Thaksin Hits Back Over Killings

[george]

Thaksin hits back over killings

Foreginers warned not to criticize his goverment

PATTANI: -- In a combative speech to the nation, Thailand's leader on Saturday warned foreigners not to criticize his government's crackdown on suspected Islamic militants this week that left more than 100 people dead after what many say was the use of excessive force.

"Please don't intervene. Please leave us alone," Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said in a radio speech.

"It is my job and we can cope with this matter.

"We are trying to explain this to foreigners. But if they do not understand or ignore our explanation, I don't care because we are not begging them for food," Thaksin said.

Thaksin's defiant words came as pressure mounted on his government to investigate the kingdom's worst carnage in recent times when security forces on Wednesday indiscriminately shot at waves of attackers in the Muslim dominated south of this predominantly Buddhist kingdom.

Police had earlier said 108 militants were killed, but Thaksin revised the figure to 107 on Saturday. Five security forces were also killed.

The Bangkok Post newspaper, quoting an unidentified source, reported Saturday that some of the militants were members of the al Qaeda linked Jemaah Islamiyah regional terror group.

It did not give any more details and the report could not be independently verified.

In Geneva, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights demanded Friday that Thailand investigate the killings, citing treaties that require security forces "to refrain from using force exceeding that strictly required by the exigencies of the situation."

International and local human rights groups have also called for investigations while Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand have warned their citizens not to travel to southern Thailand.

Malaysia has said it will receive Thai Muslim refugees fleeing the violence.

Wednesday's attacks pointed to a growing Islamic separatist movement that has been dormant for years until it became evident earlier this year with the torching of several schools and a raid on an army arsenal in which four soldiers were killed.

Since then, almost daily attacks by armed men on motorcycles had left 97 policemen, Buddhist civilians and other government officials dead in almost daily attacks until Wednesday, Thaksin said.

"We could not tolerate that any longer," he said.

Police said Friday they found Arabic language pamphlets calling for the creation of a Muslim homeland on some of the bodies of the dead militants.

"The incident has shown that the militants had clear intention to stock up fire arms for their separatist operations," national police chief Gen. Sunthorn Kraikwan said.

"This is a serious matter. It's a threat to national security," he said.

Details about those driving the insurgency were unclear.

But the government continued to play down the problem, calling foreign diplomats to a briefing to assure them about security in this Southeast Asian country that trades heavily on a reputation for peace and harmony to attract more than 10 million tourists a year.

Thaksin defended his security forces, saying they had no choice but to used the massive force to kill the militiamen.

"They stormed security outpost with fire arms, bombs and knives and machetes. They meant to rob guns and weapons," Thaksin said.

"The security forces could not sit idle and wait for the attackers to kill them," he said.

He acknowledged that the violence was the work of separatists, but said the militiamen themselves were unemployed and uneducated youth in the region, brainwashed by the masterminds.

Most of Thailand's 63 million people are Buddhists, but Muslims form the majority in several impoverished southern provinces near the border with mainly Muslim Malaysia and blame the central government for years of neglect.

A separatist movement flourished in the area for decades, but faded after a government amnesty before reviving this year.

A statement posted on the Internet Friday and attributed to the Pattani United Liberation Organization, a separatist group thought to be defunct since the early 1980s, urged all Muslims to rise up, and warned that the slayings by security forces will be paid "with blood and tears."

The statement also warned visitors to stay away from some of Thailand's most popular tourist sites in the south. It was not possible to verify the origins or veracity of the statement.

Thailand has poured more than 1,000 more troops in the south to join 2,500 soldiers already there to prevent more violence.

Police were also interrogating 17 detained militants to gather intelligence on the masterminds of the attacks.

--AP 2004-05-01

[Guest chingy]

"Please don't intervene. Please leave us alone," Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said in a radio speech.

"It is my job and we can cope with this matter.

"We are trying to explain this to foreigners. But if they do not understand or ignore our explanation, I don't care because we are not begging them for food," Thaksin said.

i think for once he's right, if you don't live in Thailand you wouldn't understand.

[Maejo Man]

I'm foreign So I'll go along with the "Thailand's leader on Saturday warned foreigners not to criticize his government's crackdown"

However, I will say this, judgement reserved on all things Toxic!

