South's emergency decree extended again
POST REPORTERS
The emergency decree and new security law will achoeve nothing if law enforcement authorities continue to trample on human rights and use an underhand approach in dealing with southern strife, says a political scientist at Pattani-based Prince of Songkla University.
Assoc Prof Chidchanok Rahimurak said there was no end in sight to the violence as long as some security personnel continue to disregard human rights and abuse their power.
Her comments came after the cabinet resolved yesterday to extend the emergency decree imposed in Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat for another three months from Saturday.
Deputy government spokesman Natthawut Saikua confirmed the extension of the emergency decree, saying the continuing violence required an effective legal tool to deal with it.
The emergency decree was imposed by the government of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and has been enforced since July 2005.
It has been renewed every three months since then.
The decree gives the security forces sweeping powers of arrest and detention in the three troubled southernmost provinces.
A new security law has also been introduced, giving the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) firmer control over security supervision in the deep South.
Modelled on the US Department of Homeland Security, the new Isoc will focus on 11 security issues, from drug problems to weapons smuggling, said a source.
The southern insurgency would remain its top priority.
The law replaces martial law, which had been enforced in some security-sensitive areas in the region.
"The cancellation of martial law is very welcome news," Ms Chidchanok said.
"However, representatives from the civic sector from national human rights committees to local residents should have greater participation in defusing southern tensions from now on."
She suggested that the government should do more to educate people about the new security law.
In the past, only academics and educated people knew about the enactment of security-related laws and their content, she added.
Although the security law allows some room for public participation in easing the strife, the government must ensure that representatives from the civic sector are given freedom to determine how they can help without being imposed upon, said Supat Hasuwankit, a director of Chana hospital in Songkhla.
Niti Hasan, president of the Muslim Council of Thailand, said the replacement of martial law with the security law would allow suspects in security-related cases to file counter-charges against the authorities.
A shortage of workers as a result of the daily violence has dealt a serious blow to more than 200 construction business operators in Narathiwat and nearby provinces over the past four years of insurgency.
Many builders have reportedly delayed construction work and others have been driven out of business.
Also, national police chief Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwan is to propose the establishment of a new police unit to specifically tackle problems in the three southernmost provinces.
The unit will split from the Provincial Police Region 9, with the aim of increasing efficiency and flexibility in dealing with southern unrest.
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