Ten years after the Krue Se tragedy….a lesson which should not be forgotten
This year’s April 28 marked the 10th anniversary of the Krue Se incident. Hence, it was appropriate to recount the tragic incident in case many people might have forgotten about it in order to serve as a lesson that such incident should never be allowed to be repeated.
Security forces were put on special alert for fear that the separatists might launch attacks to commemorate the incident. However, the day went by rather peacefully at Krue Se mosque in Pattani.
In the perspective of the government and the security forces, the Krue Se incident was over ten years ago and not worthy to be revived for memorial purpose. So it came as little surprise that security officers were unhappy that the media kept reviving the incident every year as if to provoke the old wounds which should be left to heal.
For better understanding of the incident, it should be noted that violence was not only confined to ancient Krue Se mosque although the incident was called Krue Se Incident because 32 people were killed in the mosque alone. On that particular day, violent incidents occurred in Pattani, Yala and Songkhla when hundreds of Malay Muslims rose up to attack police stations and checkpoints simultaneously.
At the Krue Se checkpoint in Tambon Tanyong Luloh, Muang district of Pattani, the raiders armed only with knives, kris and wooden clubs were overpowered by well-armed security forces. Several raiders took refuge in Krue Se mosque where some worshippers who had nothing to do with the uprising were believed to be in the mosque praying.
Security forces persuaded those inside to surrender and come out but without success. As darkness was approaching, security forces feared the situation might be out of control and decided to storm the mosque to flush out those hiding inside. Heavy weapons such as rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) were fired into the mosque when it was reported that gunfires were shot from inside the mosque.
When the dust finally settled at Krue Se mosque, 32 people were found dead inside the mosque.
After the tragic incident, then the Thaksin government appointed Mr Suchinda Yongsunthorn to head a fact-finding probe. However, the probe report did not put the blame on anybody but made some reservations about the performance of some officials.
But the key issue about this incident was that several of the dead victims were not given proper autopsy to determine the actual causes of their deaths. For instance, some of the 19 footballers of Ban Suso team in Sabayoi district of Songkhla who were killed bore traces that they were shot dead in an execution style.
With the exception of one case against Mr Abdulroning Jehloh which went to the court, the rest of the cases were dropped by the prosecution. Abdulroning was finally sentenced to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court although he claimed that he had nothing to do with the uprising and he merely hired to drive a group of rubber tapers to join the attack of a police station in Mae Larn district of Pattani.
All the families of 32 people killed at Krue Se mosque and of the 19 footballers in Songkhla have been compensated 7.5 million baht each while the rest of the victims were given four million baht each in compensation. Altogether 300 million baht in compensation were handed out to the families of the dead victims.
It was a huge amount but it could not be compared to the loss of lives. But the tragedy itself should serve a valuable lesson for all of us and that it should not be forgotten.
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Caption : Krue Se mosque in Pattani