Peace talks with MARA Patani to go ahead

[webfact]

SOUTH CRISIS

Peace talks with MARA Patani to go ahead

THE NATION 

 

 

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND’S peace dialogue in Malaysia with MARA Patani, an umbrella organisation of insurgent groups, will go ahead today as scheduled, despite the recent spate of arson and bomb attacks in the seven provinces and a car bomb in Pattani.

 

However, in confirming the talks yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan said the talks would not result in the signing of any concrete agreement or Terms of Reference (TOR) required to kick-start an official peace process.

He said the Thai authorities would first try to prevent and reduce violent incidents in the South before progressing to the TOR signing. 

Arson attacks and bombings in Prachuap Khiri Khan and six other provinces on August 11 and 12 claimed four lives, and last week a car bomb in Pattani caused two more deaths. While analysts believe insurgents might have expanded their campaign last month to strike in the seven upper provinces, Thai authorities have so far been reluctant to link the deep South insurgency to these attacks.

Arrest warrants sought for three insurgents

However, police have applied for arrest warrants for three men from the restive region. 

Prawit also said Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's visit to Thailand on September 9 would see the signing of an agreement to solve the issue of people with dual nationality. 

He said the authorities would then examine how to make such individuals choose one nationality rather than holding onto both. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Peace-talks-with-MARA-Patani-to-go-ahead-30294332.html

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-09-02

[Raymonddiaz]

<deleted>. Having Dual nationality is a crime I guess ?

[jamesbrock]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He said the authorities would then examine how to make such individuals choose one nationality rather than holding onto both. 

 

Yeah, because forcing a foreign identity onto these people wasn't the catalyst for the whole issue in the first place, so forcing them to choose one or another is really going to be popular.

 

What happens if they "choose" Malaysian, are they going to be forcibly deported?

[Eric Loh]

Playing brinkmanship while deaths and bombings happening daily. Toady must quickly comes to a realization that the military is not in the power position to play brinkmanship and engaging in continuing talks seem the only option for possible peace.