Shortcomings seen on both sides
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Peace negotiations between the National Security Council and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) group will get tougher when both sides start seeking the roots of violence in the far South.
The first round of talks, due to start tomorrow, will not focus on any hot issues because both sides are still in a “honeymoon” period as they try to build confidence. Pol Lt-General Paradorn Pattanathabutr will lead the talks.
A source, who took part in the unofficial talks on February 28, which resulted in the signing of an agreement to hold proper peace negotiations, said another unofficial talk was held on March 5, in which both sides “asked” one another what they needed.
So far, the Thai side has made two requests – to reduce the violence, especially in municipal areas that create heavy casualties, and to refrain from attacking women, children and teachers. They have also called on the other side to demonstrate their sincerity by implementing these measures ahead of the talks.
BRN representative Hassan Toyib signed a pact with Paradorn on March 5, the source said.
Since February 28, the BRN has also been asking the Thai side to lift security laws such as the emergency decree and cut down on raids and arrests.
However, it looks like both sides have chosen to ignore these requests because the government extended the emergency decree in 32 districts in the three southernmost provinces by another three months and security operations like setting up checkpoints, searches and arrests are continuing as normal.
Meanwhile, attacks in municipal areas have continued unabated. The most recent ones were a motorcycle bomb in Pattani’s Muang district on March 21, which killed a nine-year-old boy and hurt 10 people; and a bombing in Sai Buri district on March 24, which injured seven soldiers.
The talks seem to reflect flaws on both sides – the Thai team does not have any representatives from the military or the Internal Security Operations Command, while there are serious doubts if the group led by Hassan has control over many armed groups operating in the South.
Nevertheless, the key topics both sides are preparing to discuss include pardoning certain groups of people arrested or facing arrest warrants, such as elderly people; setting up a special administrative zone suitable to life and the culture in the South; development plans. Since these points aren’t urgent, 15-member teams from both sides will be asked to set up panels to come up with solutions.
Meanwhile, the government faces a new problem as interest groups, civic assemblies and non-government organisations want to join the talks.
Students from the southern border provinces yesterday submitted a letter asking the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre to let them take part after a public hearing on Saturday showed the talks don’t reflect all people’s wishes.
