Insurgents hope to gain international attention
Wednesday March 19, 2008
Bangkok Post REPORTERS
At least two insurgent groups have been holding discussions in Geneva with the aim of bringing the southern unrest to international attention, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said yesterday.
Mr Samak's statement came after the cabinet held talks on the situation in the far South, amid increasing concern about the scale of the violence following a car bomb attack at the CS Pattani hotel on Sunday.
Mr Samak told a press conference after the cabinet meeting that there are six active insurgent groups, and two of them have tried to internationalise the southern issue.
''They are having a discussion in Geneva. I have read a report on the discussion,'' Mr Samak said.
''The government hasn't recognised the negotiations. Many concerned parties disapprove of negotiating with the insurgents. That's all I can say.''
Mr Samak said the government was working out careful measures to deal with the southern conflict and try to stop it becoming an international issue.
The stance remains unchanged since the violence flared up in 2004, when Thaksin Shinawatra was prime minister.
Mr Samak said some of the explosive devices used in bomb attacks in Pattani were from the eastern province of Trat. He cited evidence from a bomb near the hotel which did not go off.
Trat borders Cambodia, where some Muslims are believed to have links to the rebel groups in the far South.
With the situation appearing to intensify, attention has turned to Interior Minister Chalerm Yubamrung.
He admitted the southern problem is too much for him to handle alone.
''I admit it is too big an issue. It is not that I don't pay enough attention to it, but I'm trying to find a way to solve the problem. This time, the opposition has to help the government out. I cannot handle it alone,'' said Mr Chalerm. He is expected to visit the far South tomorrow, ahead of a meeting on Friday of all relevant agencies to discuss the issue.
Meanwhile, an army source said the meeting in Geneva may have been held by members of the the Pattani United Liberation Organisation and the Barisan Nasional Pembedasan Pattani.
They had used foreign bases such as Switzerland and Sweden to propagate their activities to the international community, the source said. The two groups demand better living conditions for people in the Muslim-dominated southern border provinces. They have called for a special administration zone but they did not press for the secession of the region, the source said.
The same source said Gen Vaipot Srinual, former chief of the Armed Forces Security Centre, had met and talked with leaders of insurgent groups in Yala on Sept 16, 2006 - only three days before the coup took place on Sept 19.
At the talks, some insurgent leaders tabled their demands for fair treatment of Muslim people. But they did not call for the secession of the southern region, the source said.
Details of the negotiations were compiled into a report for presentation to relevant agencies. However, the report had not been put into practice so far. Negotiations were often held at the personal level and did not gain recognition from governments. the source added.
However, the new generation of hardline rebel groups such as the Barisan Revolusi Nasional Coordinate and the Gerakan Mujahidin Islam Pattani had denied the peace efforts all along.
The bomb attack on the CS Pattani, viewed by some security experts as one of the safest hotels in the far South, was an indication the hardline groups were bent on derailing the peace efforts at all costs to establish an independent Pattani state, the source said.
''These groups are aware that they could not defeat the state forces. They have tried to create violence and take the issue to the international level so that the UN would interfere,'' the source said.
Meanwhile, signs of trouble continued in Yala's Muang district as a group of rebels in a pick-up truck hurled a grenade into a mosque in the early hours of yesterday.
Two people were injured and taken to hospital. The bombing caused partial damage to the mosque.
Mr Samak's statement came after the cabinet held talks on the situation in the far South, amid increasing concern about the scale of the violence following a car bomb attack at the CS Pattani hotel on Sunday.
Mr Samak told a press conference after the cabinet meeting that there are six active insurgent groups, and two of them have tried to internationalise the southern issue.
''They are having a discussion in Geneva. I have read a report on the discussion,'' Mr Samak said.
''The government hasn't recognised the negotiations. Many concerned parties disapprove of negotiating with the insurgents. That's all I can say.''
Mr Samak said the government was working out careful measures to deal with the southern conflict and try to stop it becoming an international issue.
The stance remains unchanged since the violence flared up in 2004, when Thaksin Shinawatra was prime minister.
Mr Samak said some of the explosive devices used in bomb attacks in Pattani were from the eastern province of Trat. He cited evidence from a bomb near the hotel which did not go off.
