Thailand signs peace deal with Muslim terrorists

[Beachlover]

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.

------

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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[Surfcrest]

"The Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) is a separatist movement based in northern Malaysia and operating in southern Thailand. The group was formed in 1960 and remains active.
The group is divided into three main factions:
BRN Congress, led by Rosa Burako, is the military wing and the most active of the three groups, continuing to conduct military operations currently.
BRN Coordinate is a political wing, involved in activities in Malaysia but not active in Thailand.
BRN Uram is focused on political and religious activities and was previously led by Hajji Abdul Karim until his death."

There is no reference in the article to this separatist movement as "terrorists" and certainly Thailand and indeed the world will not start to live in harmony with one another by continuing to label the Muslim cause as such.

Surfcrest

"Muslim terrorists". A tautology surely?

[thrillbill]

It is a fact that all religions have their share of fanatics or extremists; however, in my life time it seems to be the Islamic extremists who like to blow themselves up or use violence to get their way. I do not like labeling a particular religion as "wrong" or "miltant" but to me it is safe to say it are the Islamic extremists (which there seem to be more of) cannot accept to live with people who believe differently. Sad, since 50 years ago many could . Unfortunately the silent majority of the Islamic faith have to keep quiet, or they will face punishment from the "big bullies with guns".

I guess I missed the part where it says the BRN has NOT resorted to terrorist activities. It appears that they are both separatists and terrorists. The fact that they are also Moslem would support kommentariat's comment.

[Surfcrest]

It is a fact that all religions have their share of fanatics or extremists; however, in my life time it seems to be the Islamic extremists who like to blow themselves up or use violence to get their way. I do not like labeling a particular religion as "wrong" or "miltant" but to me it is safe to say it are the Islamic extremists (which there seem to be more of) cannot accept to live with people who believe differently. Sad, since 50 years ago many could . Unfortunately the silent majority of the Islamic faith have to keep quiet, or they will face punishment from the "big bullies with guns".

Really thrillbill.....really?
I'm not sure where your exposure to current affairs comes from, but certainly you must have heard of the Arab Spring?
Are the families being shelled in their homes in Syria right this moment terrorists?
Have you heard about Lybia or Egypt......or?

I have spent a number of years living in Central America and I have seen the burnt out foundations of churches where whole villages of people, men, women and children were locked inside and burned alive by a government installed by the CIA in the name of cleansing out communism, when in fact these people's only sin was to be living on land better suited for growing bananas for the US fruit companies. I just turned 50 myself and clearly my perspective differs greatly from your's. No, I don't believe in terrorism but I'm educated enough to know that people don't blow themselves up for no reason at all and I am concerned that my government is engaged as to these reasons and taking all necessary measures not to repeat the pain and suffering civilzations have had to endure as a result of ignorance to avoid future senseless acts of violence or terrorism.

Clearly, Thailand is not signing peace deals with terrorists...and the article has been sensationalized by the OP despite the words terrorists or terrorism NOT being mentioned in the article provided.

Surfcrest

[Marsilius]

The BBC News website is very careful to call them "rebels" (rather than "terrorists" or anything else) throughout its report. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21611764

But the author includes in his report the statement that that "The rebels in mostly Muslim southern provinces are fighting for greater autonomy from Buddhist-majority Thailand and carry out almost daily gun and bomb attacks against civilians and security forces."

Are the gun and bomb attacks on civilians not an attempt to intimidate them by terror? Does that not make the perpetrators "terrorists"?

[rincondog]

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

[sclivejames]

It is a fact that all religions have their share of fanatics or extremists; however, in my life time it seems to be the Islamic extremists who like to blow themselves up or use violence to get their way. I do not like labeling a particular religion as "wrong" or "miltant" but to me it is safe to say it are the Islamic extremists (which there seem to be more of) cannot accept to live with people who believe differently. Sad, since 50 years ago many could . Unfortunately the silent majority of the Islamic faith have to keep quiet, or they will face punishment from the "big bullies with guns".

It's not only Islamic,have a look at the damage/maiming/murder so called "Christian" terrorist organisations have done in the past few decades in the West.

[timmberty]

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

nelson mandela springs to mind.