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Thailand Deploys “Friendly” Troops in Muslim South
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Shinawatra
is accused of using heavy-handed tactics against Muslim residents
in the south. (Reuters)
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BANGKOK,
February 15 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Thailand's
cabinet approved Tuesday, February 15, the creation of a 12,000
soldier-strong infantry division to be permanently based in the
predominantly Muslim southern provinces to foster what it termed
better relations between the military and Muslim residents.
“This
regiment is not to combat but to develop the region, thus staff must
fully understand the tradition, culture of Thai Muslims before
deploying in the area. But if necessary, we have to be sure that we
have enough troops for combat operations,” Thai Defense Minister
General Sumpan Boonyanun was quoted as saying by Agence France Presse
(AFP).
The
new division, expected to take shape within three months, would
comprise three battalions including soldiers for medical services,
development projects and outreach activities.
The
regiment would draw a budget of up 18 billion baht ($470 million) for
three years and would be headquartered in Pattani province.
The
cabinet's approval came a day ahead of a three-day visit to the
southern province by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who won
another nationwide landslide poll victory but with no single seat in
the three violence-racked, far-south provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat
and Yala.
Critics
at home and abroad have accused Thaksin's government of using
heavy-handed tactics against Thai Muslims.
On
October 25, a total of 87 Muslims died after Thai troops broke up a
protest at Tak Bai in the southern province of Narathiwat with tear
gas, water cannon and gunfire.
The
majority of victims suffocated or were crushed after being bound and
left for hours on trucks.
On
Tuesday, July 27, the government threatened to shut
down some Islamic boarding schools in the south, claiming they
are used as training camps for separatist fighters.
In
April, security forces opened fire at Muslims, killing at least 107
young Muslims in the bloodiest day in the history of this troubled
region.
Islamic
Culture
The
new military division, a third of which would come from the western
region and the rest would be new recruits, would be educated about
culture of the Thai Muslims before being deployed in the area, the
Thai defense minister said.
“We
want soldiers to live on the soil of the three provinces, primarily to
develop the region and befriend the people,” Bunyanun said.
Thailand
is a predominantly Buddhist nation but about five percent of the
population is Muslim, and most live in the five southern provinces
bordering Malaysia.
Muslims
in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, the only Muslim majority provinces in
the Buddhist kingdom, have long complained
of discrimination in jobs and education and business
opportunities.
The
south was a rich Malay kingdom until it was overrun by the Buddhist
kingdom of Siam in the late 16th century when it declared its full
independence from its earlier status of semi-independence under the
rule of the Thai kingdoms of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya.
In
1909, it was annexed by the Kingdom of Siam as part of a treaty
negotiated with the British Empire.
Both
Yala and Narathiwat were originally part of Pattani, but were split
off and became provinces of their own.
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