Webmaster / Thursday, January 22, 2009 / Categories: Politics, General Situation Improves in Deep South The numbers of violent incidents and casualties in the deep South were down almost by half last year compared to a year earlier. But Muslim academics doubt that means the situation will improve this year.A total of 546 people were killed and 1,075 others injured in the three insurgency-infested provinces of Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani and parts of Songkhla province throughout last year, according to the Issara news agency of the Thai Journalists Association.The number of violent incidents during the same period was registered at 1,056, down by about 47 percent from 1,992 incidents recorded a year earlier during which 866 people died. Raman district of Yala province was identified as the most violence-prone with a total of 101 violent incidents.Among the 546 deaths were 74 government officials, 422 civilians and 50 suspected militants. Of the 1,075 injured people, there were 452 government officials, 613 civilians and ten suspected militants.Of the 1,056 violent incidents, 741 of them were gun attacks, 218 bombing attacks, 37 arson cases, 35 cases of attacks on state properties and 22 cases of spike laying.Security officials viewed the decline in violent incidents with optimism as a sign of the weakening of the insurgents in the deep South. Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew, assistant national police chief, has predicted that the situation this year would further improve. The Fourth Army Region commander Lt-Gen Vichien Visaijorn said the military would accelerate the setting up of “sufficiency economy” villages in the region to improve the livelihood of the locals and to convince them to turn to the government. He said that about 3,000 Muslim locals have undertaken training under the “sufficiency economy” village scheme.But Muslim scholar was skeptical that the sharp drop in violent incidents was an indication of improving situation in the strife-torn provinces. Assistant Professor Abduloh Abru of Prince of Songkhla University’s Pattani campus said that violence could escalate as the core problems have not been properly addressed. Deep mutual distrust still exist between the Muslim locals and government officials whereas the wishes of the locals and those of the government are different.Abduloh said he recently asked the opinions of religious and community leaders and students whether they believe that peace will ever be restored in the deep South, all replied that they didn’t believe they would ever see peace.Referring to the new administrative body for the deep South proposed by the Democrats which was called the Five Southern Border Provinces Administrative Office to replace the Five Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre, the professor said that only the name was changed whereas the rest remains all the same.The Democrats’ proposal was also greeted with cold shoulder from the military who insisted that they would continue to operate under the jurisdiction of the Internal Security Operations Command. The Democrats also set up a council of southern ministers to oversee delopment in the five southern provinces of Yala, Narathiwat, Pattana, Songkhla and Satun. But whether the council will be able to function effectively in dousing the fire in the deep South remains to be seen.Showing his real interest in the restive South, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva last Saturday paid a one-day visit to the region during which he met and had discussions with local authorities, and leaders both military officers and civil servants. He also visited a Royally-sponsored development project.The visit itself was seen as just familiarization trip for the prime minister without any real concrete achievement.Source - Bangkok Post Previous Article Situation Improves in Deep South Next Article Situation Improves in Deep South Print 1228 Rate this article: No rating Please login or register to post comments.