NSC chief denies ceasefire breached

[Lite Beer]

SOUTH CRISIS
NSC chief denies ceasefire breached
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Paradorn: Killing of 'insurgent' by security forces was self-defence

The authorities yesterday rejected the claim by a separatist group that Thai security forces have breached a ceasefire agreement during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

National Security Council (NSC) secretarygeneral Lt General Paradorn Pattanathabutr yesterday said Thailand has not violated the agreement made with Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN). He said the killing of a suspected insurgent in Narathiwat was part of an operation that followed a militant attack on soldiers.

Paradorn's remarks came after news reports that BRN negotiator Hassan Taib filed a complaint letter to Ahmad Zamzamin bin Hashim, former director of Malaysia’s External Intelligence Organisation who mediated talks between both sides. The letter said Thailand's alleged infringement forced the BRN to launch counterattacks.

Paradorn said he has not yet received a protest letter from BRN but has been initially informed by the Malaysian official regarding the letter.

Fourth Army Area commander Lt Gen Sakol Chuentrakoon said yesterday that soldiers in the deep South have only carried out safety patrols during the past 10 days of Ramadan without using force.

"We admit that we have doubt regarding violent incidents over the past 10 days of the Ramadan month. Many doubts… But the doubt must be answered," said Sakol, who is also director of the Fourth Region of the Internal Security Command Operation (Isoc).

Although he hasn't seen the formal protest letter issue by BRN himself yet, Sakol insisted that soldiers have used nonviolent means to maintain peace during this period. The letter of protest by BRN was submitted to Dato Seri Ahmad Zamzamin, the Malaysian counterpart who facilitates the peace negotiation. Hassan accused Thai military of violating the ceasefire agreement during the month of Ramadan, however. He said from Malaysia that although BRN were ceasing all shootings, people who face with criminal charges continued to be killed in the period, resulting in lack of confidence about the ceasefire agreement.

Government data shows that there have been 19 incident of violence between July 10 to 17 and the authorities are looking into the cause.

Colonel Pramote Promin, spokesperson for Isoc's advance command in the Fourth Army Area, insisted that most violence during the month of Ramadan so far were related to drugs and personal issues that not the use of force by the army and security officers.

Pramote cited the killing of Mayahali Ali, a former separatist who has since switched side and retrained. He said Ali had been helpful to the authorities and was likely killed to place blame and discredit the authorities. "We expressed our condolences to relatives of those who have been killed and would like to explain that officers' actions were in line with plans for emerging incidents and that they acted within the legal framework and under the principle of human rights," he said.

Paradorn reasserted that Thailand had not violated the agreement following Friday's killing of RKK leader Masupian Mama in Narathiwat. He explained that the killing occurred as both sides were exchanging gunfire. The security officials had no choice but to protect themselves.

"The approach of security operations searching for those who have outstanding arrest warrants has to continue and this was already informed to the BRN leaders during the previous negotiations," Paradorn said.

Meanwhile, Democrat MP Thaworn Senneam yesterday warned that the Thai government might suffer a setback following BRN protest alleging Thailand's violation of the ceasefire. He said the BRN could use this opportunity to relaunch violent attacks in the restive region.

-- The Nation 2013-07-21

[OzMick]

Masupian Mama - Kangaroo Noodle Soup?

[NongKhaiKid]

The government seems determined to insist that the truce is working and the excuses are the of the usual piss poor variety much loved by officialdom.

A couple of recent incidents may have been due to " domestic conflicts " an army spokesman said. ! ?

[Neilly]

Paradorn reasserted that Thailand had not violated the agreement following Friday's killing of RKK leader Masupian Mama in Narathiwat. He explained that the killing occurred as both sides were exchanging gunfire

'A ceasefire (or truce) is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions.'

Yep...it's broke ...next

[ramrod711]

Military kills an insurgent during a cease fire, I guess it's time to charge Yingluck with murder, I bet Tarit gets right on that.

[tomross46]

It is apparent than politicians do not understand "THE ART OF WAR". It is very interesting reading. The politicians all over do not understand that you can not defeat a terrorist organization with military power alone. The politicians keep telling the people, we will send in more military, more police.

None of the politicians have studied the problem, and done a true cause and affect analysis. You must understand what happened 100, 200 years ago. This is not a new problem, it has been going on for centuries. Malaysia had the problem in the 50's and 60's, when Malaysia cracked down the terrorist fled to Thailand, and now it is Thailand's problem,

Talking to representative of the terrorist in Malaysia, is like the talks to the Syrian terrorist. Who represents who, which faction are you talking to. There are so many factions in this mess, you will never get all to agree on anything. It is like getting a bunch of kids to agree which flavor of ice cream is beat. Also we must remember that politicians start wars, and people die. All wars are economics.

[simple1]

It is apparent than politicians do not understand "THE ART OF WAR". It is very interesting reading. The politicians all over do not understand that you can not defeat a terrorist organization with military power alone. The politicians keep telling the people, we will send in more military, more police.

None of the politicians have studied the problem, and done a true cause and affect analysis. You must understand what happened 100, 200 years ago. This is not a new problem, it has been going on for centuries. Malaysia had the problem in the 50's and 60's, when Malaysia cracked down the terrorist fled to Thailand, and now it is Thailand's problem,

Talking to representative of the terrorist in Malaysia, is like the talks to the Syrian terrorist. Who represents who, which faction are you talking to. There are so many factions in this mess, you will never get all to agree on anything. It is like getting a bunch of kids to agree which flavor of ice cream is beat. Also we must remember that politicians start wars, and people die. All wars are economics.

Not sure I understand your post. The first emergency finally ended in the late 1960s the rebellion was led by the Malaysian Communist Party.. The second emergency was during 1970's & 80's and formally ended when many in the remaining communist groups (Maoists & Marxist-Leninists) surrended to the Thai government in 1987, maybe they eventually renounced communism in favour of Islam.

Some very senior Thai politicians have publicly stated that only using military force will not bring about and end to the conflict. See URL below that talks to the methods used to finalise insurgency conflicts and the success rates.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9351/index1.html

Agree all parties trying to bring peace to the deep South have a major challenge as the various groups (9?) have armed militant cells. Let alone ending corruption that fuels the conflict. e.g. a former defence permanent secretary is now under investigation for being unusually wealthy by having 800 million baht in assets; was reported in the BKK Post a few days ago.