Thai editorial: However you spin it, the peace process is dead

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
However you spin it, THE PEACE PROCESS IS DEAD



Separatists in the South saw through the government's clumsy attempts to whitewash the past right from the start

BANGKOK: -- The deep South peace process that was hastily put together and announced on February 28 is dead, but one wonders how many more violent deaths it will take before the government accepts this reality.

It was initially billed as a "dialogue" aimed at building confidence before the actual negotiations took place.

But it didn't take long before things began to crumble. The so-called Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) group took up microphone diplomacy to make its case. Thai officials responded in the same manner. Before we knew it, the whole thing became a political circus aired in public.

Today, more than six months after launching its bid for peace through dialogue with the separatists, the government is quickly running out of spin, sound bites and anything else that might make sense to the public.

It never occurred to the Thai side that these insurgents, along with their political leaders living abroad, could see through the insincerity of the government right from the fanfare of the talks' launch.

While key agencies like the Foreign Ministry and the Army were kept in the dark about the initiative until the last minute, the government mobilised politicians in its southern network without questioning their credibility or how they were perceived by the separatists.

The government also approached prominent local Islamic figures, including the Ulema Council of Fatoni and the leaders of a youth network. Both groups were deemed important because they have the trust of the local community. The fact that they share the same geographical space as the insurgents would indeed make them important dialogue partners.

But the two groups gave the government the cold shoulder, saying the initiative was somewhere between a hoax and a leap of faith.

Moreover, the assassination of Imam Abdullateh Todir last November, reportedly by a pro-government death squad, confirmed their point that sticking their neck out for the government was not a safe bet.

To a significant number of people - Thai and Malaysian government officials, separatists and other stakeholders - the latest peace talks were merely a bid to wash the bloody stain from ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra's past handling of the conflict.

After the Krue Se stand-off and the Tak Bai massacre, as well as the use of abduction and extrajudicial and target killings, the separatists aren't about to let bygones be bygones.

Thaksin thought he could sweet-talk the separatist leaders when he met with about 16 of them in Kuala Lumpur in March 2012.

Participants reported that he didn't apologise for the atrocities committed during his time in office. In fact, he brushed aside his questionable tactics by blaming Thai bureaucrats for "giving him wrong information".

Two weeks later the militants taught Thaksin and his crew a nasty lesson. An entire street in Yala was devastated by three car bombs, while at the same time another went off in the basement of a downtown hotel in Hat Yai. More than a dozen people were killed and well over 100 injured.

The message was clear: You can't artificially jumpstart a peace process with men who have no command and control on the ground.

And it makes no sense whatsoever to try and verify such command after going public with your "peacemaking" intention.


-- The Nation 2013-09-13

[Tatsujin]

Separatists in the South saw through the government's clumsy attempts to whitewash the past right from the start.

Shame the rest of Thailand doesn't see through all these "quick fix" policies and initiatives.

[hellodolly]

Separatists in the South saw through the government's clumsy attempts to whitewash the past right from the start.

Shame the rest of Thailand doesn't see through all these "quick fix" policies and initiatives.

I seriously wonder how much of the rest of the nation even thinks about it. Lets face it we are on a forum where we can exchange are feelings on the subject and do so. Most of the nation only read an article in the news paper and then forget it. Like as if that is the way it is and always was and will continue to be. They will see a report on TV and forget it like as if that is another country.

The people in the southern provinces are very aware of it but sadly that is about as far as it goes.

[Dr Robert]

It's a really difficult problem which has become entrenched because it was not addressed early enough or managed properly when the first signs of unrest became clear. Now it is becoming very serious and threatens stability in the whole country.

Extra judicial murders, targeting senior clerics and lies have led to generally mistrustful relations and any any in-faith discussions cannot begin. There needs to be a circuit breaker, a third party peacemaker introduced. I thought Tony Blair was going to do it, but he proved to be a powerless useless waste of space. Maybe the UN has a role here. Call for help, admit the problem and get this calamity sorted before it engulfs us all.

[noitom]

It is amazing how the Thais keep this separatist insurgency and terrorism out of the world press coverage. It is truly an astonishing illustration of Thai sidestepping, camouflage, and suppression tactics. Where are all those so-called professional journalists who drink at the bar at the FCCT all the time? Where are the journalists who cover this revolution in the Thai south?

[rametindallas]

Has this government ever once admitted that something they did wasn't a success? Have they ever admitted they did anything wrong or maybe underestimated or overestimated or made any mistakes?

[Siripon]

Has this government ever once admitted that something they did wasn't a success? Have they ever admitted they did anything wrong or maybe underestimated or overestimated or made any mistakes?

This government hasn't even 'admitted' its performance over the first year yet. The Constitution states the government should report its achievements to Parliament once a year.

2 years on and..... nothing..

Regarding errors- the arrogance of Thaksin will never allow him to admit a mistake, and regarding the South he made so many.

[samran]

It is amazing how the Thais keep this separatist insurgency and terrorism out of the world press coverage. It is truly an astonishing illustration of Thai sidestepping, camouflage, and suppression tactics. Where are all those so-called professional journalists who drink at the bar at the FCCT all the time? Where are the journalists who cover this revolution in the Thai south?

The "Thai's" aren't doing anything to keep this out of global press coverage. This isn't North Korea or Burma.

The rest of the world just doesn't care.

