SOUTH CRISIS
NGOs called upon to condemn 'inhumane attacks'
Supitcha Rattana,
Narong Nuansakul
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Authorities are calling on human-rights agencies and non-government groups to condemn the violence in the deep South, while also helping to protect the rights and freedom of people in the restive region.

Colonel Pramote Prom-in, spokesman for the Forward Command of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) Region 4, made the plea after several bloody attacks took place on Saturday, leaving at least five people dead.

"These were inhumane attacks," Pramote said.

He also urged people not to believe in rumours that security officials were behind the attacks. He explained that the attackers wore what looked like the uniforms of security officials, but they were not officials at all.

"They tried to pass the blame on to the authorities," Pramote said. "Don't fall victim to their deceptive ploys."

He said people in all sectors should come forward and stand up for human rights by condemning the use of violence and advocating a peaceful approach to ending unrest in the deep South.

"It is a peaceful solution that will be sustainable in the long term," Pramote said.

Meanwhile, security officials rushed to a Tessaban 3 School in Sungai Kolok in Narathiwat yesterday, after someone painted a threatening message saying, "Run RKK Bak [sic]", in red on the schools' cement floor.

The officials cordoned off the school for about half an hour and scoured the area but found nothing suspicious. Authorities believe the group behind the threatening message was linked to Saturday's bomb attack in Sungai Kolok town, which injured eight victims.

Since violence in the deep South erupted in early 2004, it has claimed more than 5,000 lives. Thai authorities have been struggling to contain the unrest.

A peace dialogue with the separatists' de facto leaders, the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), has not yet yielded results, as both sides have been insincere to each other, academics said yesterday at a seminar hosted by the Thai Journalists Association.

The BRN is at a crossroads. It needs decisive strategies for the peace talks, Islamic politics, and the Arab Spring, said researcher Chiraporn Ngamlertsupakorn, who has conducted research on the BRN's ultimate goals including its stance on peace.

The BRN has a clear mandate to use Islamic ideology to liberate the southern-most provinces from Thailand, she added.

Ekachai Srivilas of King Prachatipok Institute said peace talks between the BRN and the government had been taking place for some time, but never achieved their objective as authorities never implemented agreements. Authorities should consider the BRN proposals seriously as half of population in the deep South was on the side of the separatists, he said.

Chaiwat Satha-Anand from Thammasat University suggested that both sides should consider "peace dialogue", rather than "negotiation" to bring lasting peace to the region. A peace dialogue was a political process to reduce violence, he said.


-- The Nation 2013-08-26

Any form of violent attack is "inhuman"

calling on human-rights agencies and non-government groups to condemn the violence in the deep South

That will fix the problem for sure

Why can't the military just roll in and take them on?

Aslong as there are extremists on both sides there is no chanse for peace . Poeple suffer , but they don't care about . Ideologie is what drives them .

The Thai south is heating up now with global visibility.

Too many NGO's spoil the soup...as Cambodia will attest to.

Why can't the military just roll in and take them on?

They haven't gotten permission from the NWO.

...this is political.....GMO's have no place in this....

...this government keeps making big announcements, pronouncements, like they have answers....

.....all talk and no substance...

...why doesn't The Prime Minister go negotiate....she is such a champion of justice, etc....

...this is political.....GMO's have no place in this....

...this government keeps making big announcements, pronouncements, like they have answers....

.....all talk and no substance...

...why doesn't The Prime Minister go negotiate....she is such a champion of justice, etc....

They tried that from a ridiculous stand if doing it publicly and allowing the separatists to control the public discourse.

Of course there would be nothing to have learnt from other countries experience in such matters.

A terrorist group making public demands and the Thai officials scrabbling around in public to work out what their answer should be. Dumb and dumber....

"What we need are more humane killers", from the book/movie "How I Won the War"

Why can't the military just roll in and take them on?

Simply because the Thai state lacks legitimacy/the right to rule in these regions -formerly the State/Sultany of Pattani (Google it and you will see why there is so much hatred toward the Thai state). In my humble view Thailand needs to cede territory to solve this monumental problem. If they cannot do so then bring in the Norweigans and other peacemakers to try and resolve this age old conflict .Thais are unable to solve this alone. Stop the slaughter of innocent Thai soldiers also.

...this is political.....GMO's have no place in this....

...this government keeps making big announcements, pronouncements, like they have answers....

.....all talk and no substance...

...why doesn't The Prime Minister go negotiate....she is such a champion of justice, etc....

She cant just go and 'negiotiate" as she has nothing to offer.