Thai Government Falls Back On A Failed Peace Initiative: Editorial

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
Government falls back on a failed peace initiative
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The govt's Wadah faction has lost credibility in the deep South, but some in authority still seem to think it can build bridges in the strife-torn region

It started off as a good idea - a Malay-Muslim political entity working and speaking for Malay-Muslims who are Thai citizens.The Wadah faction now incorporated into the Pheu Thai Party first surfaced in the Malay-speaking deep South 17 years ago and made its presence felt from the start. But over time, it became like any other faction in Thai politics: self-serving.

Wadah came into being at a time when previous generation of insurgent separatists - communists and Malays - had effectively disappeared. People actually thought a new beginning was in the making - that the nation's relationship with the Malays of the southernmost provinces was about to take a big step toward reconciliation, and that Wadah could help seal this once and for all. So when Wadah came into the picture, there was some hope that it would serve as the interlocutor between the state and the Malays of the South.

On the surface the Wadah politicians appeared to have the best political capital to carry out such a task. They were local Malays and some of them had family members who were part of a long-standing separatist movement that surfaced in the 1960s.

Wadah came into being under the wing of General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, and would eventually merge with the Thai Rak Thai Party of Thaksin Shinawatra to stand in the general election in 2001. But as its political star rose, relations between the Malay-Muslims in the deep South and the Thai state remained as shaky as ever. Playing both sides could only last for so long.

Wadah's moment of truth came in late 2004 in the Narathiwat district of Tak Bai. It was a protest that had gone wrong. More than 1,000 young Malay-Muslim men thought they could shame the police into releasing a group of village-defence volunteers who were accused of providing government-issued weapons to the insurgents. They didn't think that security officials would do anything drastic because they were unarmed. But they were wrong.

Troops fired live rounds into the crowd, killing at least eight people. More than 1,000 others were loaded into the back of military trucks, one man on top of another. By the time they reached their destination in Pattani four hours later at least 78 of the young men had suffocated to death.

Wadah kept silent, possibly out of fear of upsetting Thaksin. Then it tried to justify why it had to stay with Thaksin. Some members tried to argue that the ruling party controlled the budget needed to develop their communities.

But the problem between the Malays and the Thai state has never really been about development, or poverty, not even food security.

Malay-Muslims felt insulted and immediately turned their backs on Wadah. The group has never recovered, politically speaking. Members tried hard to stay in the public spotlight - running in more general elections, as well as going for seats in the Provincial Administrative Organisation. But nothing worked because the Malay-Muslims have been unable to forgive them for the Tak Bai massacre.

Over the past year or so, shortly after the Yingluck government came into being, some in the Wadah faction were assigned to carry out legwork for the real leader, Thaksin, as he strove to bring peace to the deep South. Wadah's job was to pave the way for the government's meetings with the separatist leaders. But it took the government some time to realise that Wadah hadn't regained its political capital, even with the separatist leaders.

Like Wadah, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung has little to lose in terms of credibility and integrity. So this made him perfect for the ruling Pheu Thai Party to throw out all sorts of gimmicks and test the waters. Wadah just happens to be Chalerm's latest smokescreen.

Bringing Wadah members into his political orbit should be understood in that light, not much more, given their appalling record since the Tak Bai massacre. Their recent appointment is more to do with national politics rather then a genuine attempt to address the insurgent violence in the Malay-speaking South.

Unfortunately, these policy-makers don't seem to think that the people in the deep South deserve better.


-- The Nation 2013-03-02

[Morgo]

http://www.smh.com.au/world/thais-swallow-doubts-on-malaysias-role-in-peace-talk-20130301-2fbnj.html

[chainarong]

Malaysia has done nothing to help, in it's boarder region with Thailand and never will , all talk no balls, the reason , religion is involved, the day they go against their own kind will be the day they let people from the state of Israel , into their country, i'd like to see the religious Bigots do that

[JetsetBkk]

Ban all religions - that's my religion.

[tomross46]

The Wadah faction was part of the Thai Rak Thai government. So how can you expect the southerners to to trust the PT?

[waza]

The govt's Wadah faction the skeleton in the PTP closet.

Edited March 2, 2013 by waza

[Pimay1]

The govt's Wadah faction the skeleton in the PTP closet.

E Pluribus Unum skeletons in the PTP closet.

[Locationthailand]

Ban all religions - that's my religion.

The problem in the South? All about religion. How the hell did we all survive previously? Buddhism - an enlightened man in Ajanta caves in India who said make no images of me... how many statues do Thailand produce annually, Christianity, a carpenter who never left a written word (?) and Islam, a prophet whose people praise a piece of space junk fallen from the skies housed in the Hajj? - personally I don't think anyone realises if they go back to where it all started, there have been good and bad for 'religions' but it just all went off the rails. And I personally just can't get around the supreme being idea. Religions started out being guidance and were all originated by humans and now it's all about control. And the more powerful take control and the others just follow... 2,000 years of mayhem all man made. I think I am correct in saying many major wars have been associated with religious beliefs as well. So much for a peaceful integrated existence. Now won't this gets some keyboards tapping.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Locationthailand

[bigbamboo]

Ban all religions - that's my religion.

The problem in the South? All about religion. How the hell did we all survive previously? Buddhism - an enlightened man in Ajanta caves in India who said make no images of me... how many statues do Thailand produce annually, Christianity, a carpenter who never left a written word (?) and Islam, a prophet whose people praise a piece of space junk fallen from the skies housed in the Hajj? - personally I don't think anyone realises if they go back to where it all started, there have been good and bad for 'religions' but it just all went off the rails. And I personally just can't get around the supreme being idea. Religions started out being guidance and were all originated by humans and now it's all about control. And the more powerful take control and the others just follow... 2,000 years of mayhem all man made. I think I am correct in saying many major wars have been associated with religious beliefs as well. So much for a peaceful integrated existence. Now won't this gets some keyboards tapping.

