Thai Army Chief Agrees To Talks With Rebel Groups

[Jai Dee]

Thai army chief agrees to talks with rebel groups

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP): The Thai army chief who staged last month's coup said Thursday he has agreed to hold the first talks with Muslim rebels since an insurgency erupted in 2004, an abrupt policy change from the administration of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin, who led the bloodless coup against Thaksin on Sept. 19, said that officials from certain rebel factions had contacted a top army commander and requested talks.

"I have agreed to the talks,'' Sondhi said. "I stress that these will be talks, not negotiations.'' He did not indicate if any date had been set.

One rebel leader, meanwhile, urged authorities to investigate Thaksin for crimes against humanity, saying the ousted leader should be tried at the International Court of Justice for alleged murders and disappearances of suspected insurgents.

"Thaksin Shinawatra's hands are full of blood,'' said exiled Muslim rebel leader Lukman B. Lima, head of the Pattani United Liberation Organization, one of several groups fighting for a separate Muslim state in southern Thailand.

In an e-mailed message from Sweden, Lukman said Thailand's incoming interim government will not be able to fully solve the divisions in the south unless they "bring Thaksin and some of his generals ... to the court of justice in the Hague.''

Thaksin's government, which came under harsh criticism for its strong-arm approach to the violence, had repeatedly declined to hold any talks with Muslim insurgents - a decision that had put him at odds with Sondhi who had urged a peaceful approach to ending the violence.

Thaksin, who was also accused of widespread corruption and abuse of power, was widely detested in Thailand's three Muslim-majority provinces where violence flared in January 2004. He deployed thousands of troops to the region, and shifted commanders and tactics many times. He ordered all-out manhunts for militants, armed teachers and villagers and imposed draconian laws.

Many moderate Muslims said that the conflict could never be resolved as long as he remained in power.

The government's heavy-handed response also bred discontent in the army that was one of the factors driving the military coup of Sept. 19. Less than three weeks before the coup, Sondhi had proposed talks with insurgents, but Thaksin's government shot down the idea.

"They see that only talks can end the violence,'' Sondhi said of the insurgents. "If they are seeking cooperation with us, that kind of approach is OK with me.''

Sondhi's coup was welcomed by many Thais, who saw the ouster of Thaksin as a good chance to resolve the bloody Muslim insurgency that has killed more than 1,700 people.

Sondhi, one of the few Muslims to rise to such a prominent position in Thailand, has been seen as a potential healing force for the conflict.

Violence has waxed and waned for decades in Thailand's three southernmost provinces - Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat - which were annexed a century ago from what had been an Islamic sultanate. They are the only provinces with Muslim majorities in predominantly Buddhist Thailand.

In October 2004, the government quashed a demonstration in the Tak Bai district of Narathiwat, arresting more than 1,000 men after subduing them with gunfire. About 85 people died, most of them in custody when they suffocated after being stacked prone four-to-six deep on trucks that were taking them to detention.

Source: Associated Press - 5 October 2006

[jdinasia]

Great news! Hope the talks lead to some real changes in the situation!

[silverhawk_usa]

Wasn't the Thaksin storyline that they did not know who the groups or leaders were that were causing the problems in the south and no one was taking credit for the unrest, or am I wrong?

[rick2548]

good news, Thailand will be a better place to stay soon.

[pascharay]

good news, Thailand will be a better place to stay soon.

Thaksin like his friend GW Bush doesn't beleive in talk, but the best way to settle a stand-off is through dialogue. Vioence only begets more violence.

[Jai Dee]

Thai Military Agrees to Talk With Muslim Rebels

Thailand's military has agreed to hold talks with Muslim rebels involved in an insurgency in the country's south, the powerful army chief said Thursday. The announcement marked a reversal of a policy held by the elected government that was deposed in a coup last month.

Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, who led the bloodless coup against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Sept. 19, said officials from certain rebel factions had contacted a top army officer and requested talks. He did not indicate whether any date had been set.

"I have agreed to the talks," Sonthi said. "I stress that these will be talks, not negotiations."

Wan Kadir Che Man, a leader of the Bersatu rebel group -- believed to be an umbrella group of Muslim insurgents -- confirmed that members of his organization had been in contact with "certain Thai authorities" about holding peace talks. However, he said in an e-mail that Bersatu had not yet received an official request to hold talks.