Trat borders Cambodia, where some Muslims are believed to have links to the rebel groups in the far South.
With the situation appearing to intensify, attention has turned to Interior Minister Chalerm Yubamrung.
He admitted the southern problem is too much for him to handle alone.
''I admit it is too big an issue. It is not that I don't pay enough attention to it, but I'm trying to find a way to solve the problem. This time, the opposition has to help the government out. I cannot handle it alone,'' said Mr Chalerm. He is expected to visit the far South tomorrow, ahead of a meeting on Friday of all relevant agencies to discuss the issue.
Meanwhile, an army source said the meeting in Geneva may have been held by members of the the Pattani United Liberation Organisation and the Barisan Nasional Pembedasan Pattani.
They had used foreign bases such as Switzerland and Sweden to propagate their activities to the international community, the source said. The two groups demand better living conditions for people in the Muslim-dominated southern border provinces. They have called for a special administration zone but they did not press for the secession of the region, the source said.
The same source said Gen Vaipot Srinual, former chief of the Armed Forces Security Centre, had met and talked with leaders of insurgent groups in Yala on Sept 16, 2006 - only three days before the coup took place on Sept 19.
At the talks, some insurgent leaders tabled their demands for fair treatment of Muslim people. But they did not call for the secession of the southern region, the source said.
Details of the negotiations were compiled into a report for presentation to relevant agencies. However, the report had not been put into practice so far. Negotiations were often held at the personal level and did not gain recognition from governments. the source added.
However, the new generation of hardline rebel groups such as the Barisan Revolusi Nasional Coordinate and the Gerakan Mujahidin Islam Pattani had denied the peace efforts all along.
The bomb attack on the CS Pattani, viewed by some security experts as one of the safest hotels in the far South, was an indication the hardline groups were bent on derailing the peace efforts at all costs to establish an independent Pattani state, the source said.
''These groups are aware that they could not defeat the state forces. They have tried to create violence and take the issue to the international level so that the UN would interfere,'' the source said.
Meanwhile, signs of trouble continued in Yala's Muang district as a group of rebels in a pick-up truck hurled a grenade into a mosque in the early hours of yesterday.
Two people were injured and taken to hospital. The bombing caused partial damage to the mosque.
7 comments:
Stupid thai media...
The Thaicong government kept forgetting that majority of the Muslim in Southern Thailame is Malaysian in origin and what is the fucken point to trying to put the blame and pointing fingers on the Khmer Muslim?
The fucken Thaicong government is afraid to put the blame on the Malaysian Muslim because the Malaysian got the Arab world behind them already otherwise the Thaicong will get fuck big time!
I believe this is the issue of the Thaicong racist policy which seeks to marginalize the Muslim people in Southern Thailame and to make the Muslim as an outcast and now the Thaicong racist policy is backfire!
I have to wonder what happen to the Thaicong Buddhist philosophy which promotes the peace and harmony among fellow human! Since outbreak of the Muslim people upraising in Southern Thailame and I knew already what these Muslim people had been through over the years and nobody can understand more about the Thaicong then Cambodian people! For Cambodian people who also share the same Buddhist religion with the Thaicong population and the Cambodian people still get kill by the Thaicong and if you are a Muslim and you can be much worse than Cambodian people!
Fuck the Thaicong and they are just another Asian monkey! Ahahhahh
Fuck the Thaicong for going around blaming other for their sick problem!
Do not worry, sooner or later, if Thai gov't do not care the rights of people as equal opportunity and fair development, they will have the civil war. This is as a result of Thai critism on Minorities population.
Economist.
All I can say is if they are terrorist, just throw their ass into jail and done with it. Don't call us, let us call you instead, okay brother Thai?
You see that thais today as in past has never dealt us respectfully.
These bastards of thais.
The thailande possesses a very important quantity of mustard gases (poison gas very dangerous as those used in the war IRAN / IRAQ).
Why to make?
Sam rainsy likes too much the thailande.
It is his love of always.
stop blaming cambodia for your own problem, thai. we don't want to get involve in your internal affairs. time for self-re-examination as well, thailand!
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