Southern educational institutes and Isoc in move to promote multicultural peace

By SOMCHAI SAMART 
THE NATION 

 

 

MANY EDUCATIONAL institutes in the deep South have joined hands with the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) in its initiative to promote learning about a multicultural society and human-resource development.
 

“The move reflects the shared commitment to create peace in the southern border provinces,” Deputy Education Minister Lt-General Surachet Chaiwong said during his recent trip to the country’s southernmost region. 

 

The trip included a visit to Fatoni University in Pattani, where a memorandum of understanding on academic cooperation was inked. 

 

The deep South mostly refers to Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. Unrest has raged through this region for more than a decade now, with violent incidents happening almost on a daily basis. Most people in Thailand’s deep South are Muslims while the majority of the Thai population are Buddhists. 

 

There are concerns that nationalism and ethnic ideas may be dividing people in the area.

 

Lately, there has been an uproar about Muslim students being unable to wear hijab to the Anuban Pattani School that is located in a monastic compound. 

 

The MoU was signed by Fatoni University, Prince of Songkla University’s Pattani Campus, Princess of Naradhiwas University, Yala Rajabhat University, Thaksin University, vocational institutes in the three southernmost provinces, the Education Ministry’s coordination centre for border southern provinces and the Forward Command of Isoc Region 4.

 

Asst Professor Ismail Lutfi Japakiya, rector of Fatoni University, said his institute had joined the initiative as it wanted to respond to public expectations for solutions to solve and develop the southernmost region through peaceful means. 

 

Fatoni University is the only privately run Islamic higher-education institute in the deep South.

 

Its students include both Muslims and believers of other religions. This institute has attracted students from as many as 25 nations. 

 

Ismail said his university was ready to promote social development in Thailand and beyond. 

 

“We also teach Peace Studies,” he said. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30349055

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-02

4 hours ago, webfact said:

promote learning about a multicultural society

Will Thais teach about Muslim culture and traditions as part of learning about a multicultural society? Or better yet to assure diversity allow Muslim teachers to teach Buddhist Thais about Muslim culture and traditions?

Somehow I think Not. I suspect the focus will be entirely on the Buddhist Kingdom of Thailand.

When "promote learning" comes in the form of forced integration, the result is not likely to be reconciliation.

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

There are concerns that nationalism and ethnic ideas may be dividing people in the area.

 

The "Malay" Muslims were united under the Kingdom of Patanni. But after Thailand began its program of enticing Thais to move into the South as part of its integration of Muslims into a Buddhist society that national and ethnic divisions began.

Now placing Thailand Army's ISOC (who has been the face of Thai suppression in the South) in control the education system in the South is not a solution to that division but an accelerant to that division.

14 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Will Thais teach about Muslim culture and traditions as part of learning about a multicultural society? Or better yet to assure diversity allow Muslim teachers to teach Buddhist Thais about Muslim culture and traditions?

Somehow I think Not. I suspect the focus will be entirely on the Buddhist Kingdom of Thailand.

When "promote learning" comes in the form of forced integration, the result is not likely to be reconciliation.

 

And brought to them by the people who use their home as a dumping ground for useless / corrupt officials and suffocate them in the back of trucks. Who wouldn't be restive in their position?

7 hours ago, webfact said:

“The move reflects the shared commitment to create peace in the southern border provinces,” Deputy Education Minister Lt-General Surachet Chaiwong

Debatable with ISOC in control.

Zachary Abuza, an independent researcher on Southeast Asian security, argues that "the conflict is mainly about the cultural identity of the region's ethnic Malay Muslim community, which has fiercely resisted assimilation into Thai society."

"Every other minority in Thailand has accepted assimilation for the sake of citizenship except the Malay who continue to fight against what they consider to be Thailand's failed colonial experiment and to defend their cultural, religious and linguistic rights."

https://www.dw.com/en/a-look-at-southern-thailands-smoldering-insurgency/a-18591878

Did Buddhism fail as a religion of peace?