Violence in S. Thailand fueled by frustration<\/p>\n
Agencies, Bangkok<\/p>\n
Killings, torture and kidnappings of residents in southern
\nThailand by government agents have fueled the deadly violence now
\nsweeping the Muslim-majority region, Deputy Prime Minister
\nChaturon Chaisang said on Friday.<\/p>\n
Chaturon traveled to the restive south and admitted that
\nresidents, Muslim leaders and civil officials told him they were
\nangry over years of mistreatment at the hands of the government,
\nand that the region's mounting frustration eventually bubbled
\nover into violence this year.<\/p>\n
\"The main cause of the problem has been government officials
\nwho are alleged to have tortured and killed people which has
\nfueled the problem of terrorism and separatism,\" he told
\nreporters in Bangkok.<\/p>\n
Chaturon was sent by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on a
\nfact-finding mission to the three southern provinces of Yala,
\nPattani, and Narathiwat which have been rocked by attacks that
\nhave left at least 59 people dead this year.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, suspected Islamic insurgents shot and killed a
\nlocal politician on Friday as Thailand's prime minister admitted
\nhis government has been unable to do anything to stop the
\nescalating violence in the Muslim-dominated south.<\/p>\n
Daoh Kareeuma, 56, an elected official of a village
\nadministration in Yala province, was ambushed by two gunmen as he
\narrived home after going round his village on a motorcycle,
\npolice Capt. Jirasak Wichaicharoenying said.<\/p>\n
Also on Friday, two gunmen shot and seriously injured the
\nhusband of a woman who works in a village administration office,
\nsaid police Sub. Lt. Ith Boonrith.<\/p>\n
The government's increasing desperation was evident in Prime
\nMinister Thaksin Shinawatra's most recent comments on the issue.<\/p>\n
\"We seem to know everything about what the bad guys are doing
\nbut we cannot do anything to solve even a single problem,\" he
\nsaid Thursday. \"Troubles in the south have affected the country's
\nimage very, very, very much.\"<\/p>\n
He also complained that the insurgents easily go across the
\nborder to neighboring Malaysia because they hold dual
\ncitizenship.<\/p>\n
Thaksin has said he plans to visit Malaysia on April 9 to meet
\nwith his counterpart Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to press for
\ncooperation in tracking down the insurgents. Malaysia has not
\nconfirmed the visit.<\/p>\n
\"Villages on the Malaysian border are safe havens ... It's
\neasy for them. They killed people here and went to Malaysia and
\nopenly held meetings about breaking away\" from Thailand, Thaksin
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said he was not making accusations against Malaysia but
\nonly asking for their cooperation.<\/p>\n
Muslim leaders in the south have long complained about the
\ncentral authorities' handling of southern issues including the
\nunrest, and said heavy handed searches or interrogations,
\nunwarranted detentions and arrests have fueled animosity and
\nanger.<\/p>\n
Chaturon did not elaborate on the apparent extrajudicial
\nkillings or torture, but when asked if politicians were linked to
\nthe actions Chaturon said he believed some engaged in illegal
\nactivities \"from time to time\".<\/p>\n
Last month a Thai court approved an arrest warrant for
\nNajmuddin Umar, a Muslim MP and member of Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai
\nparty who faced charges of treason and separatism for his role in
\na Jan. 4 raid on a Narathiwat arms depot which killed four
\nsoldiers.<\/p>\n
Chaturon said government would convene an extraordinary
\nmeeting next Monday when he would present his findings to
\nThaksin.<\/p>\n
\"The whole policy toward aiming and solving problems in the
\nsouth will be overhauled in line with public suggestions and the
\nresolution will be immediately implemented,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/violence-in-s-thailand-fueled-by-frustration-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}