School Kids Shot In Bus Attack

[george]

School kids shot in bus attack

Gunmen opened fire on a military bus full of primary students, injuring five, one of them seriously.

NARATHIVAT: -- The incident took place late on Wednesday evening in Narathiwat's Bacho district as 86 students were returning from a visit to the zoo in Songkhla province, police said.

Sakchai Petchkongthong, director of the Ban Ai Soreng elementary school, said the incident was "quite disturbing" for the students. He decided to postpone final examinations for the students indefinitely.

It was not clear if the attackers had known that students were in the bus. Authorities appeared to be hinting the attack was carried out by Muslim separatists from the deep South.

Army spokesman Colonel Akara Thiproj said the army condemned the attack and suggested that militants were to blame.

"This is not the kind of tactics that are supposed to be employed by those who claim to be fighting for the people," he said.

Separately, two rangers suffered injuries from a roadside bomb attack during their routine patrol in Tambon Tanaoputeh in Yala's Banang Sata district. They were part of a 10-man unit assigned to the restive region.

Meanwhile, police detained Adul Meena, 25, a resident of Tambon Riko in Narathiwat's Sungai Padi district for questioning about the February 18 attack that saw some 50 locations, mostly soft targets, bombed and set on fire by militants. He was taken to the Fourth Army's Forward Command Headquarters in Pattani for more questioning, according to a source who declined to be identified.

In Yala's Tambon Yupoe, Nimu Daleh, 36, survived an attack on his life when a gunman riding pillion on a motorbike pulled up and fired three bullets at Nimu as he was purchasing rubber sap from a local villager.

In Pattani, police found the bullet-riddled body of an unidentified man. He was said to have been killed several days ago, before his body was dumped on the roadside.

-- The Nation 2007-03-02

[cdnvic]

Schools, unarmed students, monks, teachers.

What brave warriors these people must be.

[leisurely]

Dreadful. The school prinicipal said it was 'quite disturbing' <deleted>!

Well put CDNVIC by the way.

[paulsmithson]

Maybe Mr.Taxin was right?

[ThaiGoon]

ColPyat would call these injured, shot-at school kids collateral damage.

[Scott]

This is just very wild conjecture and it's not meant to flame, troll or anything like that, but what are peoples thoughts on the idea that maybe the gov't, or military or some faction of the gov't is doing this to enrage the local people into not supporting the separatists?

I am not suggesting that the gov't as a whole would do this, because in all sincerity, I don't think they would. However, people in the trenches might.

Thoughts?

(PS: I take my paranoia mediction right after lunch) God, there are a lot of people watching me in the mornings!

[johnh101]

They have certainly proved that they are not "Freedom Fighters" but cowardly terrorists and murderers who will prey on the innocent.

[ColPyat]

ColPyat would call these injured, shot-at school kids collateral damage.

Why were the school kids transported in a military bus?

Which incompetent idiot made the decision to transport school children in a war zone in a military bus, where military has to constantly count with ambushes?

[cdnvic]

I wonder if in their old age, these guys will sit around telling war stories?

"Then out of nowhere a school bus came around the bend, some of the kids had books, and some of those were hardcover! But we didn't back down. We stood our ground against that school bus just like our valiant brothers did against that old monk the week before."

These people want to have their own country? It takes courage to run a country. These so-called insurgents are just pussies with guns.

[Scott]

ColPyat has a good point there--Why would they be transporting the kids in a military bus?

That sounds like a potentially dangerous set up.

[ThaiGoon]

ColPyat would call these injured, shot-at school kids collateral damage.

Why were the school kids transported in a military bus?

Which incompetent idiot made the decision to transport school children in a war zone in a military bus, where military has to constantly count with ambushes?

Even if that was a mistake, I'm pretty sure that the bus had windows that these insurgents could look through and see that there were school kids inside.

[John K]

Well lest see, the private busses don’t want to go out because they are targets. So that leaves military busses. Colpyat you are way off base here trying to defend this one, and the incident not only shoots holes in the bus but also your reasoning that this is planned and very strategic. As I said animals.

[baabaabobo]

Well lest see, the private busses don’t want to go out because they are targets. So that leaves military busses. Colpyat you are way off base here trying to defend this one, and the incident not only shoots holes in the bus but also your reasoning that this is planned and very strategic. As I said animals.

Animals would not do such a thing - I have alot of respect for animals - this is pure evil and only humans are capable of this sort of cowardice.