"But if the coming government handles it correctly, there is no reason why an internal conflict among ourselves could not be resolved," he wrote.

Leaders of the coup have appointed Surayud Chulanont, a former army commander, to serve as interim prime minister until an election promised for October 2007. Surayud is expected to name a cabinet next week.

Sonthi's coup was welcomed by many Thais, who saw the ouster of Thaksin as a good chance to end the bloody Muslim insurgency, which has killed more than 1,700 people.

Sonthi, one of the few Muslims in the country to rise to such a prominent position, has been seen as a potential healing force for the conflict. About 94 percent of Thailand's more than 64 million citizens are Buddhists. The country's three southernmost provinces are the only ones with Muslim majorities.

Source: Associated Press - Friday, October 6, 2006

[taxexile]

One rebel leader, meanwhile, urged authorities to investigate Thaksin for crimes against humanity, saying the ousted leader should be tried at the International Court of Justice for alleged murders and disappearances of suspected insurgents.

"Thaksin Shinawatra's hands are full of blood,'' said exiled Muslim rebel leader Lukman B. Lima, head of the Pattani United Liberation Organization, one of several groups fighting for a separate Muslim state in southern Thailand.

maybe lukman b. lima would also like to appear in court for his role in bombings , abductions , knifings , beheadings and shootings if innocents also.

exiled rebel leaders have no business accusing others of crimes against humanity.

talking to these insurgent/terrorist groups is in the main a wise move and could go a long way to solving the mess down there.

blair did it with the ira and that problem has all but disappeared now.

the problems occur though when rebel leader A talks to the government and agrees some kind of ceasefire/truce , but within a couple of days rebel leader B starts the bombing again under the guise of a newly named rebel group that supposedly has nothing to do with leader A's group.

(cf. the ira and the real ira)

[Jai Dee]

Officials caution the new government about holding talks with insurgent leaders

Leading officials caution that holding talks with leaders of insurgent groups in the three southernmost provinces as the action may elevate the status of such groups and gain them more credibility.

The director-general of the Department of Provincial Administration, Mr. Charnchai Sunthornmat (ชาญชัย สุนทรมัฎฐ), admitted that while holding talks with the leading elements of the southern insugent groups will provide the government with more information for utilization in solving the unrest, caution needed to be exercised as the talks may elevate the status of such groups and gain them more credibility.

The director-general also agreed with the re-establishment of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center or a similar institute in order to resolve the southern unrest.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 07 October 2006

[Tony Clifton]

Wasn't the Thaksin storyline that they did not know who the groups or leaders were that were causing the problems in the south and no one was taking credit for the unrest, or am I wrong?

Did not know OR did not care?

[konangrit]

blair did it with the ira and that problem has all but disappeared now.

That was John Major, although the Good Friday Agreement was signed a short time into Blairs first term.

[opothai]

leaders is the word i do not like.

how many factions are thier??

will they all have the same goal??

what concessions will thailand have to give and will they???

someone is calling for thaksins head,

who will admit the attrocious acts committed by the insurgents.

some one should be held accountable from both sides.

i will wish them well in the talks, it will be good for thailand if they can resolve thier differeces.

[sabaijai]

According to an acquaintance (himself a Muslim from Krabi, now in a relatively high BKK post and an assistant to Gen Sondhi) of mine who was in charge of the RTA command in the pre-Thaksin/TRT south, local mafiosos in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat began encouraging militant foreign and Thai dawahs (missionaries) after Thaksin came to power, to try and unsettle the region, embarrass and hopefully topple Thaksin/TRT, the ultimate objective being to get the police out and the army back in. It seems now they have their wish. But the question remains, will they be able to contain the fire they started?

[Kido]

Dr M helped arrange talks

BANGKOK: Former Malaysian prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad quietly helped arrange at least two meetings between Thai officials, including some generals, and Muslim separatist leaders on Malaysia's island of Langkawi, but the talks produced no major breakthrough, rebel and government sources said on Thursday.

A senior Thai security official and a prominent exiled leader from the Yawi Malay-speaking southern provinces were quick to downplay the significance of the Langkawi sessions – the last one held three months ago.

