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September 28, 2006

Thailand: After Coup, Killings Continue In Muslim South

We reported on September 19 that a bloodless coup had been staged by the Thai military, while the caretaker prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, was in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly. The coup was led by a Muslim, General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, and though a surprise, it was welcomed by many within the country.

On September 22, the Thai King, Bhumibol Adulyadej, gave his approval for the coup, endorsing Sonthi Boonyaratkalin to head the newly formed Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM). Within the first week of the coup, however, there were riots in three jails - on Wednesday September 20, two inmates were shot dead at Nonthaburi provincial prison, and 27 others were injured. A similar disturbance had happened in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Another riot took place at Yala in the Muslim south.

There had initially been optimism that the ongoing insurgency would be alleviated by the coup leadership. With Sonthi in control of the Council for Democratic Reform, Muslims in the south hoped the situation would improve. Sonthi had supported negotiations rather than a heavy-handed approach which had been favored by the government of Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai party. Abdulrosak Ali, chairman of the Islamic committee in Narathiwat had said the day after the coup began that efforts to restore peace would be more united without the contradictory messages issued by the now ousted government. Ongkorn Thongprasom, head of the Fourth Army, similarly thought the violence would lessen, and peace could be negotiated.

Since January 4, 2004, the southern provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala, as well as two districts of Songkhla province, have been involved in an insurgency which has killed at least 1,400 people. One Thai academic estimates there have been more than 1,700 killings. The southern provinces had formerly been an independent Sultanate, but in 1906 this became annexed within Siam. The inhabitants of the three provinces of the south are predominantly Muslims, who make up 80% of the demographic and are ethnic Malays.

The honeymoon period for the Muslim south came to an abrupt end this week, when on Monday, September 25, two civilians were killed in a shootout between Islamist insurgents and police in Yaha district, Yala province.

The attack took place at the tambon Patae police station, after a village defense volunteer warned that a band of 30 heavily-armed insurgents were making their way to the station. The insurgents blew up a trandformer to cut off power, and cut down trees and burned tires in the roads to block access.

When the insurgents arrived at the station, a gunfight took place which lasted twenty minutes before the insurgents were driven off. When the shooting had finished, the body of 27-year old Supaporn Kijsamret, wife of a police officer, was found in wooden living quarters behind the station. She had been killed by a gunshot in the head. Also killed was 42-year old Abdulloh Joho, a deputy chief of tambon administration. His body was found in the house he lived at, adjacent to the police station.

A police lieutenant, 26-year old Sappasit Himakun, had slight injuries. Hundreds of spent rifle cartrisdges were strewn at the scene, as well as at least three remains of molotov cocktails.

At the same time as attack in Yaha district, another attack happened on a police station in Raman district. 20 militants, armed with M16, AKA and HK rifles and rocket-propelled grenades tried to storm the station in a firefight which lasted only ten minutes. No-one was hurt in the gunfire. This attack was subsequently believed to be the work of Abdullah Seh or Ustaz Seh, a chief of the Runda Kampulan Kecil (RKK) insurgent faction. The attack was said to have taken place as revenge for the arrest of five members of the RKK.

The attack upon the tambon Patae police station was thought to have been organized by Ismael Rayalong, also known as Ustaz Soh, an insurgent whose movements in the area had been tracked.

Also on Monday night in Sungai Padi district in Narathiwat province, a village headman was shot and killed in front of his house. 45-year old Satapo Awae had been lured out of his home by firecrackers thrown by the assailants. He had been killed with an AKA rifle.

In Rueso district in Narathiwat province on the same day, an army outpost was stormed by insurgents armed with M16 assault rifles.

On Wednesday, September 28, in Muang district in Yala province, three Buddhist villagers were shot dead, and in Pattani province, a grocer was shot dead by insurgents. All four were Buddhists. This story, as well as being in the archives of Bangkok Post is also covered by the Australian. The Nation covers the story of the Yala killings, and also the killing of the Pattani janitor.

