OIC chief appreciates government’s efforts to tackle southern unrest problem



BANGKOK: -- Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) chief has expressed his appreciation with the Thai government’s efforts and sincerity to resolve the unrest problem in the Deep South, said deputy government spokesman Maj-Gen Veerachon Sukhonthapatipark on Tuesday.

OIC chief Iyad bin Amin Madani paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha today during his visit to Thailand after Malaysia where he had an informal meeting with representatives of Mara Patani in Kuala Lumpur.

Maj-Gen Veerachon said the OIC chief suggested to the prime minister that the Thai government should resort to political mechanism and negotiations in the search for peace in the restive region.

The prime minister reportedly told the OIC chief that the government applied a two-pronged approach by promoting development in social, economic and educational aspects while engaging in peace dialogue process with separatist groups.

The OIC chief and the prime minister agreed that the Rohingya refugee problem must be solved at its source in line with human rights principle, said the deputy spokesman.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/oic-chief-appreciates-governments-efforts-to-tackle-southern-unrest-problem


-- Thai PBS 2016-01-13

"the OIC chief suggested to the prime minister that the Thai government should resort to political mechanism and negotiations in the search for peace in the restive region."

I guess he wouldn't agree with Prayut's Safe Zone concept to literally squeeze out the insurgency threat. Nor pehaps would he agree with the Army's so-called Thung Yang Daeng Model, "a half-baked strategy to outsource security responsibilities to local villagers via the Chor Ror Bor, village chiefs and Defence Volunteers, all of whom fall under the Interior Ministry's line of command." (The Nation 2015-11-26).