BRN announces its objection to the southern peace talks
The Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) southern separatist group has recently issued a statement declaring its distrust of the ongoing peace process between the government and the Mara Patani, an umbrella organization comprising six separatist groups, including a faction of the BRN called the BRN action group.
The statement was issued through YouTube on September 7 in the form of a video clip about six minutes long. The clip featured Mr Abdul Karim Khalid wearing a purple dress and a cap and speaking in Malay.
In summation, the statement said the BRN did not trust the peace talk process because it doubted the sincerity of the government. It added that the BRN earlier made a five-point demand to the government but it was completely ignored.
At the end of the statement, Mr Abdul Karim raised his hand and announced "One language, one nation state" as if to declare the ultimate objective of the BRN.
According to intelligence information, Mr Abdul Karim was present at the preliminary peace talk two years ago between BRN and the Thai negotiating team led by Lt-Gen Paradorn Patthanathabut, then the secretary-general of the National Security Council. The BRN team was then was headed by Hassan Taib.
Abdul Karim appeared in a VDO clip with Mr Hassan when the BRN issued a statement on May 28, 2013 before the third round of peace talk in Kuala Lumpur with Malaysia acting as the facilitator.
Colonel Banpot Poonpien, spokesman of the Internal Security Operations Command said that the propaganda video clip might be intended to send a signal to its members to provoke violence.
He urged those in the BRN who disagreed with the peace process to rethink and to join the process.
The colonel insisted that the government is determined and sincere to find a peaceful solution to the southern conflict.
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Caption : Mr Abdul Karim Khalid