Lessons to be learned from experiences with martial law in the Deep South
People in Bangkok and the rest of the country with the exception of the three southernmost provinces and some districts of Songkhla may not be familiar with Martial Law which was imposed on Tuesday May 20 by the army.
Ask any people in the restive Deep South what they feel about the Martial Law which has been imposed there for almost a decade, the common answer one would receive is that they are indifferent with the special law because they have been used to it.
The Martial Law was declared on May 20 by Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha citing the ongoing protests and violence perpetrated against the protests with the tendency of escalated violence and the potential of a riot.
Several orders have been issued by POMC with some of them being described as tough such as the orders restricting press freedom and free expression supposedly to prevent distortion of news and to prevent the dissemination of inflammatory information.
Nobody knows for sure how long the Martial Law will last and when it will be lifted. But for people in the Deep South where Martial Law which has been enforcible for about a decade, they have been used to it and, probably, get bored with it.
Isra news agency had a chance to talk with Mr Neemu Makajae, a local scholar in Yala province, about the newly-declared martial law. His opinion is as follows:
Mr Neemu said that since residents in the three southernmost provinces have experienced with several special laws, including martial law, for over a decade, they would like a clarification from the army whether there would be any additional measures to be introduced in the region besides the existing ones.
He said that apart from the measures imposed by virtue of the special laws southerners have encountered a host of problems which are yet to be addressed.
He noted that a good lesson learned from decade-long experience with the martial law is that there must be a fixed timeframe for the enforcement of the law and the law should be enforced temporarily otherwise, if enforced for far too long, will lose its sanctity and effectiveness.
The martial law was highlighted at a seminar held on March 12 in the far South to coincide with the 100th year anniversary of the introduction of martial law in this country.
Several bitter and painful experiences with the martial law presented by victims during the seminar such as violations of basic human rights by security forces and arrests without court warrants.
The army has persistentely argued against criticism that the martial law is not a coup because the caretaker government is still in the office although half-functioning. But critics think differently. They said the martial law is a new form of a coup.