Bangkok
13 January 2009
A report by Amnesty International into the violence into Southern Thailand, says Thai security forces have applied "systematic" torture on detainees as part of efforts to end a Muslim insurgency. Amnesty is to call for the Thai government to end the practice.
The Amnesty report says Thai security forces are systematically engaging in torture and other ill-treatment in the violence-plagued southern provinces in efforts to end a five-year Muslim insurgency.
The report says torture is being applied through beatings, burning by candles, burying of people to their necks, electric shocks, and exposure to intense heat and cold. Amnesty said at least four people have died as a result of the torture.
The report covers the period from March 2007 through to May 2008. It says the abuses occurred under a military-appointed government following a 2006 coup and under the civilian administration that came to power in December 2007 elections.
The report cited more than 20 unofficial detention centers in border provinces, which it said left detainees "vulnerable to abuse."
Amnesty's Asia-Pacific Program Deputy Director Donna Guest said the report's aim is to raise awareness of abuses that could no longer be ignored.
"We have documented the use of torture by the security forces in the south of Muslim suspects," Guest said. "We have found this to be systematic. Now there are many policies in the government which we commend prohibiting and punishing torture by officials. But it goes on anyway, and it is just too widespread over too long a period to ignore."
Thai security forces stepped up operations in mid-2007 in special military-police combined sweeps of up to 300 personnel in raids on villages leading to a large number of arrests.
The operations marked a further effort by security forces to end the insurgency that began in 2004. Since then it has claimed about 3,500 lives mostly civilians and just over half Muslims. While Thailand is a majority Buddhist country, the population in the southern border provinces with Malaysia is largely Muslim.
Amnesty also noted insurgent attacks have been "particularly brutal." Since 2005 insurgents have engaged in bombings, beheadings, and drive-by shootings of both Buddhist and Muslim security forces and civilians. Other targets have been state schools and teachers.
Amnesty researcher Benjamin Zawacki said he recognized the "enormous pressures" security forces are under in attempting to end the insurgency.
Security forces often faced with poor intelligence and evidence gathering have turned to torture to intimidate detainees to withhold support from the insurgency, but Zawacki said the use of torture is counter-productive.
"Being able to bring insurgents to justice through confessions that come about through torture is not a sustainable solution," Zawacki said. "It is actually counter to their interests because it only causes more bad feeling in the South and runs counter to the government's desire to win the hearts and minds in the South."
The new government led by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has vowed to improve the judicial system in the South. The region is under military control through martial law and emergency decrees. But analysts say any moves to boost civilian control in the south may be resisted by the military.
The Amnesty report says Thai security forces are systematically engaging in torture and other ill-treatment in the violence-plagued southern provinces in efforts to end a five-year Muslim insurgency.
The report says torture is being applied through beatings, burning by candles, burying of people to their necks, electric shocks, and exposure to intense heat and cold. Amnesty said at least four people have died as a result of the torture.
The report covers the period from March 2007 through to May 2008. It says the abuses occurred under a military-appointed government following a 2006 coup and under the civilian administration that came to power in December 2007 elections.
The report cited more than 20 unofficial detention centers in border provinces, which it said left detainees "vulnerable to abuse."
Amnesty's Asia-Pacific Program Deputy Director Donna Guest said the report's aim is to raise awareness of abuses that could no longer be ignored.
"We have documented the use of torture by the security forces in the south of Muslim suspects," Guest said. "We have found this to be systematic. Now there are many policies in the government which we commend prohibiting and punishing torture by officials. But it goes on anyway, and it is just too widespread over too long a period to ignore."
Thai security forces stepped up operations in mid-2007 in special military-police combined sweeps of up to 300 personnel in raids on villages leading to a large number of arrests.
The operations marked a further effort by security forces to end the insurgency that began in 2004. Since then it has claimed about 3,500 lives mostly civilians and just over half Muslims. While Thailand is a majority Buddhist country, the population in the southern border provinces with Malaysia is largely Muslim.
Amnesty also noted insurgent attacks have been "particularly brutal." Since 2005 insurgents have engaged in bombings, beheadings, and drive-by shootings of both Buddhist and Muslim security forces and civilians. Other targets have been state schools and teachers.
