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June 14, 2006

Thailand: 46 Muslims Wanted For Attacks Upon Two Teachers

We reported originally on the case of two Buddhist teachers who were attacked in a school in Narathiwat province on Friday May 19, the day that the attack took place. The two women, 26-year old Juling Pongkanmul and 30 year old Sirinat Thavornsuk, were singled out by a mob who came to the school in Gujingruepo village in Ragae district. The Muslim mob demanded to know which of the teachers were not Muslims, and once they were identified, the two Buddhist women were taken to a room where they were beaten about the head and chest with staves for more than an hour. Both suffered serious injuries.

Ms Juling however, never regained consciousness, as her brain had bled during the attack, and since then she has been maintained on a life support machine. She had recently moved to the troubled south to teach at the school. A keen artist, she had decorated the walls of her previous school. It is certain that even if she survives, she will never paint or teach again. She is in the Prince of Songkhla Hospital in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province.

The attack was caused, it transpired, by the actions of a 24-year old villager, Karima Masaleh. Her husband, Muhamad Sapaeing Buari, had been arrested earlier that day, accused of shooting at Thai marines at a railway station on April 12.

Masaleh had initiated the attack perhaps for two reasons. The day before (May 17) in Gotorano in Yarang district in the neighbouring province of Pattani, a mob of Muslim villagers had caused a suspected Islamist militant from being taken away. Two policemen had arrested him, but when they became surrounded by an angry mob, the police were eventually forced to release the suspect. To stop police reinforcements gaining access to that village, people had placed spikes and obstacles in roads leading to their community.

A similar mob incident occurred on September 22 last year, where two Thai marines had been falsely accused of involvement in a killing that had happened in a teashop in the same district, Rangae, as where Ms Juling and Ms Sirinat had been assaulted. While the two marines were beaten to death with sticks by the men of the village of Yanyong Limo, their womenfolk prevented negotiators from entering the enclave.

Similarly, during the attack upon the two school teachers, spikes and obstacles had been placed in the road to prevent access to Gujinruepo village. Many of those involved in the mob assault had been Muslim women.

As we reported on May 18 schools in the troubled southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, which had opened a few days earlier following a two month spring break, had been under threat of attacks. Despite warnings, and heightened security for many teachers and buildings, Ms Juling and Ms Sirinat were subjected to a vicious and sectarian assault.

We reported on May 24 that two women and a man were arrested in Gujinruepo village, scene of the school assault. Five houses were searched and the individuals were taken away. The 47-year old man had been the school's janitor. In the house searches, a leather handbag was discovered, believed to have belonged to one of the Buddhist teachers.

On Monday, May 22, seven people had been arrested. By Wednesday, 19 arrest warrants had been issued in connection with the attack.

The Bangkok Post reports that earlier today (June 14), the provincial court issued warrants for the arrest of a further 46 Muslim villagers, who had taken part in the attack.

So far, the total of people who have been arrested or who have surrendered is twelve. These individuals have been indicted on charges of hostage-taking, assault, obstruction of police on duty, and riotous assembly.

In other news from Thailand, a 39-year old woman was killed in a drive-by shooting in Yarang district, Patani province. Pannee Chummanee worked at Korlam tambon administrative headquarters, where she was a treasury chief. She was gunned down in front of her place of work.

The southern provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala, as well as two districts of neighbouring Songhkla province, were formerly an independent Muslim Sultanate. This Sultanate, called Pattani, had been invaded, and a century ago, it became officially annexed into Thailand. In these three provinces, there is a Muslim majority, with 80% of the demographic being Muslim, and 20% Buddhist.

However, since January 4, 2004, an armed insurgency has been going on, which has now seen almost 1,300 people killed. The insurgents wish the three southern provinces to secede from Thailand.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at June 14, 2006 9:34 PM

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