Edited September 13, 2013 by samran

[tingtongteesood]

No peace, no reconciliation, no justice, all Thailand has left is....I won't finish my thought...

[simple1]

It is amazing how the Thais keep this separatist insurgency and terrorism out of the world press coverage. It is truly an astonishing illustration of Thai sidestepping, camouflage, and suppression tactics. Where are all those so-called professional journalists who drink at the bar at the FCCT all the time? Where are the journalists who cover this revolution in the Thai south?

Sorry to get personal, but you keep posting the same questions that have been already answered - one last time some quick examples of global media organisations that have covered the deep South, with a byline of BKK...

CNN

Time

Independent

BBC

Edited September 13, 2013 by Scott

[EricBerg]

Can anyone give an example from modern history, where giving in to millitant/terrorist groups brought peace?

[MB1]

Can anyone give an example from modern history, where giving in to millitant/terrorist groups brought peace?

I'll have a go and say the peace process of Northern Ireland, just go back to the 70's and 80's and see what troubles there were then and now look at how things are today..

[simple1]

Can anyone give an example from modern history, where giving in to millitant/terrorist groups brought peace?

Depends on your definition of "giving in", covered in depth at http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9351/index1.html

[EricBerg]

Can anyone give an example from modern history, where giving in to millitant/terrorist groups brought peace?

I'll have a go and say the peace process of Northern Ireland, just go back to the 70's and 80's and see what troubles there were then and now look at how things are today..

A perhaps more cinical look at the IRA giving up is the oppression and intimidation of the Ulster people over the decades. The population got too tired of it all and IRA lost much support. Fundings apparently hardly got less.

A similar thing one can see among palestinian people. Ultra hardcore Hamas could be compared with real ira. Losing support from the people more and more. Attacks lead to sledgehammer reactions from the Israelis under which the common people suffer. Hamas leadership negotiates sort of a truce with their main demand that Israel stops targetting Hamas leaders.

[EricBerg]

Can anyone give an example from modern history, where giving in to millitant/terrorist groups brought peace?

Depends on your definition of "giving in", covered in depth at http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9351/index1.html

Thanks, the article looks interesting. The 43% (politics) seem mainly based on groups with "narrow policy goals". That doesn't work for groups like Al Qaida, Hamas, IRA, Baader-Meinhof, Red Brigades. All those ended in my view by oppression and policing. Al Qaida didn't yet end, however doesn't have effective attacks in europe/usa for quite some time now. So it seems their action radius got less.

[I Like Thai]

Separatists in the South saw through the government's clumsy attempts to whitewash the past right from the start.

Shame the rest of Thailand doesn't see through all these "quick fix" policies and initiatives.

Then why do TV members demand and expect "quick fix" answers. Then rant and rave when they don't get it.?

[Tatsujin]

Separatists in the South saw through the government's clumsy attempts to whitewash the past right from the start.

Shame the rest of Thailand doesn't see through all these "quick fix" policies and initiatives.

Then why do TV members demand and expect "quick fix" answers. Then rant and rave when they don't get it.?

Not sure I agree with you that TV members "demand" anything at all . . . from what I see, most foreigners here see the longer view of things, rather than the very typical shortsighted Thai way of doing things is all.

[Noistar]

Separatists in the South saw through the government's clumsy attempts to whitewash the past right from the start.

Shame the rest of Thailand doesn't see through all these "quick fix" policies and initiatives.

Then why do TV members demand and expect "quick fix" answers. Then rant and rave when they don't get it.?

I don't think forum members demand any 'quick fixes'.

A sincere policy from the government would be a start, but 'thinking' to resolve problems, isn't, IMO, a Thai strong-point.

Throw money at something and they're in their element. Beyond that, government seems to be clueless.

[hellodolly]

It's a really difficult problem which has become entrenched because it was not addressed early enough or managed properly when the first signs of unrest became clear. Now it is becoming very serious and threatens stability in the whole country.

Extra judicial murders, targeting senior clerics and lies have led to generally mistrustful relations and any any in-faith discussions cannot begin. There needs to be a circuit breaker, a third party peacemaker introduced. I thought Tony Blair was going to do it, but he proved to be a powerless useless waste of space. Maybe the UN has a role here. Call for help, admit the problem and get this calamity sorted before it engulfs us all.

I agree with you.

It was my belief that Yingluck had a unique position where in she could have been the third party but instead chose to stick to selling rotten rice and world class shopping.

[hellodolly]

It is amazing how the Thais keep this separatist insurgency and terrorism out of the world press coverage. It is truly an astonishing illustration of Thai sidestepping, camouflage, and suppression tactics. Where are all those so-called professional journalists who drink at the bar at the FCCT all the time? Where are the journalists who cover this revolution in the Thai south?

Not exactly sure that is true.

I don't read the Thai news papers or understand the Thai news.

But I do know that when I moved here 7 years ago a friend of mine in Oz told me to be careful as they had a lot of news about bad things happening in Thailand. I did not and still do not take that to mean corruption. It has become so common now that it is no longer news to the papers.

Pull all the armies out of the Muslim countries and see how quick the reports of terrorist bombs and killings disappear. The press is looking for some thing that is new and will attract people to buy their paper. People now a days just take it for granted that some Muslim in the south is going to off some body on the average of one a day over what their Koran says. They have the goal of a separate country run by Sharia Law.