Muslim claims upset Hun Sen

Friday April 04, 2008
ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT
Bangkok Post

PHNOM PENH : Comments by the Surayud Chulanont government last year about the involvement of Cambodian Muslims in Thailand's southern insurgency have upset Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Speaking at the Fourth Asia-Pacific Regional Interfaith Dialogue yesterday, Mr Hun Sen said tolerance and respect of other religions were important for peace and harmony.

Mr Hun Sen's remark comes two days before he is due to meet former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled by the 2006 coup. The pair will play a game of golf together in Angkor City.

''Conflicts among certain religious followers take place due to differences in cultures and civilisations, and discrimination against each other,'' the Cambodian leader said.

''The problem in Thailand's south is its internal affair, but certain military spokesmen said Cambodian Muslims were crossing the border to help Thai militants,'' he said.

Cambodia, which denies the claims, asked Thailand not to make such remarks. Despite those requests, the military carried on making the assertions.

''I told former prime minister Surayud Chulanont that those comments were a big mistake. You [Thailand] have to solve your own problems and should not bring hard times to Cambodian Muslims.

''I asked Gen Surayud to make corrections,'' said the Cambodian premier.

''Stupid and unwise spokesmen created a small problem for everyone and their neighbours.''

Hun Sen also criticised the tendency for some commentators to link Muslims with terrorism.

The two-day Interfaith Dialogue is sponsored by Australia and New Zealand and is the first time a Buddhist country has hosted the regional meeting of various faith leaders.

Thailand implicates Cambodian Muslims of having links with Thai insurgents in the far South

PM: Rebels hold talks in Geneva
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.

Thailand accuses one of the insurgents arrested in Narathiwat of being Cambodian

5 suspected insurgents rounded up in Narathiwat

November 9, 2007
The Nation (Thailand)

Narathiwat - About 300 police and soldiers rounded up five suspected insurgents in a village in this southern border province early Friday.

The security officials raided Moo 8 village in Narathiwat's Takbai district at 4 am and arrested the five.

They were identified as Niloh Nimae, 24, Subri Yusoh, 28, Maladeng Buaraheng, 32, Suraida Duarae, 28, and Vee Pass, 29.

Police alleged that Vee came from Cambodia to join the southern insurgency.