PATTANI — Family members who own the land occupied by an Islamic school are determined to continue a court battle against state seizure of the now-closed ponoh, which authorities alleged was a training ground for insurgents.
Yawahee Waemanoh, together with her four brothers and sisters, lost the first battle on Wednesday when the Civil Court in Bangkok ordered the transfer of the 14-rai plot of Jihad Witaya School at Ban Tha Dan in Muang district in Pattani to the state.
State prosecutors had filed the case on behalf of the Anti-Money Laundering Office on grounds that the land should be seized under the Anti-Money Laundering Act as the school was used to support terrorism activities.
The petition cited confessions of two militants to security authorities that the school was a training ground and that Mrs Yawahee's husband, Abdulloh or Dulloh, the school principal, was one of the trainers.
Mr Abdulloh was also arrested with others on charges of insurgency and setting up a criminal association. Their cases are before the provincial court in Pattani.
The school at Ban Tha Dan was ordered closed on May 21, 2005, forcing students to find new places to study.
Mrs Yahawee said she and her family members had received support from villagers after they learned of the court ruling.
She insisted that the land had been willed to her and her four siblings after their father died. Her husband had no rights to the assets as he was only the school principal, she added.
"I think I will fight the case until the end," she said.
Balyan Waemanoh, one of her sons, said: "Deep inside, I cannot accept [the ruling] as it was the place where I was born. But legally, I have to do that."
Mr Balyan said he had consulted the Muslim Attorney Centre Foundation to find a way to fight the case. He is now waiting for an official transcript of the Civil Court ruling before deciding how to proceed.
The foundation branch responsible for Pattani could not be reached for comment on Saturday.
The court has given the defendants 30 days to file an appeal, starting from last Wednesday. The price of the land is estimated at 591,000 baht.