No End In Sight As South Thai Rebellion Enters Fifth Year

[sriracha john]

To go along with yesterday's shooting was yesterday's bombing....

Bomb blast wounds 9 paramilitary rangers in Narathiwat

NARATHIWAT, Nov 7 (TNA) – A bomb blast wounded nine paramilitary rangers in the violence-plagued province of Narathiwat.

The remote controlled bomb, weighing five kilogrammes, was detonated when paramilitary rangers were patrolling a roadside area on Petchkasem Road in Bacho district by foot. Nine men in the government patrol were wounded, three severely.

A combined force of about 70 police and military are pursuing the attackers who are thought to be hiding out in nearby areas.

[sriracha john]

Thai policemen look over the bodies of suspected Muslim militants in Thailand's Yala province, nearly 1084 km (672 miles) south of Bangkok, November 7, 2008. Two militants were killed after an encounter with a soldier, police said. This is the latest violence in a five-year separatist rebellion.

REUTERS

Edited November 8, 2008 by sriracha john

[Scott]

It seems that the activities of the insurgents has been cranked up a couple of notches. I wonder how long this will last. Any projections based on previous escalations?

[sriracha john]

EDITORIAL

Neglect continues to dog the South

The news that security authorities have not ruled out motives other than insurgency behind the bombings in Narathiwat's Sukhirin district which left 71 people injured is not encouraging. Lt-Gen Kasikorn Khirisri, commander of the joint civilian-police-army forces, said no conclusion had yet been reached that the blasts had been the work of militants trying to escalate tensions in the southernmost provinces. He said there were no reports of religious conflicts in the area despite it being part of the restive region, and the bombings which apparently targeted a meeting of more than 100 village headmen may have been motivated by a delay in the payment of salaries to tambon chiefs and village heads, or an attempt to clamp down on drug smuggling in the area. It would be far more satisfying if security forces were able to come up with some solid leads, rather than this listing of "known unknowns." There have been indications that the overall level of violence is down in the South, according to the Songkhla-based Southern Watch Centre, but you wouldn't know it from the headlines of the past week or so. What's more, the director of the Southern Watch Centre, Srisompob Chitpiromsri, warned that statistics show that violence in the three southernmost provinces typically hit an annual peak in the month of November. In what has become an annual ritual, security has been beefed up at schools across the region as students return from their mid-year break, and extra soldiers have been ordered to accompany teachers when travelling to and from their schools. The wife of a village headman who was killed in an insurgency ambush in 2006 was herself murdered last week in a drive-by shooting in

Editorial continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/091108_News/09Nov2008_news14.php

[Jai Dee]

1 paramilitary trooper killed, 5 others injured in Narathiwat bombing

Narathiwat - Insurgents Monday detonated a roadside bomb to ambush a unit of paramilitary troopers, fatally injuring one and severely injuring five others.

Police said the explosion occurred on a road in Bua Joh village in Tambon Sawo of Rusoh district at 10:30 am.

Police said the insurgents detonated the bomb when the pick-up truck carrying six paramilitary troopers arrived at the scene.

Wicharn Sangsuwan died of sustained injuries at the Rusoh district hospital.

Source: The Nation - 10 November 2008

[sriracha john]

yesterday's shootings left yet another bloody trail of dead bodies...

Suspected Militants Kill Four In Restive Thai South

YALA, Thailand (AFP)--Suspected militants shot and killed four civilians including an elderly woman in Thailand's south, police said Wednesday, as an analyst warned the violence was intensifying.

The 79-year-old woman and her 49-year-old son were shot dead in Pattani province on Tuesday evening while returning home from work, police said.

That same evening, a 33-year-old rubber tapper died in a drive-by shooting in Yala province, while elsewhere in the province, a 28-year-old man was shot and killed, they said.

More than 3,500 people have been killed in attacks by shadowy insurgent groups operating in Thailand's Muslim-majority far south since January 2004, and successive governments have struggled to quell the unrest.

Srisompob Jitpiromsri, director of the Pattani-based group Deep South Watch, said although the violence had fallen to its lowest level in five years in early October, it was now intensifying.

On November 4, suspected militants detonated two bombs in a busy marketplace in Yala, wounding 74 people in one of the biggest assaults on civilians since early 2004, police said.

