Thailand Mulls Lifting Martial Law

[george]

Thailand mulls lifting martial law, reducing police in troubled south

BANGKOK: - Thailand said Friday it was considering lifting martial law in the restive south and would cut police numbers in a bid to ease tensions following a wave of deadly violence.

Deputy prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said he discussed with the heads of the country's security agencies the possible measures in the four southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla.

At least 44 people, including soldiers, police, government officials and even Buddhist monks, have died during nearly two months of troubles in the Muslim-majority south, which borders Malaysia.

``We are considering lifting martial law district by district, in order to make residents more relaxed and so they can go out to work as usual,'' Chavalit said.

Nominal martial law has been in effect for years in parts of the south but was clamped into force in 22 districts the day after four soldiers died in a January 4 raid on a Narathiwat arms depot.

Thailand poured thousands of extra troops, security agents and police into the region but the violence raged unabated.

Authorities would also streamline the stretched police force in the south, where Chavalit said more than 10,000 officers were now on duty and residents have expressed their dissatisfaction over the heavy presence.

``We will reduce the forces by some 20 percent to use only a necessary number and in line with what residents want, as the heavy police presence could create pressure and misunderstanding,'' the deputy premier said.

Thailand's south, home to most of the Muslims who make up some five percent of the population, has been plagued by a separatist movement for decades but recently it had become ineffective.

However, the recent violence has raised fears that brutal new militant groups have sprung up under the influence of global terror networks.

On Tuesday Thai police announced the arrest of nine Muslim men suspected of mounting the deadly depot raid.

MEANWHILE, Thai police said Friday they have arrested and intend to charge a Muslim village chief on suspicion of being a member of a separatist group and involved in a spate of murders of security officials and others in Thailand's Muslim south.

Dolor Sengmasae, 57, the headman of a village in the Yala province, was arrested late Thursday. His detention sparked a protest Friday by about 300 people outside the Yala province police headquarters, where he was being held. The demonstrators claimed he was innocent.

Police whisked Dolor out the back of the police station during the protest and flew him to Bangkok for interrogation before formal charges are filed against him, police Lt. Gen. Kovit Wattana in Yala said.

``We have evidence and witnesses to prove that the suspect is actively involved in the violence and is a member of a separatist group,'' Kovit said in a telephone interview.

He refused to elaborate on Dolor's involvement in the violence.

At least 44 people have been killed since Jan. 4 when unidentified attackers torched 21 schools and raided an army arsenal and stole hundreds of weapons. Four soldiers were killed in the raid.

On Tuesday, police announced the arrest of nine Muslims for allegedly taking part in the Jan. 4 attacks on the schools and the army arsenal. They were charged with treason among other crimes, and five of them were shifted to Bangkok for interrogation by federal police.

Three southern provinces - Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala that border Malaysia - are the only Muslim dominated areas in this Buddhist country. An Islamic separatist movement in the region was put down in the late 80s, but violence resurfaced in 2001.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks but some government officials have blamed militant Muslim separatists with possible links to regional and international terror networks.

--AFP, AP 2004-02-28