Leading universities join chorus of critics

Leading universities join chorus of critics

Chulalongkorn University (CU) staged a rally yesterday to demonstrate its opposition to the amnesty bill.

More than 10,000 university academics, staff and students, all wearing black or white attire, joined the protest.

They gathered at the university campus about 4pm before marching down Phaya Thai Road to the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, where CU president Pirom Kamolratanakul announced the university's opposition to the blanket amnesty.

"The bill was abruptly passed in its second and third readings of the House. This is irregular," Mr Pirom said.

"The bill will benefit the corrupt. Education institutions have a responsibility to teach students to be ethical people.

"But this bill will breach the university's principles of morality."

Panorama by Sithikorn Wongwudthianun

Mr Pirom said CU had set up a committee, comprised of experts in various fields, to track the bill's progress.

The committee will monitor the political situation and advise the university on what its next move should be, he said.

Mr Pirom said CU had a long-term plan to hold regular academic forums, in both Thai and English, to educate people about the consequences of passing the legislation.

He said the university will continue to oppose the granting of a blanket amnesty, but will do so in a peaceful manner. He urged senators to reject the bill.

The government must stop pushing the bill immediately, the university said.

CU said it supports the right of every Thai to express their opinion on the blanket amnesty.

CU also opposes the implementation of the Internal Security Act, which is in force in three Bangkok districts to curb protests.

Former CU student Suriyadel Tripathi, who is now director of Mahidol University's National Institute for Child and Family Development, said passing the amnesty bill would set the wrong example for children.

"Children will learn from history," Mr Suriyadel said. "It takes time for a person to lean about morality. The bill will create a problem in learning."

Meanwhile, lecturers, students and alumni of Kasetsart University also gathered yesterday at the university campus in Bang Khen district to protest against the bill.

They read a statement saying the blanket amnesty would be a serious breach of the rule of law since it would overrule court decisions.

The bill would also encourage a culture of impunity, whereby those guilty of murder and corruption can escape without penalty.

Mahidol University also issued a statement against the bill.

It said the bill would send a message to society that corruption is not a serious offence and those guilty of graft should walk free. The university urged the Senate to reject the bill for the sake of the country's morality.

Meanwhile, a network of 2,580 doctors and medical professionals declared yesterday they would also oppose the blanket amnesty.

The network issued a statement disclosing the name of each member who opposed the bill's passage.

The members include top medical personnel from Chulalongkorn University's faculty of medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital's medical faculty, and other medical schools and hospitals nationwide.

Video by Pattanapong Hirunard

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