BRN blames the Thai state as the real culprit for southern violence
The Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) separatist group has posted its third video clip on the YouTube social media, this time, blaming the Thai state for being the real cause of the unrest situation in the far South, resulting to the emergence of such resistance movements as the BRN.
The latest VDP footage which is four minutes and 343 seconds long appeared on the social media on May 28. It featured Hassan Taib and Abdulkarim Kalib, the two core leaders of the BRN. Abdulkarim blamed the Thai state or Thai governments for being responsible for a number of violent incidents targeted against the Malay Muslims namely the massacre at the Al Furgon mosque in Ban Ai-payae of Narathiwat’s Cho Airong district, the Borgor incident in Ra-nage district of Narathiwat, the fatal shooting at a tea shop in Bannang Sata district of Yala as well as the May 1 shooting at a grocery in Muang Pattani district where six innocent people were killed, including the shopowner and his young kid.
Abdulkarim also called on the government to stop the violence "against the people of Pattani", especially the ustaz, imam, kamnan and village headmen.
The first VDO clip was posted a few days ahead of the second round of peace talks between the government and the BRN scheduled in Kuala Lumpur on April 29. In the first clip, the BRN made five demands which include complete lifting of the emergency decree, dropping of all arrest warrants against suspected insurgents and release of all detainees or prisoners on security-related charges and recognition of the BRN as a liberation movement.
Meanwhile, Hassan Taib attributed the birth of BRN to the alleged abuses against the Malay Muslims by various Thai governments. He said that BRN was dedicated to the liberation of Pattani state from the domination of the Thai state.
Reacting to the latest BRN’s message on YouTube, Fourth Army Region commander Lt-Gen Sakol Choentrakul called on the media to tell the truth about the unrest situation in the far South and who were the real perpetrator responsible for most of the violent incidents in the troubled region.
"Previously, there were not any defendants and they (BRN) often blamed security forces for being responsible for the violent incidents. But now everything is clear about who were the real perpetrators and we have the defendants as a proof," said the commander.
Citing a recent case in which two rangers were killed in Mae Larn district of Pattani on May 28 which was originally blamed on the insurgents, Lt-Gen Sakol said that after it was discovered that the fatal shooting was perpetrated by a paramilitary ranger, the army did not try to hide the truth and allowed the case to be reported in a straightforward manner.
Regarding this particular case, the ranger in question, 21-year old Sarabuth Kamphan is currently behind held in custody for an interrogation and mental checkup.
Meanwhile, Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha has ordered all army units in the far South to conduct mental health check of soldiers and rangers serving in the far South every six months.
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Caption : Hassan Taib on YouTube