Thai peace talks brokered by M'sia hit a dead end

[webfact]

ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Thai peace talks brokered by M'sia hit a dead end
The Star/Asia News Network



BANGKOK: -- The Malaysian-brokered peace deal between the Thai government and insurgents from Thailand's embattled southern region has hit a brick wall, with unreasonable demands by the militants cited as a key factor.

"They are making demands knowing the Thai government can never grant them," said Don Pathan, a security analyst base in Yala province in southern Thailand.

In a phone interview with The Star, he said the demands of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional Coordinate (BRN-C), which is in talks with Bangkok, included dropping the hunt for suspected militants and the granting of diplomatic immunity to the negotiators.

"Politically and legally speaking, it's impossible," he said.

According to Pathan, the BRN-C is one of the long-standing Malay-Muslim separatist organisations that surfaced in the late 1960s to take up arms against the Thai state.

He pointed out that Hassan Taib, the BRN-C "liaison officer" at the talks was not even in the inner circle of the insurgent group that emerged in the 2000s.

"He doesn't have command and control on the ground. The BRN-C is using him to antagonise the Thai government and see their reaction," said Pathan.

In February, the Yingluck Shinawatra government and BRN-C signed a deal in Kuala Lumpur to hold talks with one another. It was a historic deal as it was the first time Bangkok had agreed to meet the militants to end the nearly decade-long conflict. They have held several talks, the latest being on June 13 in Kuala Lumpur. However, the violence is still going on despite the talks.

Panitan Wattanayagon, a Chulalongkorn University security expert, said that both sides had to work on the planning and preparation stage first. He said both sides were not even at the negotiation stage yet, but had already come up with their own position and demands.

"It makes the process more complicated. The ground rules should be set for negotiations first." A hard position will be met by an even harder position. This is not good in the long run," said Panitan in an email to The Star.

He also said the peace process could not be achieved without Malaysia, which should be non-partisan. Since 2004, violence in Thailand’s three southern-most provinces - Yala, Patani and Narathiwat has resulted in more than 5300 people killed.

The three Muslim-dominated provinces were once part of a Malay Muslim sultanate until annexed by Thailand in 1909.

On Saturday, suspected Muslim rebels killed eight soldiers in a roadside bomb attack after Bangkok rejected demands for a ceasefire during Ramadan starting next month.


-- The Nation 2013-07-01

[rubl]

"Malaysian brokered peace talk"?

That's taking credit away from our dear criminal fugitive Thaksin. From 2013-03-01, the day before the Bangkok citizens got a chance to elect as new governor the (Thaksin thinks) Pheu Thai (acts) selected Pol. General Pongsapat:

"2013-03-01

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has played a role in an agreement towards peace process, signed between Thailand and a Muslim insurgent group in the Malaysian capital on Thursday, according to Thai and Malaysian prime ministers.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak expressed his appreciation to Mr Thaksin for pushing ahead with negotiations and said he hoped it will lead to enduring resolutions and peace in Thailand’s Muslim-predominant far South.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra confirmed her brother’s involvement which led to the signing of an agreement between Thailand and a southern militant group in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

“Like all Thai citizens, he (Mr Thaksin) wants peace in his home country. Please don’t misinterpret his intention,” she said. “This is a national agenda which everyone should have a hand in solving it. Don’t implicate it to politics.”

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/622698-thai-malaysian-leaders-say-thaksin-involved-in-peace-process/

[simple1]

The opinion of a security analyst is a headline? - reporting by The Nation is rediculous

Edited July 1, 2013 by simple1

[fxe1200]

"The three Muslim-dominated provinces were once part of a Malay Muslim sultanate until annexed by Thailand in 1909."

Moving out of the annexed provinces is obviously no option for Thai politics. Why? Inflexibility combined with greediness?

Or do they want more violence by creating more insurgents with initiating another event like "Tak Bai"? Who will understand Thai politics?

[hellodolly]

Defiantly the two sides are not even close on peace agreements.

Not that it matters.

The side that is creating all the violence in the southern three provinces is in no way involved in peace talks.

It is a three sided thing with the one causing the problems divided into different sides themselves.

[Thai at Heart]

Defiantly the two sides are not even close on peace agreements.

Not that it matters.

The side that is creating all the violence in the southern three provinces is in no way involved in peace talks.

It is a three sided thing with the one causing the problems divided into different sides themselves.

This isn't going to be solved in 2 months of chit chat

[Halion]

Never had a hope of getting of the ground and only goes to highlight yet another instance where it can be clearly demonstrated that the Government have absolutely no idea, resolve or strategy to deal with this Civil War zone in their own back yard..

Mt T getting involved was to be expected from this corrupted ,purile, attention seeking bleating bufoon.

[tomross46]

The three Muslim-dominated provinces were once part of a Malay Muslim sultanate until annexed by Thailand in 1909.

​The is factually incorrect Siam in 1909 gave portion of southern Siam to the colonialist British, and only the present 3 provinces remained. Siam gave up large portions of land to the colonial powers of Britain and France.

[fxe1200]

The three Muslim-dominated provinces were once part of a Malay Muslim sultanate until annexed by Thailand in 1909.

​The is factually incorrect Siam in 1909 gave portion of southern Siam to the colonialist British, and only the present 3 provinces remained. Siam gave up large portions of land to the colonial powers of Britain and France.

If I may believe Wikipedia:

Historically, Pattani province was the centre of the Malay Sultanate of Patani Darul Makrif. For centuries a tributary state of Siam, Siamese rule was officially acknowledged in 1909 by the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 negotiated with the British Empire. Both Yala (Jala) and Narathiwat (Menara) were originally part of Patani, but were made provinces of their own during the territorial administrative reform and the creation of a united centralized Siam state.

[Bluespunk]

In a phone interview with The Star, he said the demands of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional Coordinate (BRN-C), which is in talks with Bangkok, included dropping the hunt for suspected militants and the granting of diplomatic immunity to the negotiators.

While I despise the terrorist scum responsible for the appalling violence in the south, I fail to see why these two demands are singled out as so outrageous, while talks are ongoing at least.