"In the past the government has focused on its military operation and managed to suppress the militants. So now they (the militants) have tried to adopt new tactics to achieve large-scale destruction," Srisompob said.

Edited November 12, 2008 by sriracha john

[Scott]

More sad news in the never-ending cycle of death and destruction in the South.

[Jai Dee]

Treason charges against 3 Muslims dismissed

An appeal court Wednesday dismissed the charges of treason against three men from the deep South, saying there were not enough credible evidence to support the claim that they were part of any separatist activities.

The court also acknowledged that an initial confession from one of the three defendants was beaten out of him while in custody.

Police had accused Ilyas Malee, 42, Paosi Sateng, 30, and Ya Ahdae, 61, of taking part in separatist activities between 1999-2002. Ilyas and Paosi have passed away while during the legal proceeding.

Source: The Nation - 12 November 2008

[Scott]

Well I guess 2/3 of this group won't be causing any problems. Certainly takes a long time to get justice here.

[yumidesign]

More proof that Thaksin was right after all. The scum needs to be taken care of once and for all.

your comment is a sad reflection of the lack of understanding of this awful situation and

goes against the follow quote from the original post......

"Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's heavy-handed tactics were widely blamed for exacerbating the unrest in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces"

[sriracha john]

More proof that Thaksin was right after all. The scum needs to be taken care of once and for all.

your comment is a sad reflection of the lack of understanding of this awful situation and

goes against the follow quote from the original post......

"Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's heavy-handed tactics were widely blamed for exacerbating the unrest in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces"

Hobbs was just doing what trolls do..... posting trolling posts. He's been summarily disposed of.

[sriracha john]

Violence moving out of the Deep South???

Rebels 'may target Hat Yai'

Southern militant groups might be planning new attacks in Hat Yai district of Songkhla, and even in Bangkok, warned an intelligence source. Rebel groups met at a Muslim ponoh school in Yala last week, the source said. "It was unfortunate that our Muslim informant working undercover was caught and killed one day after the meeting began. That's why we have only incomplete information about where the strike would take place," he said. A map of Hat Yai was brought to their meeting, the source added. Meanwhile, the European Union yesterday launched its guidelines for human rights defenders in English, Thai, and Pattani-Malay Yawi. Rina Kionka, personal representative of EU Secretary-General for Human Rights Javier Solana, said she hoped the guidelines, which were adopted by the EU in 2004 and were revised this year, could be used as a practical tool. But a Thai security official

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http://www.bangkokpost.com/141108_News/14Nov2008_news08.php

[Scott]

I have often wondered why the insurgents have not targetted areas that would bring them greater recognition and a more likely chance of gaining their goals. Most people seem to care little about what happens in the deep south, as long as it stays in the deep south. A thousand deaths there doesn't bring the attention that a couple of deaths does in BKK.

I certainly hope this doesn't spread.

I also wonder how this informant was captured and by whom.

[sriracha john]

Former village chief shot dead in front of his child

Narathiwat - Gunmen shot dead a former village chief in Tambon Bangpor as he and his eight-year-old daughter just left the mosque, police said Monday.

Gunmen on pickup truck drove up to Asem Waji, 49, and commenced firing with M-16 automatic rifles, letting off at least ten rounds. Three rounds hit Asem in the torso and one in the head. His daughter suffered a gunshot wound to her rib. She was rushed to a nearby hospital. The attack took place on Sunday.

Hours later a 43-year-old alleged informant for Thai authorities was shot while siting in front of his house in Yala town. He died later in hospital, according to news report.

- The Nation / 2008-11-17

[sriracha john]

the little girl that was shot....

Violence continues unabated in the Deep South. Late Sunday night, unidentified assailants have shot dead former deputy village chief Asem Waji and injured his 8-year-old daughter Nureeya Waji in Narathiwat, while both were walking back home after finishing a prayer at a nearby mosque.

In Pattani Province, deputy village chief Mustopa Mayee was also gunned down while riding back home from a nearby mosque. According to investigators preliminary review of the case, they believe both incidents were designed to stir up fears in the violence-plagued region.

TOC / 2008-11-17

[Scott]

This sort of stuff just might meet their objective of causing fear. It certainly would scare me. It may also make some people very, very angry.