Amnesty researcher Benjamin Zawacki said he recognized the "enormous pressures" security forces are under in attempting to end the insurgency.
Security forces often faced with poor intelligence and evidence gathering have turned to torture to intimidate detainees to withhold support from the insurgency, but Zawacki said the use of torture is counter-productive.
"Being able to bring insurgents to justice through confessions that come about through torture is not a sustainable solution," Zawacki said. "It is actually counter to their interests because it only causes more bad feeling in the South and runs counter to the government's desire to win the hearts and minds in the South."
The new government led by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has vowed to improve the judicial system in the South. The region is under military control through martial law and emergency decrees. But analysts say any moves to boost civilian control in the south may be resisted by the military.
19 comments:
Thai kill refugees and the foreingers who try to make money in Thai to send back home for their kids. And there is no media say anything about it.
FUCK THAILAND............I HOPE THE MUSLIMS KILLL ALL THAI PEOPLE...........................THAILAND BELONGS TO THE KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA
and they call themselves a real democracy? what a hypocrite thailand is!
Thanks very much to Amnesty International,
Thailand has been abusing its people, Khmer refugees, and neighboor country for decades. Thailand is the most violation of Human Rights then Vietnam at this modern present. This must be time for Thailand to face with Human Rights.
Red-Ant.
The thieves thai behave like a monsters.
Cambodia must have a strong army.
The fucken Siam can only bully the weak and the helpless and one day they will be in the same situation and this time show these Siam no mercy!
They have been doing that for years on the Khmer/Thai border back in the 80's.
And what is funny is that they claim themself that they are very modern and more knowledgeable than Khmer but in the other hand they worst than Khmer. They have slaughtered so many Khmer refugees when Cambodia got into war.
They are very lack of respect of human rights in the most country in Southeast Asia.
So many years or 100+ years everyone have thought that the Thai is more democracy and respectable nation but they are the worst in history.
Khmer always remember the Thai for life how they have done to them. Don't forget that Cambodian is still working and building the case back in the 80's to bring the Thai to world court.
We must let the Thai pay the price.
Khmer Abroad,
This is the reason that will create more of a problem in that part of the region. Mistreatment, intimidation and torture won’t resolve ethnic conflict in that country. If this cruelty goes on, soon Thailand will face with Al Qaeda resistant, and would cost more to Thai gov’t and lost more lives. Be careful Thailand.
DON'T FORGET TO CHECK THE MOST NOTORIOUS PREY SOR PRISON IN PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA. YOU'LL BE SURPRISED!
Mr. Hun Sen,
it is time for you to slape Thailand right in the face at ASEAN meeting. Don't hide any thing longer.
Only LAW that can discpline the thief. Don't ever try to negotiate or share anything with thief. Theif is thisf. Only Law can controll thief.
Red-Ant.
why is cambodia afraid of thailand when it comes to talking and discussing the preah vihear issue, the maltreat of khmer workers in thailand etc...? cambodia leader should tell them right in their faces what khmer people are thinking, and thailand should stop discriminate against khmer people like the recent khmer tourists who were denied entry into thailand, despite have properly international visa, etc... someone ought to educate thailand on how to deal with its neighbors like cambodia. what goes around comes around!
They are so racist when it comes to minority settlement in the country. They used to have problem with neighboring countries Malaysia, Burma, Lao and recently with Cambodia. They see themselves as a dominant and unbreakable with iron fist in the region.
4"18Am do not ask us, ask ah XEN please!
4:24am, the worst kind! and the funny thing is they believe they are a real democracy. NOT! i think cambodia is better than thailand in that sense, although, because war etc, we are working hard to improve cambodia for all to visit, work and live there. god bless cambodia.
To all my belove brother in YALA please do not give up the fight! your day is coming...you guys deserve to be free!!
soldier, phnon trop dongrek mt.
Really quick news, I didnot read for one day, now there are alot news update. you are really great!
As long as the Thai keep oppressing Muslim people in their Own provinces robbed by Thailand,the muslim people keep fighting and will get back their land.
FUCK THAILAND
Why pick on Thailand? The US is just as bad.
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