Published on August 1, 2009
DR HANNS SCHUMACHER, the German ambassador to Thailand, delivered a compelling speech on national "reconciliation" the other day at an event held by alumni associations of the National Defence College and Thammasat University.
The envoy offered some valuable insights that could be used in resolving political conflicts in Thailand, where the rifts have only been widening since the ouster of fugitive ex-premierThaksin Shinawatra in 2006.
First of all, before national reconciliation can proceed, an honest attempt should come from within society, because this cannot be achieved if a third party continues interfering, the envoy noted.
"There is no tailor-made solution that can be applied. Each country, each society, each government must find its own way out of the doldrums, and believe me: there is nobody who can help you if you don't want it honestly yourself," Schumacher said, partly referring to his own country's experience in reconciliation.
Secondly, he said he believed that reconciliation was not possible if powers that be did not accept responsibility, citing the Nuremberg trials after World War II.
Thirdly, he said society needed strong and visionary leadership willing to overcome domestic opposition so as to be successful in national reconciliation.
In this context, he cited the outstanding leadership of South Africa's Nelson Mandela, who despite being locked up in prison for 27 years still managed to achieve the monumental task of reconciliation.
Other visionary leaders were also mentioned, including Konrad Adenauer, who started the German-Jewish reconciliation process.
Besides leadership, other ingredients for successful reconciliation include tolerance, forgiveness and punishment, all of which are closely related.
"Real tolerance is a state of mind that makes you understand that there are no nations or individuals which are superior to others," he explained.
"In this context, permit me to say, I was clearly appalled by the initial consideration of the PAD [People's Alliance for Democracy] to introduce a balanced voting system in Thailand, which would have given 'uneducated' farmers in the Northeast less influence in Parliament than other groups of society.
"This kind of democracy would clearly rip apart any society.
"Meaningful tolerance includes forgiving and the renunciation of revenge. Without mutual forgiving, without overcoming hatred, there is no permanent peace.
"This cannot mean that crimes can go unpunished. This is the most difficult thin line to walk, where forgiveness is necessary to bring peace to a society and where punishment is required to do justice to the victims.
"The German word Vers๖hnung covers this aspect much better than the English word reconciliation. The German word includes a strong element of atonement or s๖hnen - the idea that a perpetrator needs to pay the penalty for whatever crimes, human-rights abuses or else that he or she has committed.
"The creation of the International Criminal Court [ICC] exemplifies a generally acknowledged finding that serious crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished, otherwise the affected society will never be able to achieve peace and reconciliation," he noted.
The ICC is regarded as one of the most revolutionary developments in international law over the last four decades.
As a parting shot, the ambassador said: "People who fight fire with fire usually end up in ashes."
If history is any guide, this statement has always proved to be correct.
"In a country like Thailand, where jai yen is a highly esteemed state of mind, no fire should be allowed to rampage. You need strong firefighters, not arsonists!"
The remarks are timely, given that the political scene in Thailand could be rather fiery in the coming months.
(www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/08/01/opinion/opinion_30108838.php)
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