Thai South crisis: BRN's 'tough demands hidden from officials'

[webfact]

SOUTH CRISIS
BRN's 'tough demands hidden from officials'
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THE NATIONAL SECURITY Council received a list of five conditions for peace talks in the far South from the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) separatist group.

But the details - fully translated into English - were kept from Thai security agencies involved in the ongoing peace dialogue, allegedly because the conditions were difficult to accept and would have required parliamentary approval, according to a source from an agency who saw the document.

One of the conditions, known through a Youtube video posted by the BRN in April, is a demand that Malaysia's role be changed from the facilitator to mediator of peace talks. This would need approval from parliament, under Article 190 of the Constitution, which stipulates such a mandate for agreements relevant to foreign affairs, according to Gen Ekkachai Sriwilas, director of the Office for Peace and Governance under King Prajadhipok's Institute.

The source who saw the document, handed to the NSC by Malaysian authorities, said it was dated April 29, and had an English translation of the BRN's five preconditions, which he said contained several words that disfavoured Thai authorities. The terms used included "sovereignty", which is far-fetched and against the Constitution from a Thai points of view, and "self-determination", which is cited in a number of United Nations charters that eventually led to the creation of new states after World War II, the source explained.

All of these preconditions were beyond the authority of the NSC or other government agencies, and would require parliamentary scrutiny and eventual approval, as they would affect constitutional rights because the issues involve national security and sovereignty, regardless of the foreign affairs element required under Article 190.

The five insurgent demands were for Malaysia to have a role as mediator, not just facilitator; dialogue to continue on behalf of Pattani Malayu people led by BRN; to have observers from Asean, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, and NGOs, present during the talks; all detained insurgents to get unconditional release; and that BRN is recognised as liberators, not separatists.

Taking further action

Video messages on Youtube by BRN are regarded as informal messages, which do not require an official response from Thai authorities. But the document, translated into English and submitted through Malaysian authorities - as the facilitator, would lead to Thailand officially taking further action, as a partner in an ongoing peace dialogue, the source clarified.

Ekkachai explained that the release of all convicted insurgents and detained suspects would require amendments to several laws, which would require parliamentary scrutiny and approval.

General Samret Srirai, a special adviser to the Defence Ministry's Secretariat, said he, as a key adviser present during all three previous meetings with the BRN, had not seen any document from the BRN. "I only know about their demands through Youtube messages," he said.

Another source, from the Malaysian side, said he learned of the BRN's submission of the document in April through the "chief negotiator" on Thailand's side, but noted it had not been distributed to Thai agencies and the preconditions never discussed among them. "There is only a list of BRN preconditions translated informally into Thai, being discussed unofficially so far," the Malaysian source said.

Ekkachai said the BRN preconditions, however hard-to-accept, were regarded as practical and worthy of further consideration, because it was a top-line tactic by the demander setting maximum conditions for further bargaining.

"There is another type of preconditions known as base-line, which offer basic or minimal conditions by the demander," he explained.

"Interpreting the preconditions should not be done with pessimism, but rather through practicality, which could drive forward the ongoing peace dialogue," he said.


-- The Nation 2013-08-19

[noitom]

This is a real circus. The true intention and demands were "hidden" from the Thais because the demands would have required parliamentary approval. So the BRN perceives that they could blow one by, and the Thais weren't astute enough to smoke out their true intentions.

[tomross46]

One persons terrorist is another persons freedom fighter. More and more young Thais are being trained in foreign countries to be freedom fighters.

[mca]

http://notthenation.com/2013/03/southern-insurgents-promise-to-make-actual-demands-by-2017/

[nami]

Maybe I have an oversimplistic view, but I am quite sure all this problem could be easily solved if there was real will. People in the south are being systematically humiliated, and their culture and language denied, what did you expect? For me it is as easy as conducting 50% of the school classes in Thai and the other half in their language. Make the language co official with Thai in that region. If Buddhism is taught in school, change it to religion and let the students choose Buddhism or Islam. Create some sort of local "government", with local leaders and a certain degree of autonomy; something that will allow these people to address THEIR issues instead of waiting for a central government who doesn't know the reality there or even care about it.

I don't really know if all this is about saving face or are there some hidden interest on arms dealing or whatever, it looks so easy to finish with it.

[hellodolly]

The BRN are just a smoke screen there is no real will for peace in the south. Peace in the South will only come from the people them selves. As long as they are willing to stand by and watch with out reporting the guilty parties to the authorities there will be no peace.

