It's time to prove the sincerity of the NGOs, media and academics who claim that they do not accept the 919 coup, but who have had to bear with the bygone.  

Their compromise approach has left them in peace with the coup makers; some have even ventured to serve the military-installed government in various ways. Some have obviously benefited from complying with the coup makers' initiatives. Being part of the powers-that-be has made them unable to criticize the coup makers and the military-installed government. An avalanche of evidence shows how deeply this militaristic structure is rooted in Thai society, and how it is becoming ever more entrenched, but some of us have quietly admired the military. This structural evil has long sickened Thai society.

Though this is not an extremely partisan era, Thai society teems with right wingers. Thongchai Winichakul's talk, "People Are Virtually State Mechanisms", confirms the point. Lately, I have become increasingly convinced that there are many right wingers inside the people's sector, civil society and NGOs. Some, who have appeared to subscribe to avant-garde camps, show their true conservative nature when it comes to the time to act.

To solve problems at the structural level, we look for white knight heroes. Abandoning the pursuit of political reform as a means for political reengineering, we are now addicted to a politics in which all dissenters have to be entirely wiped out.

With due respect to their years of experience, the actions of these pseudo-progressives have proved to be hopeless choices. The discourse of "righteous dictatorship" must be so profoundly entrenched in their DNA that they have no hesitation in betraying the ideology they have been preaching for life.

To come right to the point, the problems of Thai society are embedded at a structural level, and the most vicious among them is militarism, which has been maturing along with the flourishing bureaucracy. The emerging system is effectively mobilized to serve the interests of corrupt capitalism, with underlying cronyism and lack of good governance.

Have these people forgotten how much blood has been shed to push the military back to their barracks? Somehow, the massive bloodshed of 14 October 1973 or the May 1992 uprisings is a lesson that these people have never learned.

There is no need to debate who is going to put these zombies back in their graves. But history never lies and our next generation will soon learn the true colors of these covert military admirers

Of course, these people not so naïve as to think of shedding their own blood to put the military genie back in the bottle. They tamely hope that things will somehow right themselves. But the ladder to power from the bottom of the bureaucratic system to the top is well built. The power at the top is strong enough to ensure that no one can avenge them.

Here we are, dictatorship under a democratic cloak. Suppose that you had fallen asleep one day after the 19 September 2006 coup, slept for 11 months straight, and woke up on 19 August 2007. It would not be difficult for you to come to terms with the fact that the 1997 Constitution has been revoked, political parties disbanded, and assets frozen, coupled with the declaration of a new constitution and the installation of a new government as a shell protecting a coalition led by the Democrats.

This same old coup tactics have been so smoothly employed.

Nevertheless, the Thai people have to answer the question "who will put the zombies back in the graveyard?" Those who coined catchphrases such as "the structure of violence", "political reform" and those who mobilized people to support the draft of the 1997 constitution ten years back, what can you now do to mobilize people?

We cannot retreat any further.

The only way forward is to defeat the coup makers.

And to avoid more bloodshed, the casting of a "no" vote in the forthcoming constitutional referendum seems to be the only option to kill the coup and persuade the military to return peacefully to their barracks.

Despite all the propaganda in favor of the draft constitution, which makes our option less hopeful, we must fight on. Let them lie to themselves, lie to others, lie unto death.

Even though the ‘no' option seems very faint, I am flabbergasted by the refusal of a person as "senior" as Ms. Sodsri Sattayadhamma to resign as an Election Commissioner, even though she has been serving as a constitutional drafter. A constitutional drafter should not be entrusted with organizing a referendum on that constitution. There is every reason to question her impartiality since she seems to be ethically shameless and with no respect for her professionalism.

So many flaws are there in the draft 2007 constitution, so many principles are corrupt.

I would like to draw your attention to just one single article which has not been written down, the article concerning the preemption of coups.

It is time for us to collectively draft this article. Through word of mouth, we shall tell our peace-loving friends to cast "no" votes on the draft constitution. And if the draft constitution is killed in the referendum, the 1997 constitution could be restored. A no vote will serve as the best unwritten article to preempt the coup. The spirit will resound forever.

We call on the people's sector and academics to wake up and reflect whether or not they look for a "long term" or a "short term" solution.

We call on the people's sector and academics to show responsibility toward our common future. This is our opportunity to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to the path of peace.

Now is the time to avoid more spilling of blood, as will happen as long as the justification for coups remains. Coups will recur sooner or later.

Restore the 1997 constitution; let the junta and its allies return to their graveyard!

Translated by Pipob Udomittipong