NU head in Thailand to discuss violence
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Bangkok
Sorting out the problems in Thailand's restive south requires a careful assessment, which can only be done after getting first- hand information on what is really going on there from local community leaders before laying out a plan.
Chairman of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Hasyim Muzadi said he would go to southern Thailand to meet representatives from the three mainly-Muslim provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.
"I already have a general overview from my meetings with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon as well as my audience with King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
"The NU will not meddle in a sovereign state's internal affairs, but we will give suggestions and options when required," he added.
Thailand's government has been in the spotlight, especially among Muslims, over its iron-fisted approach to handling the violence in the south.
The uprising in southern Thailand was apparently triggered by general dissatisfaction with the central government's policies toward the region along with historical and socio-cultural differences.
Hasyim spoke at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the Saranrom Institute of Foreign Affairs (SIFA). The seminar was titled "Why we need to empower moderate Muslims and how".
He emphasized the importance of assessing a conflict's root causes, whether it was caused by religious intolerance or other cause, but twisted to become a "religionized" conflict.
"The NU has been involved in resolving conflicts that seemed to have religious causes, but turned out to be of other causes such as the Muslim-Christian clash in Maluku and the Bali bombings," he claimed, without elaborating.
"During my visit and meeting in southern Thailand, I will assess whether the problem is caused by religious problems or other 'religionized' problems."
The failed vice presidential candidate also emphasized injustice, poverty and low education in the Muslim areas as possible causes for the conflict.
"Therefore, I cannot give any suggestions before I go there. I will convey such suggestions when requested."
He, however, said that the problem might be solved in a similar way to that of Indonesia's Maluku conflict.
"The Maluku conflict seemed like a Islam-Christian conflict but after the local leaders from both religions sat down in a meeting it was apparent the conflict was caused by a political rivalry.
"Those who politicized it then fled the country," he alleged without mentioning any names.
He also emphasized that Thailand should solve its internal problem by avoiding any internationalization and by providing a comprehensive solution.
"I have the impression that the Thai government is opening up to solve the problem and ready to find a peaceful solution to reunite Thailand as a whole.
Hasyim is scheduled to leave for Pattani on Wednesday to meet local leaders and representatives from the three mainly-Muslim provinces and spend an evening there. He will return to Bangkok on Thursday where he is slated to meet some members of the Indonesian community at the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok.
He will head home on Friday morning.
When asked whether the NU would open a branch office in Thailand, Hasyim said the NU was ready as long as it was approved by the Thai government.
"We already have branches all over the world. We have branches in Europe, the Middle East, Australia and America.
"We are ready as soon as we are needed here," he said.
Hasyim pointed to culturally linked religious education as one of NU's main contributions.