Pressing issues that can be addressed without waiting for peace talks
The main merit of the various public hearings staged by the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre to gauge public opinions regarding the ongoing peace talks between the government and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional separatist group is that the government will have direct access to the wishes of the people and will not be misled by the rebels.
Regarding the five demands made through YouTube social media by the BRN, it has been found out from the hearings staged that most of the people did not agree with all the rebels’ demands. For instance, the demand for unconditional release of all detainees and prisoners held on security-related charges was rejected outright by student activist groups and several imam or Muslim religious leaders.
Also, the demand that the BRN be called a liberation organization or a separatist movement was greeted with reservations.
However, the general consensus of the people was that they wanted the two parties in the conflict to scale down the violence which has gripped the restive region and claimed more than 5,000 deaths in 10 years.
The "real voice of the people" gauged via public hearings and discussions could be used by the government’s negotiating team to put pressure on the BRN to soften their demands and to be more accommodating, particularly on the issue of the scale down of violence.
It was suspected that the BRN’s version of peace might be different from that of the government and the rebel group might actually want to carve out the restive region from the Thai kingdom. Based on the opinions gauged through public hearings, it could be assumed that the rebels’ wishes and political aspirations did not reflect those of the local people.
In the meantime, what the authorities should do as priority is that they must quickly address the injustice problem which has been identified as a main cause of conflict in the region. The injustice problem was also highlighted in public hearings.
One issue which was raised at a public hearing presided over by Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Prasobdee was that southern Muslim youths who graduated with a degree in medical science from medical schools in the Middle East were not recognized in Thailand and they were not allowed to practice Medicines and had to be content with working as lower-level medical staff in hospitals.
The local people have wanted these medical science graduates to be recognized so that they can work at hospitals in the region like graduates of the same discipline from Thai universities. As a matter of fact, the Isra news agency did an in-depth story on the issue eight years ago but the issue remains unaddressed.
The emergency decree is another key issue which was widely criticized in all public hearings. This issue and the injustice problem, it was pointed out, can be addressed by the government without the need to wait for the outcome of the peace talks with the rebels.
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Caption : One of public hearing stage in Yala.