There is a history of violence in the South but before Thaksin it was not that prevalent. I am not sure but I seriously doubt that countries were putting out warnings against traveling there prior to Thaksin.

I admit I do not have the facts but I do know that it has only been the last ten years where it has become a daily occurrence.

Ten years 6,000 dead about 1.5 a day. I wonder what the murder rate outside of the terrorism rate is in the same area.

[rijb]

Drinking the kool-aid can make you allergic to facts.

[Zolt]

Maybe I have an oversimplistic view, but I am quite sure all this problem could be easily solved if there was real will. People in the south are being systematically humiliated, and their culture and language denied, what did you expect? For me it is as easy as conducting 50% of the school classes in Thai and the other half in their language. Make the language co official with Thai in that region. If Buddhism is taught in school, change it to religion and let the students choose Buddhism or Islam. Create some sort of local "government", with local leaders and a certain degree of autonomy; something that will allow these people to address THEIR issues instead of waiting for a central government who doesn't know the reality there or even care about it.

I don't really know if all this is about saving face or are there some hidden interest on arms dealing or whatever, it looks so easy to finish with it.

All the points you cite are perfectly reasonable, and are exactly what the Thai authorities are trying to avoid at all costs.

[simple1]

Maybe I have an oversimplistic view, but I am quite sure all this problem could be easily solved if there was real will. People in the south are being systematically humiliated, and their culture and language denied, what did you expect? For me it is as easy as conducting 50% of the school classes in Thai and the other half in their language. Make the language co official with Thai in that region. If Buddhism is taught in school, change it to religion and let the students choose Buddhism or Islam. Create some sort of local "government", with local leaders and a certain degree of autonomy; something that will allow these people to address THEIR issues instead of waiting for a central government who doesn't know the reality there or even care about it.

I don't really know if all this is about saving face or are there some hidden interest on arms dealing or whatever, it looks so easy to finish with it.

A fair amount of the killings are attributed to drug / smuggling gangs as well as settling business disputes the Thai way. In addition Thai death squads are also involved by tracking down and killing those who have been arrested and subsequently released for lack of evidence, amongst other activities. This does not diminish the murders by the armed wings of the so called insurgents.

You may find the content at the URL below interesting for the Thai government presentation of the locals view to acheive a roadmap for peace.

http://thailand.prd.go.th/view_news.php?id=6809&a=2

[Publicus]

The Diplomat magazine has a low opinion of Thai negotiating skills in the piece linked below.

Thais for instance keep saying they have to get action by the parliament and examine constitutional issues etc. The laws that are affected by the negotiations should already have provisions for amnesty, pardon, suspension of sentence, early release etc etc.

And since when have Thais ever been sincere about their constitution, all 17 of 'em or whatever the number is at this point?

In other words, the Thais are full of it. And I have absolutely no sympathy for the insurgents. I happen to believe Thailand would be a better place without the three worst provinces anyway.

In an independent view from outside of Thailand and the deep South, The Diplomat article seems to suggest what's going on - or what's not going on.

Thais don't want to agree with anyone on anything. Everything has to be 100% Thai and in the Thai way. It's the Thai way or the highway.

Thai Negotiating Skills Found Wanting

http://thediplomat.com/asean-beat/2013/08/17/thai-negotiating-skills-found-wanting/

After years of offering little more than band-aid solutions to the bloody insurgency in Thailand’s deep south, Yingluck got serious and opted to bring in the Malaysians hoping their Islamic credentials would reinvigorate peace talks and entice separatists to the bargaining table. It failed.

Yingluck has not fared any better in attempting to resolve the spillover from Burma’s atrocious treatment of its Muslim Rohingya population.

Apart from Malaysia and Burma, Thailand also has major issues along its borders with Cambodia, where a decision by the international courts is expected shortly over sovereign control of the land surrounding the Preah Vihear temples in Cambodia.

Edited August 19, 2013 by Publicus

[simple1]

Publicus: The Thai government would be unable "to get rid of the three worst provinces" as it would be in breach of the current Thai Constitution. In any case this will not happen as it would be contrary to Thai Buddhist nationalism expressed as "nation-religion-king". If the Thai government and the various insurgency groups can get their act together and actually want to acheive peace, it has been proposed the way forward could be the same model of self-governance as Pattaya & Bangkok.