[snoophound]

He needs to take a hard line

This cancer in the south needs to be cut out.

[astral]

Tough action was needed, and the Thai Gov took it.

Good for them

[BlackJack]

i agree 200% with everything Toxin does

he is doing a fantastic job in running this country

he has not done one thing wrong in his government of this country

3 cheers for Toxin

arrrhhh - please sir can i have a free gold Privilege Card

[Crash999]

Thaksin hits back over killings

Foreginers warned not to criticize his govermentIn Geneva, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights demanded Friday that Thailand investigate the killings, citing treaties that require security forces "to refrain from using force exceeding that strictly required by the exigencies of the situation."

The attackers were armed with machine guns. What does the UN High Commissioner believe was an appropriate way to deal with them- give them a hug?

Not sure if any of the attackers were taken alive. If not then it's an opportunity missed to interrogate them- though I'm sure the UN High Commissioner would have opposed that too.

Cheers!

[204midland]

Who wants to criticize. I want to congradulate him for taking the needed action. It is time for the US to take similiar decisive action.

[jasonc]

I think it's always funny how the right wing members of this forum always have to reassure each other they they also believe in the same ideologies. I bet this thread will see another 20-30 useless posts saying "yes, good job, me too, hey look I can make a post on this forum..."

Thaksin's comment that "other countries should leave him alone" is like a cry baby who can't take any constructive criticism. His actions effect the world community that is dealing with Muslim discontent and killing 107 teenage boys in a mosque doesn't help.

I take no stand on whether this weeks actions are right or wrong. I live in bangkok and am too removed from the politics in the deep south to pretend that I know what I'm talking about but I have to say that the evidence and photos of the events in English and Thai news is verging on hilarious. Every dead boy had a machete in his hand and a red palestine like scarf around their neck. Thaksin said they were all drug addicts. Can you say orgy of evidence!! One paper was already busted of photoshopping weapons into the deads' hands and publishing the photos.

Thailand deserves to be investigated for human right abuses. Investigations do not mean guilty... that's the point of an investigation. To learn from mistakes. Anyone who is resistant to learning should not be PM.

[Wisdom]

Mr.Prime minister,

use your wisdom as a Prime minister of Thailand.

[taxexile]

the thais are a proud and insular lot and do not take kindly to any kind of criticism,be it on a national level or a personal level, they are certainly not averse to receiving praise though and go out of their way to seek it.

a un human rights investigation is bound to come to the conclusion that the thais over-reacted, thats what the un do, they are useless,too many vested interests and not enough realists.

it was a thai matter and the thais reacted as they saw fit.

islamic militants do not respond to reasoned arguments or tolerance. they have their agenda.

in the same way that the jewish people were given israel, perhaps the way to deal with islamic radicalism would be to give them a land of their own where they can persecute women, amputate and behead at will and generally regress to the 8th century which is what they seem to want. i doubt if they could be accommodated in southern thailand, whatever they are offered ,it will never be enough.

they have discontent coursing through their veins, put there by religious teachers who are supported from who knows where.

[donmeurett]

He is a good man and knows how to run his country.

He needs the support of ALL who are in Thailand. In Good times as well as Bad.

don

[Goat Roper]

Don't take a yea vote or opinion in this forum, ask the Thais, it's their country and the Thais that I know think Thaksin's troops did correct in putting down this southern Muslim deal in the manner they did it.

[A. BOOZER]

Thailand deserves to be investigated for human right abuses. Investigations do not mean guilty... that's the point of an investigation. To learn from mistakes. Anyone who is resistant to learning should not be PM.

Does this mean, for example, that America's President should now be investigated after the recent publication of photographs from Iraq? or for that matter Israel's after it's latest actions. As someone wanting to live in peace in the LOS, do agree with Thaksin's actions!

[puipuitom]

I agree with the attitude to fight islam fundamentalism, as they donot tolerate any other ideas abut how to live.

I love Thailand for their Buddhist tolerant attitude to other beliefs, attitudes etc.

But that does not mean I agree with just massacring a 110 young men armed with machetes and knifes by machine guns, as this only fill feed their hate to the Thai Buddhist sociaty.

