...
I would like to share with you the Philippine experience on non-violence that led to the downfall of the hated Marcos regime with a suggestion that perhaps it can be tried in Thailand, noise barrage; taking into consideration certain social dynamics in Thai society.
In insisting that Marcos should step down, the Philippine mass open movement insisted that Marcos should call for snap election since he was already overstaying. In order to show that the Filipino people had enough of marcos, the mass open movement in Manila experimented with a massive noise barrage all over Manila that lasted for almost several hours that led to simultaneous marches by the Filipino masses on their own as an expression of their unrest on martial law that lasted up to dawn..This historic noise barrage in Manila sent a very strong signal to the real power behind Marcos, the U.S. government; that they started to lean on Marcos to call a snap election to defuse the the political situation from worsening where the Philippine left will be gaining strength with their armed struggle strategy.
The rest is history. Marcos agreed to call the snap election where he cheated and the people just won't accept the result of the election where he won. Then came the critical moment when his defense secretary and the commanding general of the Philippinre costabulary which is now the the National police defected by taking over Camp Aguinaldo and the rest is history. The Catholic Church thru Cardinal Sin called on the people to bring food to the defecting sldiers and millions of Filipinos surrounded the camp where they were staying thus preventing the Philiipin Army from attacking the camp. The rest is history, Marcos family was taken by the U.S. military to Hawaii. And Corazon Aquino took over as President.
The critical factor that started it all was the massive noise barrage in Manila which really showed how unpopular Marcos was.
But Thailand is another situation. The three pillars of Thai society,monarchy, military and Buddhism must be taken into situation as wel as a favorable international situation. I am not sure if the U.S. has that strong say or influence in Thailand as it has in the Philippines. It is important also to note the military component of the Philippine case where there was a defection on the part of the military at the right time and place thus paralyzing the military in intervening in snapping out the Philippine people's power revolution.
Now the noise barrage. It must be organized methodically block by on block couple with a massive non-violence education of the people . A noise barrage is much cost effective and you can gauge Thai people sentiment without moving people from far off places that entail a lot of logistics. Any two objects could create sound, car vehicle horns, sirens, ship horns, shouting , cooking utensils, banging two stones, hand clapping and so forth. Step by step, block by block, section by section, city by city, province by province, you will be taking over the support of the Thai people thru noise barrage strategy . Do Buddhist Temples have bells or carabao horns, they will make good clarion calls to start the noise barrage in one area.The significant involvement of the Buddhist in Thailand will prove decisive as it did in the role of the Church in the people's power revolution in the Philippines.
The noise barrage has been tested in the Philippines and other places. It worked and cost effective. But it must be preceeded by solid , broad and deep organizing on non-vilence or else the Thai blueshirts will be taking over and the people's Thai movement will be blamed for the violence they will create.
Let me hear your reply on this matter.
No comments:
Post a Comment