Words sentences that are offensive

[Lite Beer]

EDITORIAL
Stumbling at the very outset
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Lack of diplomacy marring peace talks between southern umbrella organisation and Thai government

The ongoing peace talks between the Thai government and a recently launched umbrella organisation, MARA Patani, is evolving into a spitting contest as Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and representatives from the separatist movement take up microphone diplomacy to make their case.

The sad thing about this is that the formal negotiations have not even begun.

About three weeks ago, MARA Patani met at an informal "pre-talk" session with a Thai "Dialogue Panel" led by chief negotiator General Aksara Kherdphol. After the talks, MARA Patani introduced themselves to the media at a press conference represented by leaders from six different organisations.

MARA Patani issued three demands for the pre-talks to become formal negotiations: Recognise MARA Patani as an official entity; grant immunity to all MARA Patani representatives; and designate the peace talks on the national agenda by Parliament.

Ten days later, Abdulkarim Khalid, member of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN)'s youth wing who had sat in the previous round of talks initiated by the former government of Yingluck Shinawatra, issued a strongly worded statement on YouTube, slamming the Thai state of being cruel and insincere in its policy towards the Malay-speaking region of the southernmost border provinces.

Thai officials and MARA Patani members tried to play down Abdulkarim's statement, saying while he was attacking the state, he did not specifically single out peace talks between the government and umbrella organisations.

Nevertheless, Abdulrahman's statement is a testimony to the difficulties that lie ahead for the dialogue process that was about to get off the ground.

But before the initiative could go anywhere, Prayut decided to pour cold water on the three demands.

He said there was no need to make the talks a national agenda because it already exists on the national agenda. But then again, just about every issue in Thailand is a "national agenda" so one wondered how important the conflict in the deep South is for this government.

Prayut shied away from the issue of immunity, probably because he wants to keep this big stick with him in case the peace process doesn't go the way he wants it to. But this is not very surprising because the junta, regardless of the issue at hand, has shown that they have difficulty understanding logic or accountability.

When pressed by reporters about the acceptance of the three points, Prayut shot back and asked if he was to grant MARA Patani these three demands, would the violence end and the conflict be resolved? This is what you call negotiation.

For the record, Prayut is not saying there will be no more talks. He is saying there has to be a new understanding between the two sides before the process can move further.

First thing is the need to establish confidence-building measures (CBMs). This is sensible. But what he didn't say is that just about every administration that comes to power, always goes back to square one with a brand new team of negotiators and its CBMs all over again.

To call it a let down would be an understatement if one looks at it from the perspective of the separatist movements.

Prayut also stated that inclusiveness is still lacking, pointing out that not all separatist movements have joined or agreed with the MARA Patani forum. Khalid's video statement is a testimony of that. And even though he did not single out MARA Patani, his statement undermined the so-called BRN representatives who had joined the umbrella organisation.

Khalid is not a non-entity. He had taken part in the peace talks launched by the Yingluck government.

Kasturi Mahkota, the president of one of the three Patani United Liberation Organisation, blasted Prayut's outburst as "unprofessional", saying official channels of communication should have been used to relay the message, not through the public microphone.

But then again, there has not been any professionalism among the Thai negotiators, whether it's this government or the previous one.

Unfortunately, Bangkok never had a policy regarding the southern conflict. It has an attitude, sometimes confusing it with good intention, but never a meaningful policy that addressed the issue of historical mistrust and grievances of the Malays of Patani and how the state and the Muslims there could overcome these differences.

Like the previous policymakers, the current crop of junta is too full of themselves and don't seem to realise that their inflated ego, as well as their ethno-centric nation-state construct, is costing the lives of their own men, as well as innocent bystanders. More than 6,000 have died from this wave of insurgency violence that has been in full swing since January 2004.

The junta and the future government of Bangkok can talk to the armed separatists all they want - even into the next life, as Prayut said he was willing to do.

But if they don't realise that their state policy of assimilation is the problem, then there is not much hope for peace.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Stumbling-at-the-very-outset-30268680.html

-- The Nation 2015-09-13

[Reigntax]

To have peace talks both sides need to listen but the general only likes hearing his own voice, one side doing the talking and the other listening.

Mirror, mirror on the wall.....

Edited September 12, 2015 by Reigntax

[Seastallion]

I get the feeling that the figure of 6000 dead is not a motivating factor for the government to do anything. They more than likely see the figure as closer to less than a hundred because they don't consider that the 5900 Muslim are their problem, only the 100 odd Thais....and 100? Hey that's one day on the roads during Songkran, mai mee ban ha.

[Puwa]

Never had a policy, only an attitude. That's a nice turn of phrase, especially for The Nation.

[jaywalker]

I thought they had seen me leaving the bar.

[seajae]

if these terrorists are serious then they need to show it, still killing and bombing innocents is not thew way to do it. If they really want to end this and get somewhere then they need to make an agreement to do so and to stick to it, if after a set time there are no more deaths etc then the thai govt need to be able to give them what they have a greed to, Granting amnesty to them before they abide by the agreement is simply bullsh*t, especially if they are still allowing bombings etc to happen. Do you pay your workers before they actually do the work or when they have completed it, people know very well that if you pay before hand the others simply dont do what they stated in many cases and just use what they have been given. The terrorists need to show they will stop the killings first and foremost.

[Srikcir]

"there has to be a new understanding between the two sides before the process can move further.

Not going to happen with the military controlling the government.

Prayut insists on unconditional surrender before peace talks. So there is nothing to motivate the insurgents to negotiations.

[anon4546543]

I don't think they will ever solve this issue. Too mant factions and no common cause. Well maybe there is a solution. Sell the two states to Malaysia and let it become their problem. But I doubt that Malaysia wants a bunch of radical murderers in their borders either.

[anotheruser]

To have peace talks both sides need to listen but the general only likes hearing his own voice, one side doing the talking and the other listening.

Mirror, mirror on the wall.....

What they need to do is bring in Donald J. Trump future POTUS to mediate on the behalf of both parties, because, sadly enough he probably makes more sense.

[englishoak]

Dont see why he just dosnt order them to be happy, works for the rest of the country apparently.

[MAJIC]

Trump is trying to turn the clock back to the days when women had no opinions,but listened to their husbands,money talked in those days and people listened. old views on who to let into the Country was also down to what use was the Immigrants to the Country in general?,if the use is not obvious,then prevent entry,such as Mexicans.

Trump has a very unique campaign i.e "Let's gets get back to the good old days" even though it failed miserably the first time round.Blatant Money thrown at the many problems is mean't to cure all the many problems,that's if you believe Trump,who can afford to lose many hundreds of Millions of $ to attempt to prove at best a dubious unworkable theory!