The sources said Dr Mahathir was not in a position to push the peace process towards any meaningful end because he was no longer a government representative.

“There was nothing special about the meetings. Dr Mahathir was just acting in his capacity as a private person, although it was difficult for anybody to decline an invitation,” a rebel source said.

Many of the militant leaders reportedly reside in northern Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur consistently denies any involvement with the insurgency in southern Thailand.

In September last year, amid a war of words between Thailand and Malaysia over the 131 Thai Muslim villagers who fled their homes and took refuge in northern Malaysia, then Thai defence minister Thamarak Isarangura assailed Dr Mahathir, telling reporters that Muslim insurgents had been holding meetings in Langkawi.

Army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin confirmed that insurgents had indicated that they would like to engage with Thai officials, but declined to single out any separatist organisation.

“This will not be a negotiation. We will just talk, to find solutions,” said Sonthi, who heads the Council of National Security – the military junta behind the Sept 19 coup.

Sonthi said he had assigned Fourth Army Area commander Lt-Gen Viroj Buachoroon to consider the appropriate officials to represent the Thai side.

“If we have a chance to talk to each other, that could be the way to solve the problem,” Sonthi said.

One of the leading separatist movements, the Patani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo), agreed with the new conciliatory approach in principle but declined to say what would be put on the table for discussion.

“Pulo has not been officially contacted by the Thai government for any dialogue, but Pulo welcomes the opportunity to exchange views (with Thai officials),” said Kasturi Mahkota, Pulo's foreign affairs chief.

In a statement dated Sept 1, Kasturi said Pulo welcomed Sonthi's proposal to enter into a dialogue with the Malays' “liberation movements ? provided that there must be sincere commitment from the Thai government in handling the problem-solving process.”

Pulo laid out several preconditions: the discussions must be facilitated by a third party, the “liberation movement's delegation must be considered (by the Thai government as) official,” and immunity must be granted fully to the movements' delegation.

Kasturi also told The Nation that Pulo was willing to settle for something less than full independence for the “deep South.”

Sonthi's announcement was seen as an abrupt policy change from the administration of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra but in fact, said rebel and official sources, several informal encounters between officials and rebel leaders had been staged in various places in European cities.

Agence-France Presse quoted a Thai official as saying Thai authorities would hold talks with two insurgent groups early next month.

“Core leaders of both the Patani United Liberation Organisation and Bersatu have contacted us through senior figures in Malaysia to propose peace talks,” the official said.

“Negotiations are expected to take place in one month after the Cabinet is named, so possibly in early November, and negotiations would be organised in a neutral country like Singapore,” the official said.

. – The Nation / Asia News Network

[ding]

Is it possible to logically reason with religious fanatics?

Is it possible to sue for peace with a terrorist?

Pray they are not cemented in that vein, yet.

For their sakes, the innocents' sakes, and for the sake of the Kingdom.

Do what you can, I guess, and accept what you must do after sincerely trying.

I wish them the best of luck.

[ColPyat]

Is it possible to logically reason with religious fanatics?

Is it possible to sue for peace with a terrorist?

They are neither religious fanatics nor terrorists of the intenational jihad.

They are traditional ethnic insurgents who employ the methods and tactics of terror.

Yes, it is not just possible but highly likely that peace can be made during negotiations, as the example of Aceh has shown, in which conflict the insurgents were Muslims as well.

[ding]

Thanks ColPyat, that's encouraging.

I've been aware of the seperatist movement for some years, but it seemed to have turned more radical in recent years. Not knowing any PULO members myself, it looked like they may be getting radicalized. That's just from what I've read and from the general dynamics of the day, however.

Edited October 8, 2006 by ding

[Pakboong]

I wish them luck as well. A very complex problem that at any cost must be kept out of the northern provinces. I must say that Thaksin was aware of the magnitude of the problem and did his best to live with it.

The only person I have heard publicly talk about the outside sources at play in this matter was the wife of the lawyer who was abducted in 2004. I forget the name. There are others to include Thaksin and perhaps those very close to him. With the west having a major need to have Muslims singled out as the world's bad guys, this will be hard to fix. A huge amount of money is spent year-round and world wide making this particular statement. Controling it and minimizing damage may be all one can hope for.