[Moonrakers]

This sort of stuff just might meet their objective of causing fear. It certainly would scare me. It may also make some people very, very angry.

What is more saddening/angering is that the culprits are likely to be very pleased with themselves tonight.

And yeah, it would scare the shit out of me too.

[sriracha john]

Three shooting murders yesterday in Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat and an additional one today in Pattani.... it's not slowing down.

Edited November 17, 2008 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Death Every Day...

Forensic police officers inspect the bodies of two Buddhist truck drivers who were shot dead by Muslim militants in southern Thailand's Pattani province November 18, 2008. Suspected militants shot dead a Muslim and two Buddhists in two separate incidents in Thailand's far south, police said on Tuesday, the latest violence in a five-year separatist rebellion. The 24-year-old Muslim was shot dead and his mother was injured as they rode a motorcycle to a rubber plantation in Pattani, one of three southern provinces roiled by violence that has killed 3,600 people since 2004.

REUTERS

Edited November 19, 2008 by sriracha john

[Scott]

Do these people have names or are they just a religion? Also, were the truck drivers from the area, or were they traveling through the area from elsewhere?

[sriracha john]

Security Tightened in Yala Province

Police have set up checkpoints after a motorcycle rigged with explosives was found in Yala's municipality and one local villager was shot dead.

51-year-old Abdullah Maesiyong was shot dead in Buenasatae Village in Yala Province.

Witnesses said the victim was drinking tea with his neighbours in a local tea house when one of two criminals on a motorbike with no license plate fired several gunshots at them.

Police said the attack was aimed to stir up the situation in the violence-prone area.

Police Colonel Chaitad Intanujit, Deputy Commander of Yala's Provincial Police Station, has ordered checkpoints set up around the municipality area and began a search after they were informed that core leaders of the suspected RKK insurgent group brought a Honda Wave motorcycle rigged with explosives into the area.

Police Colonel Chaitad warned task forces and local residents to be on alert for possible violence.

- TOC / 2008-11-20

[Jai Dee]

Political will lacking to deal with south problem

For the past three decades, old man Fadel has met and talked with Thai security officials about what seems to be a never ending dispute between the Malay historical homeland of Patani and the Thai state.

Not much has changed over the years. If anything, the situation seems to be getting worse if one takes into consideration the level of violence in the southernmost border provinces where more than 3,200 have died since January 2004.

Fadel (not his real name) is a key leader from one of the longstanding separatist groups that emerged in the late 1960s to carve out a separate homeland for Malays in Thailand's southernmost border provinces. Like many Patani exiles, Fadel lives a quiet life in Malaysia under the watchful eyes of the state security and intelligence agencies. Kuala Lumpur has been working quietly with Bangkok to facilitate some of these meetings that Fadel said hasn't made much progress. He blamed the lack of sincerity and the absence of mandate on his Thai counterparts.

Since his last interview to The Nation, early last year, Fadel has lost a tooth and his hair has greyed more. But his stance remains unchanged.

Like other leaders of long standing groups - Patani United Liberation Organisation, Barisan Revolusi Nasional - Congress, Gerekan Mujahidin Islam Patani (GMIP), Barisan Islam Pembangunan Patani (BIPP) - Fadel has dropped the demand for an independent Patani.

Echoing other old guards from these long standing groups, Fadel maintained that before true and lasting peace can be achieved, Thailand must first recognise the historical fact that the Malayspeaking region was once an independent sultanate. Moreover, the use of Malay must be permitted as a "working language" alongside the "official" Thai.

"This is not about separating Patani from Thailand. It's about the dignity of the Malays of Patani," explained Fadel.

Thai security officials have said rewriting history and having all sides come to terms with the past will not go well with conservative elements who see the current nationstate boundary as something next to divine revelation. But the demands from the old guards can be met as long as the will is there from the political leaders, they said.

Like everything else, it seems, the devil is in the details.

In recent months, Fadel has been watching with some discomfort the various initiatives by key Thai political and regional leaders to broker a peace deal with groups who claimed to be representing the people of Patani.

These key Thai political leaders include Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, Chettha Thanajaro, Surayud Chulanont and last but not the least, Indonesian Vice President Yusuf Kalla. Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has also expressed concern and interest in working towards peace as well.