But for sure I donot agree with Khun Taxin's refusal to accept any critisism from abroard.

"We are nog begging them for food?"?

What do you think, when the foreign world will treat the Thais as they do now to Myanmar: the richest country of Asia in 1948, but now a beggar ?

25 % of only western Tourists, 20 % of the new investments and just 15 % of all purchases swithing to Vietnam, and Thailand will go bankrupt.

[ayakiawe]

Jasonc so well said!

Right wing wimps is what I call them.

All net, no action, big mouths!

The only thing I could have added was my own name to the ending.

I think put them in their place and shut them up too!

Thanks again Aya!

[dighambara]

I agree with the following quote:

"Thaksin's comment that "other countries should leave him alone" is like a cry baby who can't take any constructive criticism. His actions effect the world community that is dealing with Muslim discontent and killing 107 teenage boys in a mosque doesn't help."

In regard to not using US help - If we call them in, they will bring lots of money and we can blame them for the eventual disaster.....

However, I didn't see any comments on the staged corpses. Didn't anybody else notice that some "dead" had their heads pillowed? Or that they were still holding their knives? With scabbards nearby? Whenever I fall, everything I am holding gets tossed. Initial reports mentioned knives and a very few handguns- no machineguns - did they appear like magic? OOPS! I forgot. WheneverI say Thaksin in public, people always say be careful, a policeman might hear you.... When I ask why, they vaguely say that people disappear...........

Udon Thani, Thailand

[Koh_Falang]

While i do not have the answer on this subject, i do not believe that a big shiet fight is the way.... This is not really a cancer, these people are un-educated and are being taken advantage of. They are being brain washed from a very young age. The cycle continues... they cant see through their blood stained vision.

One question i have for the militant muslems is... "Will you start to kill eachother once the "infidels" are all dead? Dont you know of or see the peace that the rest of us enjoy?"

[ChiangMaiThai]

Yes, i almost forgot, everything Dear Leader does is right. He is never wrong. He can do no wrong. You have no right to comment because you are not Thai. If you don't understand, its because you're a foreigner. And you're lucky to even be allowed in our country. We don't need you. We don't beg for food. So shut up farang.

[Guest chingy]

I think it's always funny how the right wing members of this forum always have to reassure each other they they also believe in the same ideologies. I bet this thread will see another 20-30 useless posts saying "yes, good job, me too, hey look I can make a post on this forum..."

i don't always agree on what Thaksin do or done, when he's wrong he's wrong, when he's right he's right.

His actions effect the world community that is dealing with Muslim discontent and killing 107 teenage boys in a mosque doesn't help.

so you mean its ok for those kid to go burn down school killing teacher and monk, why do you think that the teacher have to carry gun now, if the world community think they have the answer, why don't they come and talk to those moron, instead sitting behind the table and talk crap, its easy to sit behind the table and talk sh1t, he11 they will skin you guy alive if you even come close to them, for example Phillipine go talk to those rebel and work thing out lol, they problaly kidnap you asz for randsom

I take no stand on whether this weeks actions are right or wrong. I live in bangkok and am too removed from the politics in the deep south to pretend that I know what I'm talking about but I have to say that the evidence and photos of the events in English and Thai news is verging on hilarious. Every dead boy had a machete in his hand and a red palestine like scarf around their neck. Thaksin said they were all drug addicts. Can you say orgy of evidence!! One paper was already busted of photoshopping weapons into the deads' hands and publishing the photos.

be honest now you think those boyz are carrying water pistol, really don't matter what evidence and photo they are showing, you're smart enouf to figure that out, oh by the way 3 or 4 officer got kill while they were doing their duty, yup you got that right water pistol kill them

Thailand deserves to be investigated for human right abuses. Investigations do not mean guilty... that's the point of an investigation. To learn from mistakes. Anyone who is resistant to learning should not be PM.

im 100% believe in human right, but sometime those people have to much time on their hand, when you are bore with nothing to do, you just pick on anything subject and talk about it. some drug lord got shot by a cop lets bring in human right, my buffalo just die bring in human right, the guy who got bite by a big soi dog lurking at him he11 bring in human right

[gerryfarang]

Its quite obvious that the Thai government used exessive force. Look at the numbers 5 dead on one side 107 dead on the other....now think about that...who was armed with machine guns and who was not? ....they did the same thing they did a few years ago with the burmese bandits/freedom fighters(whatever you want to call them) who took hostages in the embassy...the kidnappers were tied up and then shot at close range in the back of the head. The Thais do not fool around in situations like this. There is no doubt though they did use exessive force. Problem is that just leads to a new group of muslim bandits/terrorists/freedom fighters lining up for the next round. Bush is finding that out in Iraq as well. Killing everyone in site does not solve the problem.

