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March 28, 2006
Thailand: Islamic Teachers Arrested
News from the Bangkok Post states that 19 Islamic teachers have been held on suspicion of involvement with the insugency which has gone on in the south of the nation for 2 years, and which has seem more than 1,100 people killed.
The teachers from Thamma Wittaya school in Yala city, Yala province, were apprehended under the nation's emergency rules, which allows suspects to be hald for 30 days without charge.
The school was founded by Sapaeing Bazo, who is a leader in the separatist movement, which wishes the southern provinces of Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani and two districts of Songhkla province to secede from Thailand. Sapaeing is currently a fugitive, with a bounty of 10 million baht ($256,227 US) upon his head. Currently he is in hiding across the border in Malaysia.
Since the insurgency began in January 2004, six teachers at the Islamic school have been killed.
Some of the 19 teachers who were arrested have been educated in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Egypt. Their names were given by suspects picked up for interrogation, state security officials.
Earlier today, three people were shot dead in Pattani and Narathiwat provinces.
In Pattani's Muang district, 36-year old Chamnarn Noochukaew was shot in the morning as he went to work.
Two men on a motorbike killed 32-year old Jaehor Sor, an employee at a shopping mall as he went to work.
In tambon of Bachor in Narathiwat province, a 45-year old garment vendor, Wae Lorhu, was shot and seriously wounded. His 19 year old son Suming was shot dead.
In Narathiwat, eight men have been arrested for involvement with recent attacks connected with the insurgency. Five were arrested on suspicion of involvement with a gun attack in Rueso district which saw two soldiers shot dead. The other three, all brothers, were arrested for their part in a gun battle with security forces on 19th February. Weapons were taken in their arrest.
The insurgencey is an attempt to recreate the former independent sultanate of Pattani, which comprised the three southern provinces. This was annexed into Thailand a century ago.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at March 28, 2006 9:22 PM
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