The three who were killed in Yala died around midday. Two militants on a motorcycle stopped at a grocery shop, ostensibly to buy cigarettes. They then shot at the grocery owner, his wife, and other customers. The grocer, 61-year old Rerm Pakdeejit, was hit in the chest and died on the spot. His wife Yard, aged 60, and a customer, 39-year old Chartchai Sukprasit, died in Yala hospital.

The school janitor who was killed in Pattani was named as 44-year old Amnuay Nilnam, who worked at Sirirat Samakkee School in Mayo district. He was traveling on a bus on his way to work when two gunmen, posing as passengers boarded the bus and sat near him. Amnuay was shot in the neck with a .9mm pistol and died in his seat. The attackers fled from the bus.

Another killing took place in Narathiwat province on Wednesday night, states the Nation. One man was shot dead and two others were injured outside a grocery shop. Police said the shooting was intended to lure the individuals inside the shop, where a 10 kilogram bomb was hidden. Police defused the bomb before it could be detonated.

Also yesterday, in Betong district of Yala province, a 46-year old tambon administrator was shot and injured. Jehming Walah was driving in his jeep when four assailants ambushed and shot at him. His six year old son was also in the vehicle, and was wounded, though not seriously.

Today, states TNA English news, Buddhists and Muslims in the south held separate religious ceremonies to boost morale. In Pattani province, representatives of several Buddhist groups gathered to pray and to offer alms to Buddhist monks, who had been invited from 226 temples in the four troubled southern provinces.

In Sai Buri district of the same province, Muslim teachers students and residents met at Sai Buri Wittaya Islamic school today, to hold a "Lamad Hayad" or Muslim prayer ceremony. The ceremony was held to thank Allah for a bloodless transition of power which had "brought peace and order to Thailand". Pattani provincial officials and members of the Southern Border Provinces Peace-Building Command (SBPPC) were present. The Muslims showed their support for the Council for Democratic Reform (CDR).

Despite ceremonies of goodwill, at 7.30 am, a man was shot dead in Sai Buri district this morning. 35-year old Anat Peng-iad, a member of local tambon administration, was shot dead while he drove his pickup truck to his home. The usual contingent of soldiers who patrolled the stretch of road where he was killed had been deployed elsewhere, guarding the Sai Buri Wittaya Islamic school, where the "Lamad Hayat" was taking place.

There was further violence today, states the Nation, TNA English News and the Bangkok Post. A roadside bomb was set off at Sungai Padi district in Narathiwat province. A 15 kilogram bomb was detonated by mobile phone when six soldiers were travelling past in a Humvee vehicle. The Humvee overturned, and five soldiers were injured.

A three meter deep and four meter wide hole was left in the road, and shrapnel was found 30 meters from the spot. One of the injured soldiers died later from blood loss. The soldiers had been assigned to guard local schools and teachers from attack. After the bomb attack, five schools in Sungai Padi district were closed indefinitely. A second "booby trap" bomb was found at the scene, which was defused by a bomb squad.

In Pattani district today, a man was shot dead by insurgents. The man had just dropped off a group of children at a school when he was shot in the head.

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Despite the fact that the coup was widely welcomed in Thailand itself, and the baht has rallied after initial instability to the level it was before the coup, the US administration and many other Western governments have not been pleased by the coup. The BBC reports today that the US has imposed sanctions, and has withdrawn $24 million in military assistance. State Department spokesman Sean MaCormack said that humanitarian aid would not be cut, but said that aid funding was being cut for military education and training, peacekeeping operations and counter-terrorism. He said: "The United States continues to urge a rapid return to democratic rule and early elections in Thailand".

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at September 28, 2006 4:48 PM

Comments

Posted by: pigtails not veils at September 29, 2006 12:41 AM

Posted by: pigtails not veils at September 29, 2006 12:45 AM

Posted by: Sir Henry Morgan at September 29, 2006 6:45 AM

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