Gerry

[eric1000]

"Please don't intervene. Please leave us alone," Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said in a radio speech.

"It is my job and we can cope with this matter.

"We are trying to explain this to foreigners. But if they do not understand or ignore our explanation, I don't care because we are not begging them for food," Thaksin said.

i think for once he's right, if you don't live in Thailand you wouldn't understand.

agreed ,western dogooders safe in their cosy enclaves havent a clue .

their countries are awash with drugs due to their lack of controls .same with the terrorists . thaksin knows best . get them first before they get you ...

[gaychaam]

First at all I like to say that I do not like Toxin and his government.

His leading stile reminds me somehow on Germany 1933-1945!

And also his Majesty the King criticizes Toxin more than once, but his majesty is too smart to complain too much, as long as everything is still more or less under control.

I love his Majesty! He is a good hearted and smart Leader for this beautiful Nation!

Long live the King!

Anyhow I this case, Toxin is right !

I do not like to say it, but it is true !

First it is really an internal problem, and not an International problem

And second what other choice the Law Enforcement Troops had in this situation?

Not the government attacked fist!

The Moslems attacked first as usual all over the world!

So our Thai Law Enforcement hat just one choice!

Self Defense!

Lord, please give me the strength to change what I can Change and the patience to accept what I can not Change! And Lord, please give me the wisdom to realize the difference! Thanks God!

[jsong123]

This story is in the May 1, 2004 Los Angeles newspaper:

http://tinyurl.com/38llx

[taxexile]

need to login to that site,can you cut and paste it here.

[gaychaam]

need to login to that site,can you cut and paste it here.

(B)Here the Link our frined fergot(/:o

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wo...-home-headlines

(B)Her The Surch Key Words:(/:D

THE WORLD

THAILAND REVOLTS MUSLIMS POLICE ASSAULTS POLICE SH

POLICE ASSAULTS

THAILAND

REVOLTS

MUSLIMS

POLICE SHOOTINGS

(B)Her The News:(/:D

By Richard C. Paddock, Times Staff Writer

SU SO, Thailand — The 19 members of the village soccer team seemed to have everything to live for. The youngest player was 18. The oldest was 26. The teammates were inseparable, whether they were playing on the field or praying at the mosque.

On Sunday, to the delight of the village, the team won the league championship game. But that was not the players' only engagement this week: On Wednesday, just before sunrise, the soccer team attacked a police station 15 miles from home.

A few of the players carried guns, but most were armed only with long, machete-like knives. During the two-hour battle that followed, the police shot and killed all 19 members of the team. No police officers at the post were harmed.

"I don't know why they did this," said a grieving Aryi Jeyno, whose son Sarapu was the youngest of the group. "All I know is my son really loved playing football."

Authorities say the soccer team was one of a dozen secret rebel cells that assaulted police stations across southern Thailand that morning. Police, who had been tipped off, killed 108 Muslim militants during the synchronized attacks. Five police officers and soldiers died in the fighting.

The rebels, who are seeking to create an Islamic state in predominantly Muslim southern Thailand, have staged scores of attacks in the area since January, killing more than 100 people and setting fire to dozens of buildings.

The clashes demonstrate that Thailand, despite its peaceful image, is facing the same kind of threat from Islamic rebels as its more chaotic Southeast Asian neighbors, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Some family members accused the police of overreacting during Wednesday's fighting and needlessly killing many of the lightly armed rebels. Only seven suspected militants lived to be arrested.

Police contend that they tried to talk many of the militants into giving up, but the separatist rebels preferred to fight to the death.