But good intentions are not necessarily good policy. Many stakeholders have questioned the true intention of these socalled mediators and the merit of their action. In fact, some of these recent initiatives were billed as, at best, bad planning, and at worst, a hoax.

Two months ago Chavalit publicly said an everlasting peace would be achieved by December 5 this year. He has less than two weeks left. Before that Chettha announced an end to the centuryold resistance. Kalla, on the other hand, was left high and dry when the Thai government said it was not aware of his initiative.

While these dialogue tracks continue to attract the attention of the exiled leaders, there is a growing consensus among concerned parties that in spite of these talks, Thailand and Patani separatist groups are as far apart as ever.

"I have got to the point that these discussions, dialogue or negotiations have become pointless. This is because the Thai side has always sent men, usually soldiers, who have no real mandate," said another exiled leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Malaysian officials who helped facilitate some of these meetings echoed the same sentiment, saying there is no continuity from the Thai side and the participants see these meetings as an intelligence gathering exercise rather than as part of an effort to come up with a sound policy.

This is not to say that the Thai government has never been in constructive dialogue before. In December 2007, then prime minister Surayud met secretly with a top PULO official during a stopover in Bahrain.

But the foundation that Surayud laid was not built on. "Everything at the official level is more or less at a standstill at the moment," said the Malaysian officer.

Well, not exactly. Surayud's effort was replaced by individual initiatives from various camps, namely Kalla, Chetta and Chavalit. All reached out to the old guards but so far, nothing meaningful has come out of their efforts.

While no one doubted the historical role of these old guards, the biggest question that is eating up the Thai side is what kind of influence the exiled leaders have over the new generation of militants operating on the ground.

Old guards said they have regular dialogue with the new generation and maintain that they can bring them to the negotiating table if and when a formal negotiation is kicked off.

Others in the exiled community are quietly singling out the Barisan Revolusi Nasional - Coordinate as the one long standing group that has any real influence on the new generation operating on the ground. Locally, the new generation of militants is referred to as the juwae, which means fighter in local Malay dialect.

For the time being, Bangkok's official position is to deny any involvement with these "private initiatives" in spite of financing some of them. The Thai government is also keeping the international community away from what they have consistently billed as a domestic issue.

Observers and frustrated officials on the ground say Thai security agencies have too much to hide - the torture, a culture of impunity, corruption and the use of government death squad. Certainly, they can do without the headache from the international community, much less the debate on the legitimacy of the Thai state in the Malays' historical homeland.

Unless there is political will from Bangkok to push for real change in the deep South, said old man Fadel, violence will continue unabated.

"We don't mind being part of Thailand," Fadel said. "But it has to be on our own terms."

Source: Political Opinion from The Nation - 25 November 2008

[sriracha john]

the situation seems to be getting worse if one takes into consideration the level of violence in the southernmost border provinces where more than 3,200 have died since January 2004.

abysmal and shameful to the government as it is, many reputable sources, eg. Reuters, AP, et al have put that number at over 3,600 in their recent reports.

Edited November 25, 2008 by sriracha john

[grandpops]

the situation seems to be getting worse if one takes into consideration the level of violence in the southernmost border provinces where more than 3,200 have died since January 2004.

abysmal and shameful to the governments, Coup leaders and un-elected transitional government, as it is, many reputable sources, eg. Reuters, AP, et al have put that number at over 3,600 in their recent reports.

Edited in Red for more accuracy.

And many of em killed during a Thaksin/PPP/TRT free era with a Muslim army commander at the helm!

[sriracha john]

the situation seems to be getting worse if one takes into consideration the level of violence in the southernmost border provinces where more than 3,200 have died since January 2004.

abysmal and shameful to the government as it is, many reputable sources, eg. Reuters, AP, et al have put that number at over 3,600 in their recent reports.

Edited in Red for more accuracy.

I'll thank you for not editing any of my posts now or in the future. Thank you.

Edited November 25, 2008 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

I regret not keeping this thread updated what with all the turmoil going on elsewhere, but there's been no let up there....

Lest We Forget.... the Deep South...

A Thai soldier is seen patrolling in Yala province, in November. Shootings and a bomb attack carried out by suspected separatist insurgents have killed six people including a policeman in Thailand's far south, according to police.

