Unilateral ceasefire was just a black joke?
By Isra news desk
Most officials and residents in the restive far South believe that the unilateral ceasefire in three districts of Narathiwat during June 10-July 10 reportedly announced by the Pattani Malay Liberation Movement (a merger between Pattani United Liberation Organisastion and BRN Co-ordinate) was just a joke which should not be taken seriously, according to recent random interviews conducted by the Isra news desk.
The followings are excerpts of random interviews conducted by a team of reporters from the Isra new agency:
Mr Supavaris Petkarn, district officer of Ra-ngae, one of the three districts covered by the reported ceasefire, admitted that had no idea where the news about the ceasefire came from.
“I heard about it (the ceasefire news) but I didn’t bother about it because it was not clear who were to stop firing against whom. Personally, I don’t know how the ceasefire could be enforced because there was a bombing incident just the night before,” said Mr Suparavis.
The district officer however noted that it should be much better for the authorities if there was not such a news (about the ceasefire) in the media for the first place because it would enable them to do their job with less difficulty. Citing for an example, he said since he had to leave home or office at night to perform his duty, the ceasefire news made him confused.
Mr Somsak Sitthivorakarn, the district officer of Yee-ngor district, said he didn’t believe the ceasefire news when he heard about it and thought it was just a rumour to mislead the public.
The district officer of Cho Airong district, Mr Nimit Poomprasert, said he doubted the person who declared the unilateral ceasefire knew who was the real leader or leaders of the insurgent groups operating in Cho Airong district.
He said he didn’t how the ceasefire could materialize since there were violent incidents throughout the supposed ceasefire period. On June 18, for an example, several soldiers were wounded in a bomb explosion in Cho Airong district.
The district officer went on saying that many residents in the district thought the ceasefire news was just a joke. “They were laughing when they came to me to ask about the ceasefire report and I told them that I didn’t know at all. However, if there was actually a negotiation between the government and the insurgents, then it would be just fine,” he said.
Mrs Mansong Kaleng, a villager of Yee-ngor district, admitted she didn’t hear anything about the ceasefire report but would not believe in it anyway. She said that there would never be peace in the restive region as long as the people were not given justice.
More importantly, she noted that there are several insurgent groups in the region, not just one. If one of them announced the ceasefire, it would not have any effect on the other groups which would carry on with their violent activities, she added.
Mr Waenasae Kuwaekama, a villager of Ban I-payae of Cho-Airong district, said that there was no sign that violence has subsided. “Nobody can say for sure whether the ceasefire announcement was fake or real.”
Mrs Niramon Klangtaeng, a member of Yee-ngor tambon administrative organization, noted that there were insurgent groups operating in the three southernmost provinces. Some groups have wanted a separte homeland while the others are involved in illicit drugs or are politically motivated.
Maj-Gen Samret Srirai, former deputy commander of the Fourth Army Region and currently deputy commander of the Special Force Command, categorically dismissed the ceasefire news as untrue, noting that the PMLM has no control whatsoever over the various insurgent groups in the region.
The author of a research work on the subject of “BRN Coordinate”, Maj-Gen Samret said it was impossible for a certain insurgent group to claim they could order insurgent groups to cease their activities in some specific areas because the organizational structure of the insurgent groups was compartmentalized and in vertical shape.
“There is no one who knows everybody in the insurgency movement even though each insurgent cell shares the same objective which is to separate the region from the rest of Thailand – an idea which has been taught and nurtured for more than two decades,” said the general.
He dismissed as completely impossible that the BRN Co-ordinate would advocate ceasefire with the government as its main strategy is to carry out terror campaign against government authorities and, at the same time, to solicit support among the local people to their cause.
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Caption : Maj-Gen Samret Srirai