[ColPyat]

Well lest see, the private busses don’t want to go out because they are targets. So that leaves military busses. Colpyat you are way off base here trying to defend this one, and the incident not only shoots holes in the bus but also your reasoning that this is planned and very strategic. As I said animals.

Excuse me, this is a war going on down there. I don't defend anything. I just want to know why school children were put into such danger in the first place.

It may be so you people can satisfy your anger by venting about something you clearly have no experience about. In a war any military target is legitimate, and unfortunately civilian targets are made legitimate as well.

A military bus driving by is a military target. You cannot expect insurgents having the intelligence network to see that in that particular bus are children and not soldiers. Things happen in split seconds in a war.

Do you think such mistakes are not made by modern armies as well?

There were many incidents (most though not reported because journalists were purposely kept out of combat zones) where for example in the Afghanistan war whole villages were carpet bombed because ground troops mistakingly thought shots fired were by insurgents, yet in reality were fired in wedding celebrations, and called for air support.

What about the carpet bombing in Iraq, and in any other war modern armies are involved? All the time children and other civilians are killed and maimed, because they got into the crossfire, or because they were deemed acceptable collateral damage by whoever makes the strategic decision.

And any escalation of a war, something i have seen you in particular asking for here, is going to have its own share of "collateral damage".

Therefore my question still stands: who made the incompetent decision to place children into a potential military, and therefore legitimate, target?

[cdnvic]

Their tendency to attack schools, teachers, and monks many times in the past give creedence to the theory that they are in fact cowards who take on easy targets. Sorry colpyat, I know you love to make excuses for these murderers but their past actions show that they are more likely to fire on a bus full of school children than one full of soldiers as they seem unwilling to take on anything that can defend itself.

[dave111223]

Well lest see, the private busses don’t want to go out because they are targets. So that leaves military busses. Colpyat you are way off base here trying to defend this one, and the incident not only shoots holes in the bus but also your reasoning that this is planned and very strategic. As I said animals.

Excuse me, this is a war going on down there. I don't defend anything. I just want to know why school children were put into such danger in the first place.

It may be so you people can satisfy your anger by venting about something you clearly have no experience about. In a war any military target is legitimate, and unfortunately civilian targets are made legitimate as well.

A military bus driving by is a military target. You cannot expect insurgents having the intelligence network to see that in that particular bus are children and not soldiers. Things happen in split seconds in a war.

Do you think such mistakes are not made by modern armies as well?

There were many incidents (most though not reported because journalists were purposely kept out of combat zones) where for example in the Afghanistan war whole villages were carpet bombed because ground troops mistakingly thought shots fired were by insurgents, yet in reality were fired in wedding celebrations, and called for air support.

What about the carpet bombing in Iraq, and in any other war modern armies are involved? All the time children and other civilians are killed and maimed, because they got into the crossfire, or because they were deemed acceptable collateral damage by whoever makes the strategic decision.

And any escalation of a war, something i have seen you in particular asking for here, is going to have its own share of "collateral damage".

Therefore my question still stands: who made the incompetent decision to place children into a potential military, and therefore legitimate, target?

You've got to be joking right? Do you ever step back and take a look at what you've written?

You rebuke the person who made the decision for the kids to go to the zoo. And sypathize with the guy who shot at the bus?

I'm assuming you are just trolling, and don't actually believe what your spouting.

[ColPyat]

You've got to be joking right? Do you ever step back and take a look at what you've written?

You rebuke the person who made the decision for the kids to go to the zoo. And sypathize with the guy who shot at the bus?

I'm assuming you are just trolling, and don't actually believe what your spouting.

I rebuke the person who made the decision to send the kids in a military bus to the zoo.

I don't see where i have made any statement about sympathizing with the person who shot the bus. Would you mind pointing out the direct quote from me, or retract your accusation.

[Crushdepth]

They're going way to far. These people suck.

[PeaceBlondie]

The men who shot the children are not pussies; they are terribly cowardly men. I have much more respect for women than I have for such men.

It's just my opinion personally, but I don't see Colypat's remarks as defending the actions of the cowardly rebels. If those who are in charge of the children decide to take a military bus, shouldn't they also have a fully armed military escort, maybe a convoy with real weapons?

Situations are complex; it's not all black against white, Muslim against Buddhist, rebel against army, them against us. The enemy of my enemy's friend is not always the friend of your enemy's mother-in-law.

[Scott]

I think a lot of people need to step back and take a look at the situation realistically. I spent many years in the middle East working in humanitarian work, so I am not a military type.

