Informal peace talks between government and separatist groups to resume in September

 

 

BANGKOK: -- According to Bernama, Malaysian national news agency, the two opposing sides have agreed on the terms of reference of the talks and would meet on September in KL.

 

At the last meeting on April 27, the Thai side refused to accept the ToR of the talk in which the separatist groups have wanted the Thai side to address them as Mara Patani instead of “people who think differently from the government”.

 

Also, it was reported that the Justice Ministry, Foreign Ministry and the National Security Council disagreed with Mara Patani’s demand for the Thai government to specify in the ToR the right to immunity of their representatives to the peace talks.

 

Bernama quoted Mara Patani spokesman as saying that he was confident that the resumption of peace talks would proceed regarding key issues.

 

An informed source said that the informal peace talks could develop into an official dialogue between the two sides.

 

Source: https://app.sproutsocial.com/feeds/twitter/georgebkk/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-08-23

I see this a little too late. The junta drop the ball for not consistently engaging the separatist groups in the talks. The discontinuity and delay in talks will not only lose the momentum but there will be lost in trust and the government sincerity. The new young radicals will not go by the rules of the older leaders and will want to set their own agenda and direction. The talks are futile until they identify who are the current leaders that has sway over these young radicals.   

14 hours ago, webfact said:

Source:

A source that requires a paid subscription?

14 hours ago, webfact said:

the resumption of peace talks would proceed regarding key issues.

Assuming that the military can get beyond its pettiness with the most basic issues stated in the article to set the stage for even informal talks. As it has stood in 2016:

No immunity for insurengent representatives during the talks.

No national recognition of the insurgents demands.

No international recognition of any talks.

All insurgent activities to cease and lasting for a period TBD by the RTM

No recognition of the name for insurgents to be addressed in the talks.

The so-called inform source is likely the RTM spokesman regurgitating military propoganda with no meaningful content.

 

 

 

Good luck with that one.

 

I can visualise a Peacetalks outcome... 

 

... to end up along the same lines as what happened to the Separatists in Sri lanka