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July 6, 2006

Thailand: More Killings In Muslim South

On Saturday (July 1), in Raman district, Yala province, states the Bangkok Post, two men in Muslim "dawah" robes shot Muelee Jehlong with an AK-47 rifle as he left his home. He died instantly. On the same day, in Than To district, Yala, security forces guarding Nikompitakraj school were fired on by drive-by shooters, but no-one was hurt.

In Bannang Sata district, also in Yala, border patrol police exchanged fire and fought off insurgents who were trying to enter their base. he insurgents had been hiding in a Muslim cemetery before they attacked. After 10 minutes of shooting, the insurgents dispersed.

In Muang district, Yala, at least 10 flying lanterns were noticed in the sky on Saturday, and the authorities went on high alert, assuming the insurgents were using these to signal to each other.

On Tuesday in Yi-ngo district, Narathiwat province, an assistant village leader was riding his motorcycle home when he was shot by suspected insurgents. 42-year old Masuyee Yagoh, who also works as a defence volunteer, was travelling home from a meeting at Yi-ngo district hall when another motorcycle followed his, around noon. A pillion rifer on the other bike had an AK-47 assault rifle, and shot at him. Masuyee took shelter in a food shop by the road, and fired back before he was hit in the body and left arm. He was seriously wounded. Bangkok Post stated that police assume the attack was a signal from the insurgents that people should not be cooperating with the authorities.

On Tuesday, UPI and the Bangkok Post reported that there is now an increase in the number of women being used by the insurgents to carry out assassinations and no motivate villagers into rebellion.

An unnamed intelligence source said that so far 30 women have received training and for the past month have been active in the troubled three provinces of the south, Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani.

Aged between 22 and 28, they were relatives of male insurgents who were captured or killed by the authorities. There are now estimated to be 6,000 insurgents active in the three southern provinces.

Women have been active rebels in Narathiwat's Rangae district. On May 19, a 24-year old villager, Karima Masaleh, whose husband was arrested by security forces, led a mob which besieged a school in Gujingruepo village, where two Buddhist women teachers were singled out for their faith and severely beaten. 26-year old Juling Pongkanmul is still in a coma from that attack.

On September 22 in the same district, two Thai marines were captured and beaten to death by villagers from Yanyong Limo. Rescue personnel and negotiators were prevented from gaining access by women villagers.

Another intelligence report warned that there was a likelihood of an attack this week in lower Songkhla province, and also the border districts of Khok Pho in Pattani and Kabang in Yala. These were believed to have been planned by the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) under the control of Masae Useng.

As we reported earlier, on Friday (June 30) in Rangae district, Narathiwat province, a man thought to be Masae Useng's deputy was captured. 40- year old Ahamud Parsi Gaseng was captured in raids carried out by 200 security personnel. Ahamud is thought to have been the chauffeur for Masae, driving him to meetings where attacks were planned. Masae himself has a bounty of 5 million baht ($130,492) on his head.

The insurgency began on Jan 4, 2004, and seeks to have Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani provinces secede from Thailand, and has now claimed 1, 300 lives. The insurgents believe in the re-establishment of the former sultanate of Pattani, which used to be independent, and comprised the territory of the three provinces, as well as two districts of adjacent Songhkla district. Following an invasion, the sultanate of Pattani was officially annexed into Thailand a century ago.

The day before the two teachers were attacked in Gujingruepo village, we reported on how schoolteachers were being threatened by insurgents, who view such professionals as symbols of Thai authority. On Wednesday, May 10, two teachers were killed when a primitive bomb exploded outside a teahouse in Pattani province. One of these was pregnant. The bomb had been hidden in a motorcycle, and also killed a soldier and wounded 16 others.

During the last two years, more than 50 teachers have been killed in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat. Several school buildings and teachers' living areas have been set alight, or shot at by insurgents. On the first day of the insurgency, known as the "night of the fires", 20 schools had been set alight.

We wrote of how teachers were being escorted to their places of work because of the high risks involved. Last week, on Times newspaper reported on the precarious lifestyle now facing teachers in the southern provinces, a sign that finally the MSM is waking up to what is happening on a daily basis in Thailand.

The Times reports that after training teachers to use firearms, and having guards at schools, the latest plan to attempt to bring education to children in the south is to use satellite television. There are very few teachers left in the south, so such a measure, though imperfect, will make it easier to communicate ideas to children whose education has been affected by the insurgency. 500 satellite dishes and thousands of televisions are being brought into the schools in the three troubled provinces.

Yesterday in Yala province, states AsiaNewsNet, nine soldiers were injured when a roadside bomb blew up. The soldiers had been escorting teachers home from school.

The latest shooting in the south happened this morning in Yala province. 38-year old Garing Yama, a Muslim who had volunteered to help Thai security forces, was shot by suspected insurgents. He was severely injured in the attack. Witnesses said that four motorcycles followed him as he returned home from his security work, at 6.40 am, in Krong Penang district. Mr Garing (Karing states the Nation), was a security officer at Ban Kiyoh Village. He was taken to Yala hospital, with severe bullet wounds to the side of his head.

UPDATE: A male teacher was also shot this morning in Pattani province. The Nation states that 42-year old Suthisak Malisuwan was driving his pickup truck to work at Santiwithaya school in Yarang district around 11 am local time.

Two men on a motorcycle approached, and the pillion rider fired five shots at Mr Suthisak as he was about to enter the school. He was hit three times, on his right arm and torso when only 200 meters from the school gate. He was said to be severely injured, and was later taken to hospital.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at July 6, 2006 4:09 AM

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