The Thai government and its Fourth Army Region unit issued a false statement that the Tak Bai protest breakup, which led to at least 85 deaths, was carried out without the use of firearms and physical violence, said a Thai Senate Foreign Affairs Committee preliminary report.

"The committee found evidence indicating that the authorities used excessive violence and lethal force against the protestors, who had not done anything to present an imminent and deadly threat to the authorities or anyone else," said the report.

The report, made available to malaysiakini , was produced after investigations were carried out by the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee together with the Senate Special Committee on the violence in southern Thailand and the Senate Committee on Social Development and Human Security.

It revealed that police and security forces fired live ammunition at the protestors, killing at least six and injuring 11 more, leaving some in critical condition.

"The protestors were also beaten and physically abused both during the crackdown and after they had been detained and sent to the Ingkayutthaboriharn Army Camp in Pattani province," the report said.

In October, at least 85 people died from suffocation and convulsions - in packed security trucks - after police and soldiers broke up what was claimed to be a violent demonstration outside a police station in Thai's troubled southern district of Narathiwat. A further 1298 people were arrested in the incident.

The investigation found that the 'weapons' - which the Thai government had claimed the protestors brought with them - were knives, guns and hand grenades. The weapons were found in the Tak Bai River after the crackdown.

"Officers were unable to confirm with the committee where the M16 and AK14 assault rifles had been found and tests had not been done to verify whether the guns were in working condition," it said, noting that police and security forces were mostly injured by thrown stones.

Inefficient procedures

The report also noted that there was a lack of efficiency in regards to the tactics, procedures and management used by the authorities during the incident.

"The committee found evidence indicating that the authorities were clearly culpable, by not providing a sufficient number of vehicles for transportation (of detained protestors) and by not providing appropriate and timely medical care, for those injured," it stressed.

It disclosed serious abuses which occurred when the protestors were being sent in trucks to the camp.

"The protestors were forced to lie on top of each other, as many as five people deep, in the backs of the trucks. (This) was one of the reasons for the deaths by suffocation," the report highlighted.

Other recorded violations were the severe beatings of protestors, including kicking and hitting with rifle butts, particularly when the sardine-packed protestors were calling out for help because people were dying of suffocation in the trucks.

The report said that when protestors were found dead from suffocation in the first truck, which arrived at the camp, the authorities did not inform personnel in the other trucks of the occurrence. If done, it would have prevented further deaths and provide immediate medical treatment to the injured.

The report said that the incident has placed a negative impact in Thai society and has seriously eroded the county's image in the international community.

"Information of the protestors' deaths and injuries, in this incident gathered by the committee, has shown that many basic rights and freedoms were violated by the authorities," it stated.

Work with Malaysia

The committee has also urged its government to understand the problems in the south which include cross-border factors that require full cooperation from neighboring countries especially Malaysia.

It also expressed its concerns that the violence in the south will undermine friendly relations with Malaysia and other Muslim countries which have long-standing links with the Muslim community in southern Thailand.

The report urged the Thai government to be aware of the country's standing in the international community which expected the violence to be investigated in a sincere and transparent matter.

"It must be shown that there is justice in Thailand, and that there is no impunity for anyone who violates human rights," stressed the report.

The protests were sparked by the arrest of six Muslim men accused of handing guns to rebels in Muslim-majority southern Thailand, where an insurgency had left 414 dead this year. Police said protestors in Tak Bai tried to storm the police station but were stopped by the 1,000-strong security force.