NSC holding secret talks without M'sia
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These negotiations are necessary in moves to achieve peace: Charoon
The National Security Council (NSC) has been holding secret talks with separatist groups, without Malaysia’s knowledge, in a move to resolve the unrest in the South, NSC adviser Charoon Ampa said.
Putting the recent attacks on new insurgents who thought differently and used violence as a means to attain their goal, Charoon said the NSC was willing to negotiate with more groups because not all agreed with Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN).
BRN demands discussed
The NSC has been speaking to related government agencies about the BRN’s seven-point demand so they will have a response once the holy month of Ramadan ends, Charoon said.
He went on to say that it was not possible to withdraw troops from the region because they were on Thai soil, though the Army has considered handing “safe” areas over to local bodies so soldiers can return to their camps.
NSC chief Paradorn Pattanathabutr said the blast on Saturday in Yala’s Krong Pinang district that killed eight soldiers had been carried out by a breakaway group that did not support the peace talks with BRN.
Deputy Defence Minister General Yutthasak Sasiprapha said the government would make a decision on the BRN talks once Ramadan ends, but for now it will continue using it as a channel to try and achieve peace.
Yutthasak said three groups operated in the region; one that backed the peace talks; a 2,000-strong group that was against the talks; and one that is monitoring the situation.
This last group is believed to have leading insurgent Sapae-ing Basor as its member.
“These secret talks are necessary because they can be conducted with many groups,” he said.
Defence spokesman Thanatip Sawangsaeng said the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre (SBPAC) is selecting Thai Muslims for the Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca, hosting the orientation for 816 newly-deployed cops in Narathiwat and providing 50 scholarships to study in Indonesia.
Prof Gothom Areeya, director of Mahidol University’s Research Centre for Peace, and Prof Surichai Wankaew, director of Chulalong-korn University’s Peace and Conflicts Study Centre, yesterday called on the Thai society to be patient and continue supporting the ongoing dialogue.
Pushing for the peace process to be turned into a national agenda with people’s participation, they called on the NSC to discuss remedial measures used in the
past, problem-solving measures being used at present and the joint creation of a plan for coexistence.
Latest attacks
Meanwhile, violence continued yesterday with villager Sideena-ali Salae, 21, being shot dead in Narathiwat’s Joh-i-Rong district at 11.30am and another villager, Sama-ae Ali, 24, was shot dead just after midnight in Pattani’s Nong Chik district.
A person was also injured in a Sunday night drive-by shooting at a grocery shop in Songkhla’s Thepha district.
