THAILAND: THAI MONK REJECTS DEATH PENALTY

"Buddhism considers it wrong to kill even a mosquito, so how can we accept that it is right to execute a human being?" These words were part of an uncompromising rejection of capital punishment addressed to a recent gathering at Wat Suan Dok in Chiang Mai, by a senior monk. He enlarged on the theme in even stronger words: "According to the teachings of the Buddha, every living being has a right to life; even to think of harming any creature is a mistake." In recent months, seminars have been taking place in several locations throughout Thailand to examine religious perspectives on the death penalty. Three seminars were devoted to a Buddhist perspective. The perspectives of Buddhism, Islam and Christianity were presented together at a seminar held at the Office of the National Human Rights Commission in Bangkok. The monk continued. "Execution is a legal crime that is not different from illegal crime. A judge who orders execution by word or document is also guilty according to Buddhism. There is no exception." The seminars have been organised by the Union for Civil Liberty in cooperation with the National Human Rights Commission, with funding provided by the European Union, the Netherlands and France.