Snapshots Of The K L Peace Negotiations

[Lite Beer]

Snapshots of the KL peace negotiations
Pakorn Puengnetr
The Nation on Sunday

KUALA LUMPUR: -- Many points were not - or were not properly - covered in Thai officials' recent dialogue with 15 key insurgents of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (National Revolutionary Front or BRN) and Pattani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo) in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

Some of the points discussed at this much-anticipated event were highly notable, while others were quite colourful.

Location

Many people mistakenly thought the meeting would take place at the Police Academy in Kuala Lumpur where Thai National Security Council chief Lt-General Paradorn Pattanathabutr had signed an MoU setting up the dialogue with BRN liaison office chief Hassan Taib on February 28. An army of media representatives camped outside the academy expecting to cover the news.

However the dialogue took place at a police "safe house" near the hotel where the Thai team stayed, according to one of Thai delegates.

Representation

There were only nine Thai representatives attending the dialogue, not 15 as previously reported. And while more than six separatists attended the event, only six sat at the negotiating table, Paradorn said. While Taib was identified by name, other leading BRN and Pulo members who joined the dialogue didn't reveal their names, according to Paradorn.

Asked if separatists from other Malaysian states, or leading BRN member Sapae-ing Basor attended, Paradorn said he had no idea because the other participants sat behind a curtain. But one Thai delegate dismissed the existence of a "curtain", saying the accompanying insurgents were on a different floor.

Identification

Another Thai official said he couldn't recognise any of the attending insurgents as they were dressed in traditional Malay clothing and used aliases. "Some couldn't even remember their own aliases as the conversation went on," he added. The Thai delegates saw that Sapae-ing was absent, while a wanted insurgent identified only as Masukree, a son of a local religious leader in the deep South, was present and reportedly spoke using rather strong words.

History

Among the topics touched upon, one interesting point was the insurgents' demand for justice. After the dialogue it was reported that the insurgents called for the removal of 30,000 names from Thai authorities' blacklist and for the release of national security prisoners. The Thai delegates however affirmed that the BRN didn't place such a demand as strongly as reported.

One delegate, Prince of Songkla University Prof Srisompob Jitpiromsri, said the insurgents told them about the woes and pains of the past and the reasons behind their fight, as well as citing various injustices over the years.

Srisompop said the insurgents didn't put forward clear demands but urged the Thai government to find solutions to create justice. They said the unrest was the result not only of separatist actions, but also of those by state officials.

-- The Nation 2013-03-31

[hellodolly]

Positively riveting information I hung on every word. Not

[justathought]

"One delegate, Prince of Songkla University Prof Srisompob Jitpiromsri, said the insurgents told them about the woes and pains of the past and the reasons behind their fight, as well as citing various injustices over the year"

INJUSTICE always leads to fights. Even when told this so many times face to face, the Thai government fails miserably is grasping the problem. I do not believe the elite ruling class in Thailand cannot understand this basic human nature. I believe they have no intention in seeing peace. This scenario is not only confined to Thailand. We see it in the middle east, China (Tibet), Australia (with the aborigines), India in Kashmir and so many other places. It is immensely frustrating for many of us who are normal tax payers to pay the continued price of some leaders continuing their unjust policies 'in our interest'.

Edited March 31, 2013 by justathought

[A Member]

Positively riveting information I hung on every word. Not

I was about to write you couldn't make this rubbish up but obviously somebody did

[Payboy]

What now review about the tea and biscuits?

[hellodolly]

"One delegate, Prince of Songkla University Prof Srisompob Jitpiromsri, said the insurgents told them about the woes and pains of the past and the reasons behind their fight, as well as citing various injustices over the year"

INJUSTICE always leads to fights. Even when told this so many times face to face, the Thai government fails miserably is grasping the problem. I do not believe the elite ruling class in Thailand cannot understand this basic human nature. I believe they have no intention in seeing peace. This scenario is not only confined to Thailand. We see it in the middle east, China (Tibet), Australia (with the aborigines), India in Kashmir and so many other places. It is immensely frustrating for many of us who are normal tax payers to pay the continued price of some leaders continuing their unjust policies 'in our interest'.

Well I agree injustice can lead to fights.

So why don't they try to negotiate instead of indiscriminate killing?

[chainarong]

Is this a report or a generalization, I thought being on another floor was good, then there was a curtain, to protect the leaders from identification, not everyone at the meeting could actually say correctly what actually was the situation in this respect, beggars belief that these people were conducting peace talks

[MikeOboe57]

"Some couldn't even remember their own aliases as the conversation went on,"

The People's Front of Judea comes to my mind.

[OzMick]

Ah yes, the right of justice. Which of course, is more important than the right to life.

[khunken]

Ah yes, the right of justice. Which of course, is more important than the right to life.

Ah, but sometimes they are the same.

[justathought]

"One delegate, Prince of Songkla University Prof Srisompob Jitpiromsri, said the insurgents told them about the woes and pains of the past and the reasons behind their fight, as well as citing various injustices over the year"

INJUSTICE always leads to fights. Even when told this so many times face to face, the Thai government fails miserably is grasping the problem. I do not believe the elite ruling class in Thailand cannot understand this basic human nature. I believe they have no intention in seeing peace. This scenario is not only confined to Thailand. We see it in the middle east, China (Tibet), Australia (with the aborigines), India in Kashmir and so many other places. It is immensely frustrating for many of us who are normal tax payers to pay the continued price of some leaders continuing their unjust policies 'in our interest'.

Well I agree injustice can lead to fights.

So why don't they try to negotiate instead of indiscriminate killing?

Do u think the indiscriminate killing is only done by the muslims? Did you hear the story of the human rights lawyer who was kidnapped and killed by the Thai police? Do we have any idea of how many similar civilians are being killed by the Thai government and made it look as if it was a terrorist attack or a disappeareance? I think if I was in their shoes, I would find it very very difficult to trust the Thai army or government to discuss such an important matter as peace when I know wholeheartedly the history and crimes they have comited. In my opinion a government that commits such vicious crimes has lost all credibility (at least in the South). But civilians can change and as such they must always be taken at face value. I would not say the history of the Thai government is as bad as the taliban, but would you trust the taliban enough to talk about civil libertes as we know them to be and accept their guarantees knowing the personalities of the taliban? I think you would be wasting your time. Maybe the muslims in the south think the same way.

I believe they have already talked a lot with zero results. Now is the the time for the Thai government to show clearly they want peace to win their trust. But I do not see this happening. They sent an army chief to represent them, that in itself tells me that they are not thinking about peace.

[Soutpeel]

"Some couldn't even remember their own aliases as the conversation went on,"

The People's Front of Judea comes to my mind.

the Judean's Peoples Front surely ?...