克辛政策的受惠者。抗議群眾在街道上丟擲石塊並焚燒輪胎。軍隊和警察則使用橡膠子彈、催淚瓦斯和真槍實彈予以反擊。紅衫軍的領袖在五月十九日宣布投降，並呼籲支持者結束抗議行動。即使如此，部分示威者仍揚言會持續抗爭。當這場動亂終於在五月底畫下句點時，死亡人數已超過８０人，還有兩千多人因此受傷。
Red Shirt protestors clash with Thai government forces in mid-May, in the Silom commercial district of Bangkok. The clashes were part of a two-month stand-off between the Red Shirts and the authorities. Thailand had been gripped by political unrest since Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup in September 2006. Elections in 2008 had placed Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Democratic Party leader, in power. But the Red Shirts, coming largely from among the rural poor who had benefited from Thaksin’s policies, opposed him. Protestors hurled rocks and set fire to tires in the street. Troops and the police countered with rubber bullets, tear gas, and live ammunition. On 19 May, Red Shirt leaders surrendered, telling their supporters to end the protest. Even after the call to surrender, some demonstrators said they would fight on. By the time unrest finally died down at the end of May, over 80 people had been killed and some 2,000 injured.
留言列表
