Deep South academic says Army invaded home

By The Nation

 

 

THE CROSS CULTURAL Foundation and its allies yesterday urged the government to investigate an unwarranted search of a female human-rights defender’s house.
 

Brushing away her protests that they did not have a search warrant, police and soldiers last Friday scoured the house of Soraya Jamjuree, who teaches at Prince of Songkla University and campaigns for rights under the banner of the Peace Agenda of Women.

 

“The government and relevant authorities in southern border provinces, including the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, should launch an investigation into the search operation,” said the statement signed by the Cross Cultural Foundation, the Organisation for Peace and Human Rights, the Muslim Attorney Centre, the Deep South Watch and many individuals. 

 

While security officials claimed they searched the home in the belief that a suspected bomber was hiding there, the statement signatories saw the move as intimidation.

 

Officials reportedly said an emergency decree enabled them to conduct the search. When Soraya argued that not even the decree allowed an unwarranted search in such circumstance, the authorities cited martial law. 

 

Soraya’s house is located in Pattani’s Muang district, which is under both the emergency decree and martial law. 

 

Two other houses in the same neighbourhood were also searched last Friday. 

 

The signatories of the statement, which was made public yesterday, said if the probe found the search was not appropriate, Soraya deserved remedial actions. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30348598

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-26

 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

While security officials claimed they searched the home in the belief that a suspected bomber was hiding there, the statement signatories saw the move as intimidation.

Since the Prayut coup an Emergency Decree has been in effect in the South (now almost four years) that negates civil rights such as search and arrest warrants. It has been primarily directed towards the majority Muslim population. Needless to say, its effect is one of intimidation directed against what is essentially a subjugated culture.

Ironically, this unwarranted search closely follows the army's Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Area 4 “bringing people with different opinions home” (aka "Homecoming") program wherein insurgents would be absolved of their alleged crimes. 

And the military just cannot understand why it can't get a negotiated peace agreement with the insurgents.