Special admin zone for South not on the agenda

Ahead of its dialogue with separatists today, National Security Council (NSC) secretary-general Paradorn Pattanata-butr yesterday dismissed as untrue a report that the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) had prepared a preliminary nine-point proposal. Paradorn said the report was in fact released by a group that disagreed with the dialogue.
Affirming that the purpose of the dialogue was to reduce violent attacks in the region – not to discuss a “Pattani Metropolis” special administration zone as widely speculated – Paradorn said Thailand’s 15-member team would travel to Kuala Lumpur for the first meeting with 15 militant representatives from more than nine groups. The groups are led by BRN executive Hassan Taib.
“We will submit our proposal before reaching any deal. We would like to see a drop in the daily attacks, and a stop to attacks on innocent people and car bombs in downtown areas,” he said.
Denying a report that ousted prime minister Thaksin Shina-watra would be in Malaysia during the event, Paradorn said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had approved the names of the 15 Thai delegates for the dialogue.
However, he declined to provide details of the representatives drawn from social sectors, out of safety concerns.
The state officials in the team are Paradorn, Special Branch Police commissioner Saritchai Anek-wiang, deputy permanent secretary for defence Nipat Thonglek, Internal Security Operation Command officer Nakrob Boonbuathong, Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre chief Thawee Sodsong, National Intelligence Office executive Maj-General Surawat Butwong, an unnamed representative from the Foreign Affairs Department’s Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs and King Prajadhipok’s Office of Peace and Governance director Ekkachai Srivilas.
Meanwhile, the Patani and Peace-Loving People Network yesterday submitted an open letter in support of the dialogue to Paradorn at Government House.
Core member of the network Hakim Pongtikoh said the letter reflected the opinions of more than 7,000 people living in the deep South. He said they backed Thai authorities’ dialogue with militants on condition that no agreement with negative impacts on the deep South residents is signed. Thai delegates must not agree to withdraw military troops from the South or lift the emergency decree, Hakim said. Paradorn said proposals from his network would be summarised and forwarded to the Thai delegates.
In related news, an insurgency suspect identified as Abdulromeng Dueloh, 34, was found dead in a ditch early yesterday after a clash with security forces in a village in Narathiwat’s Joh I Rong on Tuesday night. Police said an arrest warrant had been issued for him on October 21, 2008, in connection with the murder of state officials.
Security forces raided the village after a tip-off that members of a militant group ,which allegedly attacked a military base at Ban Yue Loh in Bacho district last month were hiding there. Two defence volunteers were wounded in the ensuing firefight. Some suspected militants were also wounded but escaped.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of Teachers of Three Southern Border Provinces, which is today hosting its fifth annual memorial event for 159 slain teachers and educational personnel, at CS Pattani Hotel, urged Thai delegates to push for an end to violence against teachers in the region. The memorial event will be attended by 3,000 teachers from across