Hassan Taib emerged in social media
Hassan Taib’s recent video clip in the social media was believed to be his attempt to maintain his status quo in the peace talk process between the government and separatist groups and also to revive the suspended talks.
The 90-second VDO clip under the title of Penjelasan dan Peegasan was posted on the social media on December 1. It featured Mr Hassan, chief negotiator representing the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) separatist group, talking about the BRN’s role in the peace process and reaffirming the group’s demand for the government to accept its five demands before the resumption of the peace talks.
In the clip, Hassan also called on the government to treat the peace talks as a national agenda.
Informed security sources said that Hassan had to come out to do something publicly otherwise he might be removed as the chief negotiator of the BRN because he was seen by the separatists as being too compromising and soft.
Also, the sources said that a restructuring of the negotiating team which will bring in more separatist groups could result in the removal of Hassan from the team.
Dr Wan Kadir, former president of the Bersatu, has recently emerged as a player in the peace talks process representing the separatist groups. In late November, he met with Deputy Prime Minister Pracha Promnok who is in charge of security affairs. He also participated in a panel discussion on the southern unrest problem staged by the Thai Journalists Association on November 28.
Informed security sources said that Wan Kadir might be included in the separatists’ negotiating team or, at least, to become their advisor.
Three rounds of peace talks have been held between the government and the BRN in Kuala Lumpur on March 29, April 28 and June 13. The fourth round has been postponed, firstly because of the BRN’s five demands and, lately, the political crisis in Bangkok.
As for the BRN’s five demands, the government told the BRN through Malaysia, the facilitator of the peace talks process, that they are accepted for consideration- which was interpreted as meaning that they are not accepted for now.
While the new round of peace talks remain in doubt, violence continued although in less frequency.
On December 2, five policemen were injured, one of them seriously, when a pick-up truck in which they were travelling hit a landmine which was believed to be detonated by a radio signal.
The policemen from Janae district of Narathiwat were heading to the scene of an explosion in Ban Nam Won for an investigation but their vehicle struck the mine about three kilometers from the blast scene.
Two suspected separatists were killed by security forces in Bacho district of Narathiwat on the same day.