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October 28, 2006

Thailand: Four-Year Old Child Shot In Head In Muslim Insurgency

The insurgency in the predominantly Muslim provinces of Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani and some districts of Songkhla province has continued unabated since January 4, 2004. On that date, a military base in Narathiwat was raided, with four soldiers killed and a large quantity of weaponry stolen. Coinciding with the raid, twenty schools were set on fire.

The insurgency has since claimed more than 1,700 lives. Some of the Muslims seek secession of the southern provinces from Thailand, while others, such as the Pattani United Liberation Organization (Pulo) and four other groups included in the coalition Barisan Bersatu Kemerdekaan Pattani (Bersatu) are now seeking only reform in the south.

Formerly, the regions where the insurgency now rages comprised an independent sultanate called Pattani. In 1786, this sultanate was invaded by Siam (Thailand) and thenceforward existed as a vassal state of Siam. In 1902, the sultanate of Pattani was annexed into Siam/Thailand, to act as a buffer against encroachment of the British who ruled Malaya. In 1909, the British officially recognized the annexation of Pattani.

Following the bloodless coup of September 19, led by the Muslim army general, Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, there have been hopes for a peaceful resolution of the dispute. Representatives of Pulo, Bersatu, and the Barisan Revolusi National (BRN) have been meeting with Thai officials on the Malaysian island of Langkawi. The talks about improving living conditions for Muslims in the south have been brokered by the former prime minister of Malaysia, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, his son Mukhriz Mahathir and their charity, the Perdana Global Peace Organisation.

Despite talks taking place with known insurgents, there are other militants who are not known to the authorities and who have recently escalated the violence. On Monday October 22, five Buddhists monks and also villagers were injured in a bomb explosion in Muang, Narathiwat province. A soldier, 22-year old Private Pramote Wannasuk, who was escorting the monks on their alms round was killed.

Three other soldiers who had been with the monks suffered injuries, and on Saturday morning (today), a second soldier died from his wounds. TNA English news reports that Private Vachiravuth (Wachirawut) Kerdsuwan, who had lain in a coma for six days, died in hospital without recovering consciousness.

On October 17, it was announced that the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre, or SBPAC, which had been disbanded by ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, would be re-established. This body served to act as a mediator, which listened to locals' grievances, and channelled ideas and suggestions between people in the south and the government. It has been announced by defense minister General Boonrawd Somtas that the new SBPAC will start its operations on Wednesday (November 1).

The body will be larger than before, and will include the Justice Ministry. Where the former SBPAC covered only Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani, the scope of the new body will extend to include Songkhla and Satun provinces.

The Bangkok Post quotes several commentaters on the insurgency who have said that the revived SBPAC will lessen tensions in the southern provinces, which are 80% Muslim. The chairman of the Pattani Provincial Muslim Commission, Waedueramae Mamingji, welcomed the reformation of the SBPAC. Worawit Baru, an academic and researcher from the Prince of Songkhla University in Pattani, similarly praised the move.

Additionally, the Bangkok Post and Agence France Presse via Gulf Times state that the state of emergency would be removed by January.

Though the coup leaders have established a cabinet and an interim government, the real power in Thailand lies with the leaders of the coup, who comprise the Council for National Security (CNS). On October 19, the CNS announced that it would extend the state of emergency, or the Executive Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations. This ruing, which allowed for searches without warrants and detentions without trial, had first been introduced by Thaksin Shinawatra on July 17, 2005. Every three months since then, the Emergency decree has been extended. Before the coup of September 19, it had last been extended in July this year.

Waedueramae Mamingji welcomed the decision to no longer extend the decree when it runs out in January, as did Somboon Amadbualuang, a former member of the disbanded National Reconciliation Commission. Somboon said the decision was a "bold move".

But, as reported in the Nation, on Friday night the violence continued. In Bannang Sata district in Yala province, a Buddhist married couple riding on a motorcycle were shot and killed. Their young old daughter who was with them was shot in the head and seriously injured. Agence France Presse in the Bangladesh Daily Star reports that the four year old girl died.

The coup leaders' puppet prime minister, Surayud Chulanot has been on a tour of neighbouring countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia the Philippines and Vietnam, where he met the leaders of these nations. On Friday he made a surprise visit to the south of Thailand, an hour after the Buddhist family were killed. He arrived in Songkhla, and visited the Prince of Songkhla hospital where the monks and marines who where injured on Monday were being treated. He said he personally knew the parents of Private Wachirawut Kerdsuwan, who died this morning. Surayud said: "I told his father to be proud of his son, as he did his best to carry out his duty."

On Saturday morning, before dawn, a 53-year old rubber plantation worker, Romkaew Kraikong, was followed by two assailants on another motorcycle in Kok Pho district in Pattani province. The plantation worker was riding with his wife to the rubber plantation where he worked. He was shot dead. His wife survived.

AFP reports that also on Saturday, a Muslim army ranger was shot dead in a drive-by shooting in Pattani province while he was off-duty. A 74-year old rubber plantation owner was also killed on Saturday. He was shot at point blank range, as he rested at his plantation in Narathiwat province.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at October 28, 2006 7:17 PM

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Posted by: gawfer at October 28, 2006 10:43 PM

Posted by: gawfer at October 28, 2006 10:43 PM

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