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October 18, 2006

Thailand: Foreign Muslims To Help Solve Crisis In South

Last week, it was announced that Thai Muslims wanted former Malaysian prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, to be involved in the peace process talks, stated the Nation and TNA English News. There is a certain logic in this.

The three southern provinces of Thailand - Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala - as well as two districts of Songkhla province, formerly belonged to an independent sultanate called Pattani. Originally this sultanate was powerful, and had influence throughout southeast Asia, but by the mid 17th century had fallen into decline, and accepted its role as a vassal state of Siam (Thailand). Pattani was invaded by Siam in 1786. It was officially annexed by Siam in 1902, to act as a buffer against potential encroachments by the British, who then controlled Malaya. The British officially acknowledged Pattani as a part of Siam in 1909. Since that time there have been voices of dissent in the south. There have been separatist groups in the southern provinces of Thailand for 50 years.

Activity from insurgents peaked in the 1970s and 1980s, but eventually these lessened when the Thai government agreed to make concessions and to promote development programs. However, on January 4, 2004 the current insurgency, which has now claimed more than 1,700 lives, was initiated. An army base in Narathiwat was invaded and four soldiers were killed. 300 weapons were seized in the raid, and at least twenty schools in the south were set alight.

Some of the main insurgent groups are: Pattani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo), New Pattani United Liberation Organisation, Barisan Revolusi National (BRN), Gerakan Mujahideen Islam Pattani (GMIP), United Front for the Independence of Pattani (Bersatu or Barisan Bersatu Kemerdekaan Pattani), Mujahideen Pattani Movement (BNP), Barisan National Pember-Basab Pattani (BNPP), and Mujahideen Islam Pattani.

Other groups which have recently become prominent are the Runda Kampulan Kecil (RKK) which is an offshoot of BRN (the Barisan Revolusi Nasional), and also Permuda, which is the youth wing of BRN. Most of the leadership of Pulo, a group which appears to have little involvement with the current insurgency, are in exile in Sweden. They are nonetheless influential, and are involved in talks towards peace.

The logic of involving Malaysia in the peace dialogue stems from the cultural affinity of the Thai Muslim population with Malay traditions. The Thai Muslims speak Yawi, a dialect of Malay. Additionally, Malaysia has been shown to have made progress brokering a peace accord between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) of Mindanao in the southern Philippines with the Filipino government.

On October 13 Wan Kadir Che Wan, the president of Barisan Bersatu Kemerdekaan Pattani (Bersatu), a coalition of five separatist groups, said that Mahathir had helped create trust between Muslim leaders in the south and the Thai authorities. "Before this, the separatists and Thai authorities did not trust each other. Trust is the most important element in a peace process."

He stressed that the five groups in Bersatu's coalition (which had been formed in August 1989) were loyal to the Thai king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, and only sought a change in some government policies, rather than seeking independence from Thailand.

The day before Bersatu's statement, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said that Malaysia had not formally been invited to participate in the peace process. We wrote on October 10 that Malaysia had been involved in behind-the-scenes negotiations with representatives of Pulo (part of the Bersatu coalition) and a Thai intelligence agency on the Malaysian island of Langkawi. The talks had been convened by Mahathir Mohamad. At the start of October, Dr Mahathir had stated that he had initiated peace talks, following a meeting with the Thai king in 2005.

The Bangkok Post of October 13 reported that Mahathir's Perdana Global Peace Organisation had begun talks with rebel representatives from Pulo, Bersatu and BRN. Pulo leaders who are in prison also contributed to negotiations. Many commenters agree that the decision by ousted premier Thakisn Shinawatra to disband the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre, or SBPAC was a disastrous move, and had helped lead to the current violence. The SBPAC was a bod which listened to grievances, and channelled ideas and suggestions between people in the south and the government. Since the coup of September 19, a new cabinet has been formed. Most of the Muslims in the south trust the new interior minister Aree Wong-araya, a Muslim. He had formerly been a district chief and governor in the three southern provinces. His deputy in the interior ministry is , who used to be the head of SBPAC.

The leader of the coup, General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, supports the re-establishment of the SBPAC, and has charged Lt-Gen Viroj Buacharoon, leader of the Fourth Army, and relevant agencies to review this prospect.

The new prime minister in the post-coup government is Surayud Chulanont. Today he was in Malaysia, visiting Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, its deputy prime minister Najib Tun Razak, and its defense minister Najib Razak. The Thai prime minister is accompanied by interior minister Aree Wong-araya, foreign minister Nitya Pibulsonggram, and defense minister General Boonrawd Somtat.