In the town of Pattani, 32 rebels who took cover in a historic mosque were killed when security forces fired automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades into the building.

"It seemed like they wanted to die," said one police officer who battled the soccer players at the police post in the town of Saba Yoi. "I don't understand why they didn't surrender."

In Su So, the villagers were in a state of shock Friday. Family members said they had no clue that their sons embraced the fanatic beliefs of the separatists, and blamed outsiders for brainwashing the players.

But in retrospect, said village Chief Manat Wani, it is clear that the soccer team became a rebel cell some time ago and that the players had been preparing for months to become martyrs. The teammates believed that if they died while fighting for Islam, they would go to heaven. A few confidants in the village, Manat said, were aware of their plans.

Two months ago, the players cleared brush from part of the Su So cemetery and left instructions that they wanted to be buried there — all together. They even specified the location where each corpse was to be placed.

"They were preparing to go for jihad," Manat said.

The teammates liked to watch television news and comment on events in the Islamic world. Sometimes they would praise suicide bombings in Israel or Iraq and declare that Americans deserved to die.

On Tuesday, two days after their soccer victory, the players prepared to leave the village. They told their families that they were going on a journey to serve God.

That evening, they went together to pray at the Su So mosque for the last time. Then they left the village together on nine motorcycles.

Shortly before sunrise the next morning, the team arrived at the police post in Saba Yoi. On this occasion, they were wearing the uniform of the rebels: red bandanas on their heads and camouflage pants.

Their apparent goal was to seize weapons from the police, as some rebels have been doing since January.

Two players wielding the long knives known as spata approached the station as their teammates — including those with guns — followed, the police officer who took part in the fight said.

Two days earlier, police had been warned that an attack was imminent. Even so, the soccer team's assault might have been successful but for the fact that the players charged the post five minutes behind schedule.

By then, the other rebel cells already had begun attacking other police stations and authorities had broadcast a radio alert. The seven officers on duty at Saba Yoi were ready when the soccer team approached.

Police shot the first two players as they charged with their knives and the rest of the team took cover. About 30 police officers who live in the neighborhood were awakened by the sound of gunfire and raced to the scene, helping to surround the rebels.

During the ensuing standoff, police used loudspeakers to urge the players to surrender. Police said the rebels refused. Over the next two hours, police picked off the teammates and by 8 a.m. they were all dead.

"It seemed like they didn't have much training," said the police officer, who declined to be identified. Police found Islamic tracts and garments in the players' backpacks.

Manat, the village chief, said he was called to the scene.

"All I saw were bodies lying around," he said.

In Su So, the battle left family members dazed and bewildered. Udom Meaprommi, a former village chief whose son, Kamarudin, was a member of the team, said the young men had kept their radical views from their families.

"They never told us anything, and they were always together," Udom said as he broke down in tears. "They didn't drink, and they never seemed to have any problems. It's very hard to accept."

On Thursday, the players were buried according to their wishes.

"We are very sad here," Udom said. "We never thought our sons would die before us."

[Richard W]

Killing everyone in sight does not solve the problem.

It does. The Turks don't have an Armenian problem. I don't think Yugoslavia would have an Albanian problem if the Yugoslav air force had been strong enough.

I'm not recommending 'ethnic cleansing' as a solution, though. (I hesitate to say genocide, as I don't think the Malays of Thailand are a separate people. The problem stems from insufficient aggrandisment by Britain. I've heard that the British seemed to go out of their way to suggest that areas should be Thai rather than Malayan when the border was being drawn up.)

[argus1949]

All what I can see is since 3 days, machine gun equipped police gards in front of hotels here in Bangkok. That's the achivement.

The question is not WHETHER something serious will happen in Bangkok or other places, the question is WHEN it will happen !

Great result! We all are now in the dangerzone

[Ronnok]

I think it is great, the aggressive reponse. As for the teenagers being killed I understood they were involved with the terrorist. I am glad to see Thailand take what the liberal left would call extreme action. Way to go. Keep up the good work and no one will avoid comming to Thailand as Tourist. Look the other way and Thailand will suffer loss of tourist $$$$.

[Boon Mee]

Let's hope Thammasat and Chula students don't do anything wierd now...