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Broken promises fuel Thai insurgency: analysts
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Broken promises fuel Thai insurgency: analysts
AFP - Monday, December 7
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Broken promises fuel Thai insurgency: analysts
BANGKOK (AFP) - – Broken political promises have led to a bloody impasse after six years of unrest in Thailand's insurgency-hit south, analysts say, as Malaysia's premier prepares for an historic visit to the border area.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva came to power a year ago vowing to find a political solution to an increasingly violent separatist uprising that has claimed around 4,000 lives in the Muslim-majority region.
But the growing strength of government-armed, mainly Buddhist civilian militias, coupled with a failure to end the impunity of security forces accused of rights abuses, has merely fuelled the insecurity, say analysts.
A joint visit to the south later this week by visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and Abhisit is unlikely to paper over the cracks in Thai government policy, said Sunai Phasuk of Human Rights Watch (HRW).
"This government talks of dealing with the proper needs and grievances of the Malayu (ethnic Malay) population as a priority," Sunai, a researcher on the conflict for the New York-based group, told AFP.
"These things make this government different from previous administrations. But the problem is Abhisit cannot actually do what he says.... You can talk the talk but when you can't deliver it makes people even more upset."
Tensions have simmered in the southern provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala and parts of Songkhla, which formerly comprised an autonomous Malay Muslim sultanate, since they were annexed in 1902 by mainly Buddhist Thailand.
The current insurgency erupted in January 2004, led by shadowy Islamists who have never publicly stated their goals.
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a coup in 2006, favoured strong-arm tactics that were criticised for inflaming the situation.
But despite pledges to find a different course, Abhisit has repeatedly renewed emergency laws that give the 60,000 security forces in the region sweeping powers and broad immunity from prosecution.
He has vowed to introduce a less stringent internal security act in Songkhla and to set up a committee to investigate abuse allegations.
But most of the area continues to be administered under martial law and recent incidents have heightened mistrust among ethnic Malays.
In June, gunmen attacked a mosque in Narathiwat, killing 11 Muslims. According to HRW, investigators found gunmen from a Buddhist pro-government militia were responsible.
But it took two months for authorities to issue an arrest warrant for the alleged mastermind and he remains at large.
Several militias now operate in the region, often subsidised by the state, and officials often fast-track gun licenses in return for kickbacks, according to the region's Peace Media to End Violence project.
"The political situation cannot be said to be the solution so far... the major approach is still the military approach," said Srisompob Jitpiromsri, an academic who runs a think-tank on the conflict from the Prince of Songkhla University.
But Srisompob said Najib's visit could be a watershed.
"You need to bring the Malaysian government into the equation because they have got connections with some of the leaders of the militant movement," he said.
Thailand has in the past accused Malaysia of failing to prevent insurgents crossing the 650-kilometre (400-mile) border but since Najib came to power in April the rhetoric has softened.
After years of under-investment, Abhisit's government now hopes that joint economic development projects with Malaysia will help stem the bloodshed.
But Sunai said that cooperation was unlikely to be the answer, and that Abhisit needed to take a tougher stance with Thailand's military to have any chance of success.
"It's a very awkward situation where the prime minister cannot command the armed forces. Abhisit's trying to do all the right things but nobody's answering to him and he cannot make them," he added.
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