JP\/6 \/NATION<\/p>\n
Don Pathan
\nThe Nation
\nAsia News Network
\nBangkok
\n
\n In the past few weeks, the conflict between rival interest
\ngroups in green and khaki uniforms has threatened to deepen the
\ncrisis in southern Thailand, where most Thai-Muslims live.<\/p>\n
Locals, intellectuals and concerned authorities said the
\nrecent violence in Narathiwat was linked to interest groups
\nfighting for their turf and business in the deep South.<\/p>\n
They are police, military, politicians, provincial officials
\nand businessmen who have extensive networks of legal and illegal
\nbusinesses throughout the southern provinces.<\/p>\n
They said that after the government decided recently to
\nabolish both the Civilian-Police-Military Combined Command 43 and
\nthe Southern Provincial Administrative Center, the two bodies
\nthat oversee the South, violence has increased.<\/p>\n
Also, they fear the turf wars could have far-reaching
\nramifications for the delicate fabric of the Thai-Muslim
\ncommunity because it would lead to negative profiling of them as
\nbeing a part of certain overseas organizations.<\/p>\n
Even Interior Minister Purachai Piumsombun, who toured the
\nSouth last week, conceded that conflicts over illegal gambling
\noperations, narcotics and arms trafficking had contributed to the
\ngrowing violence in the southern most province of Narathiwat.<\/p>\n
\"Officials from the local districts and Bangkok are some of
\ntheir supporters. The pending annual reshuffle of police is one
\nof their causes,\" he admitted.<\/p>\n
So far, most of the targets have been local police and
\nsecurity officials and their units.<\/p>\n
The aim is to rob the officials of their weapons and use them
\nfor other purposes. More than 80 rifles and arms have been taken
\nduring the various ambushes.<\/p>\n
The pattern of the ambushes and arms robberies have led
\nofficials concerned in the military and police to believe that
\nremnants of separatist groups are active again.<\/p>\n
When top security officials -- including Defense Minister
\nChavalit Yongchaiyudh, National Security Council Secretary-
\nGeneral Kachadpai Burusapatana and armed forces commanders -- met
\non Monday, they agreed to set up a new intelligence operations
\ncentre run by the 4th Army, which used to handle all security
\nmatters in the South.<\/p>\n
Before Monday's decision to bring in the military for
\nintelligence gathering and psychological operations, there had
\nbeen heated debate on the overlapping responsibility of police
\nand the Civilian-Police-Military Combined Command 43 and Southern
\nProvincial Administrative Centre.<\/p>\n
Essentially, the new plan reverses the government's earlier
\nposition that the violence was caused by thugs and bandits and
\nthat the threat from organized separatists no longer existed.<\/p>\n
It is also a face-saving device for the Interior Ministry and
\npolice over their failure to establish the cause of violence and
\nbuild counter-strategies as they had assumed all the
\nresponsibility related to security in the South.<\/p>\n
Inevitably, local Muslim residents are caught in the crossfire
\nof the growing conflict.<\/p>\n
Although they view the ongoing situation without great alarm
\nbecause of the overall calm and stability in the South, they
\nnevertheless fear the conflicts of interest among uniformed
\nofficials and their networks could have a spill-over effect on
\ntheir lives and the Thai-Muslim communities.<\/p>\n
Pirayos Rahimmula of Songkhla Nakarin University, Pattani
\ncampus, said that conflicts among vested interests were the key
\nfactor that has been influencing the overall situation in the
\nSouth.<\/p>\n
He urged the government to set up a study center which will
\npool resources from police, local communities and academics so
\nthat they can have a clearer understanding of local conditions.<\/p>\n
Abdul Rahman, chairman of the Islamic Committee in Narathiwat,
\nagreed and said the authorities, especially the police, had to be
\nmore sensitive towards local communities.<\/p>\n
For instance, he said the \"groundless\" rumors about the al-
\nQaeda group could backfire as they would raise fears among the
\npublic. This sentiment was shared by Nathmuddin Umma, a Thai Rak
\nThai MP for Narathiwat. He expressed the hope that the situation
\nin the South would not be blown out of proportion as it would
\nhave a devastating impact on civilians.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp6-nation-1447899208",
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