One of the very first things you learn, and the military types will point it out to you, is to keep a wide berth of them. The military are targets for sure--innocent children MAY also be targets, but the military is a target.

I couldn't believe it when they had the coup and people have kids sitting in/on tanks and are putting flowers on soldiers. If something goes wrong, these people are suppose to be ready to shoot and kill.

Someone did a very wrong thing by putting those kids in a military bus. A civilian bus with a military convoy is understandable. But kids in a military bus is a recipe for disaster.

This is NOT meant to in anyway justify the insurgents/terrorists or their tactics. What they are doing and how they are doing it is wrong. But the gov't has got to make sure that they aren't using children as human shields.

[ColPyat]

The men who shot the children are not pussies; they are terribly cowardly men. I have much more respect for women than I have for such men.

It's just my opinion personally, but I don't see Colypat's remarks as defending the actions of the cowardly rebels. If those who are in charge of the children decide to take a military bus, shouldn't they also have a fully armed military escort, maybe a convoy with real weapons?

Situations are complex; it's not all black against white, Muslim against Buddhist, rebel against army, them against us. The enemy of my enemy's friend is not always the friend of your enemy's mother-in-law.

Thanks.

And yes, situations are complex, especially in a war. Wars are terrible, and all involved are often forced to do terrible things, regardless which side the are fighting for.

I feel equal compassion for all - be that the obvious victims, or the ones who in later stage in life have to life with the fact that they have done horrible things, and can't turn back the clock and redo the damage they have done.

[ozzydom]

I keep reading of these scum referred to as insurgents,but the definition of an insurgent is " A person who revolts against civil authority or an established Govt." whereas a terrorist is one who commits violence and harmful acts against civilians.

I know which catagory I put these cowardly heaps of dingo <deleted> in.

Under the world-wide war on terrorism agreement, why not just pick up the suspects and ship them off to the Georgie Bush rest and recreation centre in Cuba and worry about whether they are innocent or guilty parties in about 10 yrs time.

[ColPyat]

I think a lot of people need to step back and take a look at the situation realistically. I spent many years in the middle East working in humanitarian work, so I am not a military type.

One of the very first things you learn, and the military types will point it out to you, is to keep a wide berth of them. The military are targets for sure--innocent children MAY also be targets, but the military is a target.

I couldn't believe it when they had the coup and people have kids sitting in/on tanks and are putting flowers on soldiers. If something goes wrong, these people are suppose to be ready to shoot and kill.

Someone did a very wrong thing by putting those kids in a military bus. A civilian bus with a military convoy is understandable. But kids in a military bus is a recipe for disaster.

This is NOT meant to in anyway justify the insurgents/terrorists or their tactics. What they are doing and how they are doing it is wrong. But the gov't has got to make sure that they aren't using children as human shields.

Exactly.

One of the most frightening things in such wars without identifiable front lines is when you are held up in a military check point which anytime could be targeted by a grenade or RPG, and you end up as "collateral damage".

[Tony Clifton]

You've got to be joking right? Do you ever step back and take a look at what you've written?

You rebuke the person who made the decision for the kids to go to the zoo. And sypathize with the guy who shot at the bus?

I'm assuming you are just trolling, and don't actually believe what your spouting.

I rebuke the person who made the decision to send the kids in a military bus to the zoo.

Yup, given the known situation with IEDs and roadside ambushes, that was a very irresponsible decision.

[ColPyat]

I keep reading of these scum referred to as insurgents,but the definition of an insurgent is " A person who revolts against civil authority or an established Govt." whereas a terrorist is one who commits violence and harmful acts against civilians.

But excuse me - they are rebelling against the Thai state. This armed revolt has been going on sporadically for several hundred years.

Such internal wars are always horrific, and always the lines between "military" and "civilian" targets are not clear.

Locals who work with the government, such as teachers, Puyai Bans, members of the many armed volunteer organizations, etc are targets. Schools, temples, and clergy are representations of the Thai state they fight against. Terror is a clear strategy against a superior enemy.

Is the Thai state innocent of gross human rights violations? Hardly, just look at the Tak Bai incident, for which the responsible officers have not been punished with more than being transferred to inactive posts, and the many allegations of torture of innocents, and a clearly documented history of oppression of local culture. It is a sad reality that no side in such a war i any better than the other. And the longer they take, the more gruesome they usually turn.

There always was a very fuzzy line between who is deemed a terrorist, and who a freedom fighter, even before "the war against terrorism" was coined by the government who has in the first place trained, financed and built up these organizations in many parts of the world in a war against another enemy.

