Thai's Minister Counsellor Surasak Suparat (L) speaks to journalists after meeting Minister of Foreign Affairs Hor Namhong (not in picture) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh June 11, 2007. REUTERS/StringerAFP
PHNOM PENH: Cambodia's foreign minister summoned Thai diplomats on Monday to reject claims by a Thai general that Cambodian Muslims had links to the regional extremist group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).
"This is an accusation that the Cambodian government cannot accept," Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters after the meeting.
"There is no JI group in Cambodia. Cambodian Muslims support the government," he said.
General Watanachai Chaimuanwong, a senior security adviser to the Thai prime minister, said on Saturday that a group of Cambodian Muslims with links to JI had entered the country.
He accused them of plotting to stage attacks in support of a separatist insurgency in Thailand's deep south.
Watanachai had made similar allegations last month, but later backed down after the remarks drew outrage from Cambodia.
Hor Namhong said he had asked Thailand to provide proof to back up the claims.
Thailand's charge d'affaires in Phnom Penh, Surasak Suparat, told reporters he would convey the message to his government, but added that he had no proof to support the alleged link to JI.
"Actually, we don't have evidence. We don't have any evidence that Cambodian Muslims did that," Surasak said.
The Islamic insurgency along Thailand's southern border with Malaysia has escalated sharply since the military seized power in Bangkok in September last year.
More than 2,200 people have been killed in the three southern provinces since January 2004.
The Thai government has previously denied the insurgents are receiving any assistance from overseas groups, insisting it was an internal problem.
"This is an accusation that the Cambodian government cannot accept," Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters after the meeting.
"There is no JI group in Cambodia. Cambodian Muslims support the government," he said.
General Watanachai Chaimuanwong, a senior security adviser to the Thai prime minister, said on Saturday that a group of Cambodian Muslims with links to JI had entered the country.
He accused them of plotting to stage attacks in support of a separatist insurgency in Thailand's deep south.
Watanachai had made similar allegations last month, but later backed down after the remarks drew outrage from Cambodia.
Hor Namhong said he had asked Thailand to provide proof to back up the claims.
Thailand's charge d'affaires in Phnom Penh, Surasak Suparat, told reporters he would convey the message to his government, but added that he had no proof to support the alleged link to JI.
"Actually, we don't have evidence. We don't have any evidence that Cambodian Muslims did that," Surasak said.
The Islamic insurgency along Thailand's southern border with Malaysia has escalated sharply since the military seized power in Bangkok in September last year.
More than 2,200 people have been killed in the three southern provinces since January 2004.
The Thai government has previously denied the insurgents are receiving any assistance from overseas groups, insisting it was an internal problem.
1 comment:
Is this the Thaicong representative who said Muslim unrest in Southern Thailane has terrorist link with Khmer Muslim? Ahahhahahhahahhahah!
Why this Thaicong representative didn't consult with American embassy in Cambodia if there is any terrorist link with the Khmer Muslim? I mean after all American embassies around the world are the forefront in the war on terror! Nobody knows more about terrorist than Uncle SAM! When Uncle SAM talks about terrorism everybody listen! When the Thaicong speaks about terrorism nobody wants to listen because lack of evidence! If these fucken Thaicong can't even solve their internal conflict then they should kick themselves in the ass and shut the fuck up!
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