Following his meeting with Malaysian representatives, he said: "Let me explain my personal strategy of trying to solve the problems in the south, by peaceful means. We will try to talk to a lot of people. Initially I told the Malaysian prime minister that I will talk to the Muslim leaders in the south. So that is the way I'm trying to present myself, by way of talking."

Surayud issued a press release which stated that relations between Thailand and Malaysia would be strengthened. Abdullah, the Malaysian premier, said his government would not interfere in Thailand's internal affairs, but would offer cooperation and assistance where possible. He said: "For Malaysia, we would like to see southern Thailand as an area that is peaceful, where the Thais--many of whom are Muslims--will be able to live in peace without fear."

Yesterday, Mahathir Mohamad met with Thai Muslim leaders on the Malaysian island of Langkawi (pictured). According to Al Jazeera, Mahathir's son Mukhriz Mahathir has also been a key participant in the peace talks. Mukhriz said: "We now have an open window to resolve this conclusively and I believe that the Malaysian government too is very committed to see this done because peace is not only good for southern Thailand, but also for Malaysia and for the region."

Also yesterday, it was officially announced that SBPAC would be re-established, with the same name, but with additional duties. It will replace the current Southern Border Provinces Peace-building Command (SBPPC) which will be disbanded.

The Bangkok Post reports that the coup leader, who is effectively the country's supreme leader, chief of the Council for National Security (CNS) will soon be traveling to the Middle East. General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin will be visiting Egypt, and would also go to Saudi Arabia, when he will take part in the Hajj pilgrimage for the first time in his life. He is scheduled to be away from December 26 to December 31.

Sources have said that he has requested meetings with leaders of Muslim governments. He is said to be informing them of the peace talks. There is a danger of a Muslim leader of Thailand, who broke democratic principle to make himself the de facto ruler, consorting with leaders of Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia. Thai Muslims comprise only 4% of the population. But within the three southern provinces, 10% of the Muslims adhere to Wahhabism, the strict and uncompromising version of Salafism which is practiced in Saudi Arabia.

In countries like Indonesia, the worst abuses of democracy and the implementation of Islamist Sharia rules upon local populations have been assisted by Middle Eastern immigrants, who came to Indonesia with an agenda - Arabization. The spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, Abu Bakar Bashir, is Yemeni. The leader of Lashkar Jihad, which mounted a crusade against non-Muslims which led to the deaths of 9,000 people in the Moluccas between 1999 and 2002 - Umar Jaffar Thalib - is Yemeni-Indonesian.

The leader of the Front Pembela Islam or Islamic Defenders' Front (FPI) is Habib Rizieq Shihab (aka Muhammad Rizieq). The FPI mounts violent attacks against Christians, including aid workers, it was behind the anti-cartoon violence in February, and has been behind the Sharia bylaws introduced into several Indonesian towns. Habib Rizieq Shihab is Middle Eastern-born and Saudi educated. Most of FPI's leaders come from the Middle East.

In our Special Report on the Islamization of Indonesia, we state that in South Sulawesi, all government employees must wear Islamic dress, and all employees must be able to read and write Arabic.

There is something very ominous about Boonyaratkalin's attempts to woo leaders of Islamic countries. The Thai southern problem can be resolved if it remains a Thai problem, assisted where necessary by its neighbor Malaysia. The involvement of Saudis and others from the OIC nations could lead to further problems in the future.

The violence in the south has been little reported since the coup took place. News sources have eclipsed the actualities of the insurgency with optimistic articles about potential peace processes. But violence continues.

Yesterday, according to the Bangkok Post, XInhua and Nation, four soldiers were injured and one killed in northeastern Yala province.

At 6.20 am local time in Jakwa village in Raman district, a pick-up truck carrying six Islamists pulled up in front of a military booth and began firing with AK-47 and M16 assault rifles and shotguns. After about five minutes of gunfire being exchanged, the militants drove off. Sergeant Sornkhom Ngamsifah died during the attack.

Elsewhere in Yala yesterday, a bomb was set off on the Yala city to Thasap highway, and injured four policemen.

Late last night, in Waeng district in Pattani province, insurgents burned down a police outpost with Molotov cockails. No police were on duty at the time, and consequently there were no injuries.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at October 18, 2006 12:31 PM

Comments

Posted by: the poetess at October 18, 2006 5:47 PM

Posted by: FreedomSeeker33 at October 18, 2006 10:08 PM

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