Venting anger, devilizing one side, and justifying the actions of the other will not lead to any solution, and only to further escalation.

[blaze]

I keep reading of these scum referred to as insurgents,but the definition of an insurgent is " A person who revolts against civil authority or an established Govt." whereas a terrorist is one who commits violence and harmful acts against civilians.

I know which catagory I put these cowardly heaps of dingo <deleted> in.

Under the world-wide war on terrorism agreement, why not just pick up the suspects and ship them off to the Georgie Bush rest and recreation centre in Cuba and worry about whether they are innocent or guilty parties in about 10 yrs time.

These people are terrorists. This is what terrorists do. They don't go out to win popularity contests. Does anyone think that they care one whit whether or not we find their 'strategies' repulsive- 'inhuman', 'murderous'? Just the opposite. They got our attention. And in their logic, warped though we may think it is (they find ours warped too, I'm sure- listen to dead-end debates between Israeli Jews and Palestinians), that is the goal. All of this moral outrage contributes absolutely nothing to ending the problem.

Of course the idea of round 'em all up and let God and GW sort em out is not a new one when dealing with Terrorism- but experience shows that this sort of action inevitably serves the purposes of the terrorists.

I don't know what the solution is- because I don't know what the problem is- vaguely of course, we all know that it is a separatist movement composed of Moslems. But to what extent are they influenced/funded/directed by foreigners? Is there a command structure? What is the REAL extent of popular support (not based on questionnaires submitted by men in uniform)? What is the army doing? We hear rumors that the top brass spends the days on the golf courses while the grunts hang around barracks. I just wish we had more information. Yes we have enough to call them every name in the book- but not enough to inspire confidence that the current regime is even close to being 'on top' of this.

[ozzydom]

Now

The men who shot the children are not pussies; they are terribly cowardly men. I have much more respect for women than I have for such men.

It's just my opinion personally, but I don't see Colypat's remarks as defending the actions of the cowardly rebels. If those who are in charge of the children decide to take a military bus, shouldn't they also have a fully armed military escort, maybe a convoy with real weapons?

Situations are complex; it's not all black against white, Muslim against Buddhist, rebel against army, them against us. The enemy of my enemy's friend is not always the friend of your enemy's mother-in-law.

Thanks.

And yes, situations are complex, especially in a war. Wars are terrible, and all involved are often forced to do terrible things, regardless which side the are fighting for.

I feel equal compassion for all - be that the obvious victims, or the ones who in later stage in life have to life with the fact that they have done horrible things, and can't turn back the clock and redo the damage they have done.

Now I,m puzzled, Who or what forces these scum to murder civilians,monks teachers and children.And what makes you believe that the scum will ever feel remorse for their actions, I think your feelings of compassion are ill directed in this instance. I am being polite ,as to post what I really think of your remarks would undoubtably get me a holiday.

[ColPyat]

Now I,m puzzled, Who or what forces these scum to murder civilians,monks teachers and children.And what makes you believe that the scum will ever feel remorse for their actions, I think your feelings of compassion are ill directed in this instance. I am being polite ,as to post what I really think of your remarks would undoubtably get me a holiday.

Let me try to explain that at a practical example.

A few months ago i had a nice conversation with a Thai career soldier here, he was a sergeant. He has been a young grunt in the Vietnam war and related theaters. He has been telling me how bad he feels about many things he had to do there, the worst was a summary execution of several dozen Cambodians they have rounded up - they just simply shot them all so they did not need to bother with processing them properly.

Today the man feels remorse, and has nightmares about what he did.

Who am i to judge. I have made many mistakes in my life, fortunately though none that led to the death of people, but for sure some of my mistakes resulted in people getting hurt because i was a stupid arse. Fortunately though i did not grow up in an area of the world where people are forced by circumstances, or being misled, to choose sides in a conflict that will cost somebody else their lives.

[Crushdepth]

The line between 'terrorist', 'freedom fighter' and 'psycho loony shitbag' isn't always fuzzy. This example is pretty ######ing clear.

[cdnvic]

Who am i to judge. I have made many mistakes in my life

Have those mistakes been beheading monks, burning down schools, or killing teachers?

Doesn't seem to matter how vile the actions of terrorists are, there's always someone ready to jump up and be compassionate towards the murderers of innocent people. Nobody is in a situation where they have no choice but to commit terrorism.

I'm certain the terrorists in the south would love to hear how much compassion you have for what they will have to go through psychologicly in years to come. Before they cut your head off they may even say thank you.