Solving security problems in southern Thailand

Producer: Yvonne Gomez
First broadcast: 8 June 04, Radio Singapore International

Muslim separatists seeking independence in southern Thailand may have switched from targeting policemen and other government officials, to now attacking civilians.

This has fuelled concerns that violence in the region is turning sectarian.

At least 284 people have already been killed since the beginning of this year in the Muslim-majority provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala, in predominantly Buddhist Thailand.

Professor Mark Tamthai is Vice-Chairman of the Strategic Non-violence National Security Council in Thailand. At a panel discussion today organized by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Professor Tamthai spoke on how the recent escalation of violence in the south coincided with the present global war on terror.

MT: One of the reasons for this is that the peace-building efforts and the new approaches to security in the south of Thailand, which began about six years ago with the national security policy for the south, the 1999-2003 policy, that these attempts have been compromised by the global war on terrorism, compromised in the following manner: those who suggest harsh and violent methods from both sides, whether it be to teach those who challenge state authority a lesson, or to reclaim pride in Pattani motherland. I think both sides have found support from the different sides in the global war on terrorism. And this is has escalated the violence that we see today.

On the 18th of May this year, a proposal spearheaded by Thai Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Chaturon Chaisang, was approved by the Cabinet and the Prime Minister. Professor Tamthai summarized some of its main points.

MT: Interrogation methods by state officials must abide strictly by the law. The use of torture to get information must stop. Secondly, abductions as a means of getting to people to interrogate them must stop. Officials who are responsible for past misdeeds such as abductions or illegal methods of interrogations, such as torture, must be prosecuted.

Professor Tamthai also elaborated on some of the positives arising from the proposal.

MT: The southern region must try to be developed to be the centre for Islamic studies at the university level, or the post-graduate level, for the region. Or another item will be, officials assigned to the region must be trained in understanding and knowledge and good attitude towards the local culture. Another important part of the proposal that was accepted was to concentrate more seriously on building a sense of fraternity between the south and other parts of the country.

Dr Surin Pitsuwan is a Member of Parliament and former Minister for Foreign Affairs in Thailand. He gave his take on how the problem of violence in southern Thailand can be solved.

SP: There must be a change of attitude at the highest level, from one of “I don’t know all the things in the south”, that Bangkok doesn’t know every issue pertaining to the south, to “there must be others who know more. The CEO attitude must be changed. The second point must be the unity of approach, which means there must be a clear understanding among the elements of government, of how to address the south. Some are claiming that there are external involvements, and some are saying that it’s domestic and they are debating in the media, what are the real causes. This is at the highest level.

He then continued on the steps to be taken to bring peace to the region.

SP: Then there must be participation of the people. You have to go back to find who was responsible for what, in the past. Clear that up and walk into the future. Then you do human resources development, because without human resources development, people will not benefit from any development projects. They will only be suitable to be janitors – to be cleaners of factories – rather than managing and participating in real development. And then you do economic development and then you manage the international dimension of the problem, carefully. I can understand why Malaysia feels very anxious. Every time there is a problem, fingers are being pointed down. In that part, the Thai government will have to play a very careful hand.