Eight years on, KhruJuling is still remembered but justice remains elusive for her
Ms.Juling Pongkanmoon, a teacher of Ban Kujingloepa in Narathiwat’s Ra-ngae district, died more than eight years ago from serious blows inflicted on her head by men believed to be militants.
The wounds left her in the state of unconsciousness for seven months until she succumbed to her death on January 8, 2007.
But her name was occasionally mentioned in the media. The last time she was referred to was in mid-December when security forces arrested two suspected militants, one of them was identified asBaruwanBaka who was suspected to be one among the men who beat up Ms.Juling while she was held in captive.
Every January 8, residents of Tambon Pong Noi in Chiang Rai’s DoiLuang district would hold a religious ritual in commemorating Ms.Juling. But as far as her case is concerned, justice is yet to be served on her and her family as all but one have escaped justice.
The tragic incident occurred on May 19, 2006. Security forces laid siege to Ban Kujingloepa village after it was reported that two suspected militants who allegedly killed two soldiers at Lalo railway station in Rueso district were hiding in one of the houses in the village. The two suspected militants, Abdul Karim Mata eand MuhamaSapae-ing Muelee, were later arrested together with a pistol.
About noon on the same day, a voice blasted through the village’s loudspeakers urging all the women to converge in front of Ms.Juling’s school. About 100 women showed up. At the time, Ms.Juling and a fellow teacher, Ms.Sirinart Thavornsook, were having lunch at a food shop beside a mosque.
The village’s Muslim women ran towards the two teachers and have them detained at a storeroom of the children’s development centre, about 300 metres from the school. It was reported that their forced detention was meant to use the two teachers as a bargaining chip for the release of the two suspected militants.
Unfortunately, a group of hooded men went to the storeroom where warrthe two teachers were held captive and beat them with wooden clubs until both went unconscious.
With the help of the village head’s mediation, the villagers freed the two men who were immediately rushed to Narathiwat provincial hospital before they were sent to Songkhlanagarind hospital in Hat Yai because the first hospital was unable to cope with their serious conditions.
Ms.Sirinart eventually recovered but not Ms.Juling as her brain was badly affected from the beatings. She never regained her consciousness but thanks to Her Majesty the Queen who sponsored the medical expenses. Ms.Juling finally passed away peacefully on January 8, 2007.
As far as legal proceedings were concerned, warrants were issued for the arrest of 58 men and women suspected of involvement in the illegal detention and assaults of the two teachers. 27 turned themselves in and were charged in the court. All but one of them were acquitted due to insufficient evidences. The only culprit was given three months jailterm for announcing through loudspeakers urging the villagers to converge at the school.
Pol Lt-Col Chalerm Yingkhong, deputy superintendent attached to the directorate of Nakhon Si Thammart police who was responsible for investigating the case said that there are still 20 other suspects who are yet to be arrested and put on trial.
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