Southern unrest problem a tough nut to crack for NCPO
Ramadan is supposed to be the holy month for all Muslims throughout the world to refrain from food, drink and other physical needs from sunrise to sunset, to practice self-restraint to cleanse one’s body and soul from impurities and to focus on God.
But not for the radical militants, be they the Isis jihadists in northern Iraq, the al-Shabaab militants in Somalia and Kenya, the Boko Haram Islamists in Nigeria, the Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb or the Islamic militants in the three southernmost provinces. Ramadan or no Ramadan, these extremists continue to kill and maim the innocent and defenceless people, Muslims or non-Muslims, without any sense of guilt and without any regard for human rights.
Hence, two female students of Sirindhorn health college in Yala province were shot dead in cold blood as they were strolling in a flea market next to the Somdet Phra Yuparaj hospital in Yaha district in broad daylight on July 9 reportedly by two gunmen.
The two innocent victims, 29-year old Ms Sutheera Petchan, a native of Songkhla and 21-year old Ms Kulradee Petmark, a native of Nakhon Si Thammarat, were trainees at the hospital since July 1 as part of their study at the college. Altogether, 11 students from Sirindhorn health college were sent to the hospital for training.
According to eyewitness accounts, the two gunmen had been waiting for the two victims at a local tea shop opposite the hospital’s entrance. When the two students left the hospital towards the flea market, they left the teashop and followed them to the market and fired one shot each at point blank range from behind before fleeing into the bushes next to the market.
Police assumed that the gunmen did not target the two students in particular but any health worker who left the hospital without a hijab. Unfortunately, Ms Sutheera and Ms Kulradee became the convenient targets because they were Buddhists and did not wear the hijab.
For most of us, this cold-blooded murder was by no means a jihad, a valiant fight for a liberated homeland of Patani (not Pattani) or a freedom struggle. It was plain murder and also an act of cowardice because the victims were totally defenceless.
A similar incident took place on April 29 when two-month pregnant health worker, Ms Jariya Promnual, was shot dead at a flea market in Sri Sakhon district of Narathiwat. One month afterward on May 28, a bomb went off at the parking lot of Kok Po district hospital in Pattani injuring 10 people and damaging 60 motorcycles.
Three violent incidents against non-Muslim health officials in a matter of four months, particularly the murder of the two trainees, have shocked the health community in the restive region. The nine other trainees were immediately recalled to the college.
The latest incident drew condemnation from various peace and human rights groups, particularly the Justice for Peace Foundation.
Obviously, the attacks against health officials are insane and totally illogical as the majority of the population which are the Malay Muslims will be directly affected if the officials ask to be transferred out of the region for fear of their safety.
It is not known whether health officials will be given protection by security forces like teachers or not. But, so far, opinions among the officials are mixed with several preferring the communities as their shield.
Violence continues on almost daily basis since the Ramadan began on June 29. The latest took place on July 10 when militants ambushed a pickup truck in Yala’s Krong Penang district killing the district’s deputy superintendent, Pol Lt-Col Atinan Ismael, and his two subordinates.
As far as the National Council for Peace and Order is concerned, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, the council chief, first mentioned the southern unrest problem in his weekly national address on July 4. He talked about organisational restructure placing the Internal Security Operations Command as the lead agency in policy affairs in tackling the problem instead of the National Security Council as was the case during the Yingluck government.
On the policy implementation level, Deputy Army Commander-in-Chief General Udomdej Seetabutr was appointed as the chair of all agencies concerned namely the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre, NSC, the Strategic committee for the Development of Southern Border Provinces and the police.
Although the NCPO has indicated that it will pursue peace talk with the rebel groups but made clear that it will not discuss self determination issue or special administration issue with the rebels. Peace talks have also been renamed as happiness talks. But whether this new approach will draw the rebel groups to the negotiating table or not remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, bloodletting goes on in the troubled region. Any expectation of an early solution is wishful thinking. Unlike other issues that progress has been made by the NCPO, the southern unrest problem is a tough nut to crack.
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Caption : General Prayuth Chan-ocha, the council chief of NCPO