Religions are man's worst invention....

The only thing worth worshipping is the sun because without that we are all screwed!

Edited March 2, 2013 by bigbamboo

[JetsetBkk]

Ban all religions - that's my religion.

The problem in the South? All about religion. How the hell did we all survive previously? Buddhism - an enlightened man in Ajanta caves in India who said make no images of me... how many statues do Thailand produce annually, Christianity, a carpenter who never left a written word (?) and Islam, a prophet whose people praise a piece of space junk fallen from the skies housed in the Hajj? - personally I don't think anyone realises if they go back to where it all started, there have been good and bad for 'religions' but it just all went off the rails. And I personally just can't get around the supreme being idea. Religions started out being guidance and were all originated by humans and now it's all about control. And the more powerful take control and the others just follow... 2,000 years of mayhem all man made. I think I am correct in saying many major wars have been associated with religious beliefs as well. So much for a peaceful integrated existence. Now won't this gets some keyboards tapping.

Religions are man's worst invention....

The only thing worth worshipping is the sun because without that we are all screwed!

I am greatly heartened by these responses. I once posted on Youtube that all religions should be banned and you should've read the stick I got from the bible bashing God fearing nutters of the world.

[Pimay1]

Ban all religions - that's my religion.

The problem in the South? All about religion. How the hell did we all survive previously? Buddhism - an enlightened man in Ajanta caves in India who said make no images of me... how many statues do Thailand produce annually, Christianity, a carpenter who never left a written word (?) and Islam, a prophet whose people praise a piece of space junk fallen from the skies housed in the Hajj? - personally I don't think anyone realises if they go back to where it all started, there have been good and bad for 'religions' but it just all went off the rails. And I personally just can't get around the supreme being idea. Religions started out being guidance and were all originated by humans and now it's all about control. And the more powerful take control and the others just follow... 2,000 years of mayhem all man made. I think I am correct in saying many major wars have been associated with religious beliefs as well. So much for a peaceful integrated existence. Now won't this gets some keyboards tapping.

Religions are man's worst invention....

The only thing worth worshipping is the sun because without that we are all screwed!

I am greatly heartened by these responses. I once posted on Youtube that all religions should be banned and you should've read the stick I got from the bible bashing God fearing nutters of the world.

I am certainly not a religious nutter and I don't care what anyone else believes or doesn't believe. Up to them. But I do believe if all people in the world follow the precepts of the ten commands this would be a better world. It is simply common sense.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Pimay1

[OzMick]

Religions are man's worst invention....

The only thing worth worshipping is the sun because without that we are all screwed!

I am greatly heartened by these responses. I once posted on Youtube that all religions should be banned and you should've read the stick I got from the bible bashing God fearing nutters of the world.

I am certainly not a religious nutter and I don't care what anyone else believes or doesn't believe. Up to them. But I do believe if all people in the world follow the precepts of the ten commands this would be a better world. It is simply common sense.

Hmmm - the first 4 are a waste of writing materials, and #6 seems to have an Amendment for the US military. Other than that..........

Edited March 2, 2013 by OzMick

[khunken]

^^

No: 11

Sorry Pimay, Christian commandments are not for everyone & IMO far from common sense. Here's why.

Moses came down from the mountain & announced 'we have good news & bad news'.

'The good news is that we have got it down to 10'.

'The bad news is that adultery is still in'.

[OzMick]

^^

No: 11

Sorry Pimay, Christian commandments are not for everyone & IMO far from common sense. Here's why.

Moses came down from the mountain & announced 'we have good news & bad news'.

'The good news is that we have got it down to 10'.

'The bad news is that adultery is still in'.

I think adultery comes under #10 "Thou shalt not cover thy neighbour's wife....."

Interesting that slavery and sexual exploitation of children didn't rate a mention, both being quite common at the time. Might have made it a hard sell.

[JetsetBkk]

All you need is one, Golden, rule: Treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.

[Pimay1]

^^

No: 11

Sorry Pimay, Christian commandments are not for everyone & IMO far from common sense. Here's why.

Moses came down from the mountain & announced 'we have good news & bad news'.

'The good news is that we have got it down to 10'.

'The bad news is that adultery is still in'.

I think adultery comes under #10 "Thou shalt not cover thy neighbour's wife....."

Interesting that slavery and sexual exploitation of children didn't rate a mention, both being quite common at the time. Might have made it a hard sell.

Understand guys. That was then and this is now. Anyhow in our modern world I think it is better to take a look at the ten and do our best. That's better than killing everyone that doesn't see it our way like a certain religion teaches. To each his/her own. I am not a preacher or a prophet. I'm just glad drinking beer was not included .

[ratcatcher]

^^

No: 11

Sorry Pimay, Christian commandments are not for everyone & IMO far from common sense. Here's why.

Moses came down from the mountain & announced 'we have good news & bad news'.

'The good news is that we have got it down to 10'.

'The bad news is that adultery is still in'.

I think adultery comes under #10 "Thou shalt not cover thy neighbour's wife....."

Interesting that slavery and sexual exploitation of children didn't rate a mention, both being quite common at the time. Might have made it a hard sell.

As No.10 says, You'd better "cover your ass if you covet your neighbor's wife"

[brianb1944]

All you need is one, Golden, rule: Treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.

Unless you are a masochist?

[sunshine51]

Trouble's A'Comin....

The best I can do at the moment leaving out

a few dieties cause I'm not gonna go & look

for em today or any day....

Edited March 3, 2013 by sunshine51