Separatist groups reject Hassan Taib but do not oppose peace talks
In light of unabated violence despite the Ramadan ceasefire, quite a few people have started questioning whether the ceasefire agreement between the government and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional separatist group has already collapsed.
Publicly, senior security officials, including National Security Council chief Lt-Gen Paradorn Pattanatabut, have insisted that the ceasefire during the holy month of Ramadan still holds despite the violence which appears to have escalated as the fasting month is nearing its end.
The Isranews agency’s news team recently talked to some members of the separatist groups who declined to be identified about the ceasefire violations, the peace process and how they think the southern conflict can be resolved. The followings are their opinions.
One separatist who is active in Yala province said that the ongoing peace talks between the government and the BRN led by Hassan Taib were doomed from the beginning for the following reasons: Hassan Taib and his group have no control over several splinter separatist groups operating in the deep South and they are not widely recognized; most separatist groups are reluctant to join the peace process because they believe they still enjoy the upper hand over the government; and lack of sincerity from the government to resolve pressing problems especially the injustice problem.
Another separatist, a woman who is active in women’s rights group, said that the group has never recognized the role played by Hassan Taib. She noted that the current conflict dated back nine years ago in 2004 and not more than 100 years ago as believed by the "old guard" separatists.
"The main cause of the unrest is injustice. We feel that we, Muslims, have been treated unfairly. We have been wrongly viewed as bandits or outlaws by government officials and that made us feel that our rights have been trampled upon," said the female separatist who insisted that she was a member of the BRN but not under the control of Hassan Taib.
"Our men cannot work here and have to go to Malaysia to get jobs. Our youths cannot stay home because they may be accused of being supporters of the separatist groups and our movements have been restricted and subjected to checks by security forces," she complained.
She however said that for peace to be restored the government must talk with their group and not just Hassan Taib’s group and that the injustice problem must be dealt with in earnest.
Despite their disagreement with ongoing peace talks between the government and Taib’s BRN, most separatists interviewed by Isranews agency did not object to peace talks as a matter of principle.
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Caption : Unrest in the Southern provinces during the ceasefire agreement.