AFP / 1 hour ago

Edited December 5, 2008 by sriracha john

[plachon]

I've just watched a programme on Channel 4 (UK television) called "Thailand - Lessons in Terror", which was a very fair and well presented documentary by a young British reporter called Seyi Rhodes. Basically, he covers the situation in Yala and Narathiwat on the spot following and interviewing teachers, security forces and local people (Buddhists and Muslems) in the most troubled or "red" areas.

Seeing the level of "security" offered to teachers and pupils travelling to school in Yala (yet shootings and bombings still seem to happen almost daily) and the level of mistrust and division between the two communities down there (which did not exist pre-2004 or so), it is hard to see any way out of the worsening spiral of violence occuring. It is clear that children are being radicalised and turned into the insurgents of the future from a very young age and tragically so many are witnessing brutality and violence of a kind that no child can see without being deeply affected. It is a tragedy that cannot find a solution by military means and must be solved politically, which like Israel - Palestine, can only come from both sides making big concessions. Trouble is, I don't see the Thai govt side having any interest in making any political concessions, and for the moment this festering cancer in the South is largely being ignored in Bangkok and the rest of the country. Apart from those who are widowed/made fatherless/losing a son/daughter/brother/sister/etc to the senseless violence.

Further details about the programme can be found here:

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/ontv...+terror/2861812

Santhiphab.

plachon

[CockneyGit]

the situation seems to be getting worse if one takes into consideration the level of violence in the southernmost border provinces where more than 3,200 have died since January 2004.

It has always amazed me that this has never become a more publicised issue around the world. Where are the thoughts and / or actions of the UN or the United States..??

Strange!

[sriracha john]

add six more to the death tally (with some of the more seriously injured possibly adding even more)...

Meanwhile, in Narathiwat's Chanae district, a bomb went off at a grocery in Ban Duyongsor killing five people instantly and injuring 12 others. Four of the injured were reported to be in serious condition. Narathiwat police said the explosive device used in the attack was a new type of home-made bomb. The bomb, weighing about 20kg, was made from a small cooking gas cylinder stuffed with sodium chlorate. It was detonated remotely by a mobile phone signal. Bombs of this type are widely available in neighbouring countries, police said. According to police, the bomb attack was well plotted. Before the explosion, the grocery's woman owner was attacked by a man who hit her on the head with a stick and ran off with her gold necklace. Police believe the assailant was a militant. When police arrived at the grocery to investigate the attack, the hidden bomb was detonated killing shop owner Chumphon Cheewarot and four other people. Among the 12 injured victims were five police officers who came to investigate the attack on the shop owner.

the sixth death is covered here:

Ex-rebel found gunned down

http://www.bangkokpost.com/061208_News/06Dec2008_news07.php

[sriracha john]

add six more to the death tally (with some of the more seriously injured possibly adding even more)...

Meanwhile, in Narathiwat's Chanae district, a bomb went off at a grocery in Ban Duyongsor killing five people instantly and injuring 12 others. Four of the injured were reported to be in serious condition.

the sixth death is covered here:

Ex-rebel found gunned down

as feared, the total tally has gone up to seven...

Southern terrorist bomb claims sixth victim

Narathiwat - Dolohalem Tapu, 49, a headman of Dusongyoh village, died in hospital and became the sixth victim of Friday's bomb attack at a grocery store in Chanae district. He succumbed to his wounds on Friday night. Police are searching the possible hideouts of suspects thought to be behind the attack which also left 11 people injured. They also have asked witnesses to come forward and are questioning the injured in hospital. Four victims are still in intensive care. They are Pol Cpl Pisit Rodthong, Pol L/C Krungkrai Kongchan, Rohim Gapoh, and Sarif Marohding. Police hope the account of shop owner Wilawan Satigoragul, who is also injured, would be useful. Four men posing as robbers made off with her gold necklace after planting a bomb outside the store. The bomb was detonated when the officers arrived at the scene. Ms Wilawan was asked to go through a photo file of suspected Muslim militants active in the South. Authorities believe the same bombers were behind an attack outside Sungai Kolok police station in August and the November car and motorcycle bomb attacks against the

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=135197