This deal won't end the violence for good but it is a start...

The Muslim insurgency in South Thailand is one of the lesser known Muslim insurgencies around the world... yet it's still a fairly violent one.

The Philippines and Indonesia also face similar insurgencies in parts of their country. Mainland China too. Can't recall if any other Asian countries have the same problem.

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http://www.smh.com.au/world/thais-sign- ... 2f83x.html

Thais sign historic peace deal with insurgents

KUALA LUMPUR: Thailand's government has signed its first-ever agreement with a rebel group in its Muslim-majority south, pledging to work toward peace talks aimed at ending a festering insurgency.

The potentially historic deal was signed on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur between Thai officials and a representative of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) rebel group ahead of a visit to Malaysia by Thai premier Yingluck Shinawatra.

Ms Yingluck was to meet later in the day with her host, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, for annual talks set to include the nine-year insurgency and the possibility of Malaysia hosting future Thai negotiations with the militants.

There has been a recent spike in attacks along Thailand's border with Muslim-majority Malaysia, where the nine-year insurgency has claimed more than 5500 lives.

The "general consensus document to launch a dialogue process for peace" was signed by Lieutenant-General Paradorn Pattanathabutr, secretary general of Thailand's National Security Council, and Hassan Taib of the BRN.

"Thank Allah we will do our best to solve the problem. We will tell our people to work together to solve the problems," Mr Hassan told reporters after the ceremony.

Mr Hassan was identified as the "chief of the BRN liaison office in Malaysia".

Officials involved in the ceremony otherwise offered little comment on the agreement and a text of the pledge was not handed out.

Barisan Revolusi Nasional or National Revolutionary Front, is one of several shadowy groups blamed for the unrest in Thailand. It remains to be seen whether other groups will fall in line behind it.

Prospects for peace have been dogged by the complex make-up of the insurgency and doubts persist over the level of control that older, exiled leaders known to Thai authorities exert over the younger fighters on the ground.

On Wednesday, Mr Paradorn said in Bangkok he hoped peace talks could start "soon" in Malaysia.

Thailand's southernmost provinces suffer almost daily gun and bomb attacks by insurgents fighting for greater autonomy, a demand Thai authorities have rejected.
AFP

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/thais-sign- ... 2f83x.html

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