The leader of a insurgent group in Thailand’s Deep South said the rebels will not engage in peace talks with the Thai government if the potential for independence in Thailand’s southern border area is off the table. Under the framework of Thailand’s present constitution, the kingdom remains indivisible.
The group’s chief Kasturi Makhota made the announcement days after his insurgent group the Patani United Liberation Organisation – or PULO – took duty for a double bomb assault in Pattani, which killed a fisherman and seriously injured bomb disposal officers. The attack broke the 40 day Ramadan/Songkran ceasefire in the area agreed by the Thai government and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional who’re essentially the most lively insurgent group in the conflict.
PULO stated they undertook the assault in Sai Buri district of Pattani province on Friday because they were excluded from the latest peace talks between the Thai government and the BRN held in Malaysia. The assault was the primary claimed by PULO since 2016.
The state of affairs highlights the discrepancy in calls for of rebel teams. Separatist teams have traditionally fought for independence of the historical area of the Kingdom of Patani, which covers modern-day Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and some elements of Songkhla province. However, the BRN is happy to negotiate with Thailand underneath the framework of the trendy structure under which division just isn’t possible, suggesting the group’s hopes for the region could have modified.
Whereas PULO “will not speak or negotiate underneath the framework of the Thai constitution because PULO wants freedom from Thailand”, mentioned Kasturi, the group’s leader.
Find out what the violent southern insurgency is all about HERE.
A resident of Pattani, Hisbullah Muso, commented on the schism between the insurgent groups…
“It seems two people’s organisations are preventing each other… They built forces to struggle each other, [which is] no good. There have been rifts among the rebels for an extended time, even though they say they struggle for the people… the government, nonetheless, ought to talk to PULO should it wish to achieve peace.”
The Thai government says they informally discuss to all insurgent teams in the Deep South. However, Little-known of the Thai army said it was too soon to tell if PULO could be invited to the subsequent spherical of peace talks held in Malaysia.
Thai Army Commander of the Deep South Kriangkrai Srirak said…
“Whether we are going to contemplate including PULO in the future, it’s up to the Peace Dialogue Panel who, normally, wants to talk to all teams.”
The BRN and PULO was once a part of MARA Patani, a panel which negotiated with the Thai government. Kasturi was certainly one of PULO’s representatives on the panel. MARA Patani started engaging with the Thai authorities in Malaysia in 2015 however the talks fizzled out when the BRN began talking with the Thai authorities directly in 2020.
The BRN says their negotiations with the Thais don’t have any influence over different insurgent groups. An nameless BRN consultant informed BenarNews…
“For different Patani movements that wish to negotiate with the Thais, they can put forward their phrases and conditions to the Thais themselves… BRN never stops other Patani actions to barter with the Thais.”
Currently, there is a forty day ceasefire in place, which covers both Songkran and the holy month of Ramadan agreed by Thai security forces and the BRN. However, military general Kriangkrai said Friday’s attack was not a surprise as safety forces had been anticipating an attack from a third get together despite the momentary truce of no violence.
The government condemned PULO’s bombings however said the truce agreement with the BRN remains to be in effect and guaranteed the public that the bombings will not derail peace talks with separatist rebels.
More than 7,300 folks have been killed in battle between the Thai authorities and insurgent groups in Narathiwat, Yala, Pattani and parts of Songkhla since violence resurfaced in the area in 2004..