'Violence-free' 40 days agreed on for far South

'Violence-free' 40 days agreed on for far South

A Muslim girl stands among veiled women as they pray during a mass prayer at the Central Mosque in Pattani province on Thursday, the second day of Ramadan. (EPA photo)
A Muslim girl stands among veiled women as they pray during a mass prayer at the Central Mosque in Pattani province on Thursday, the second day of Ramadan. (EPA photo)

The Thai delegation and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) separatist movement have agreed on 40 days of peace in the far South, declaring the Ramadan fasting period a "violence-free month".

Muslim women offer prayers at the Pattani Central Mosque during the month of Ramadan, which began on July 10. (AFP photo)

The designated peace period extends from July 10, the begining of Ramadan in Thailand, until Aug 18, according to Ahmad Zamzamin Hashim, who represented Malaysia, the facilitator of the peace negotiations.

Malaysia announced the "Common Understanding of the Ramadan Peace Initiative" agreement in a statement released after the meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

The "violence-free" pact covers all of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala provinces and five districts of Songkhla - Na Thawee, Sadao, Chana, The Pa and Sabayoi.

Thailand and the BRN "will work hard to ensure the 2013 Ramadan will be a violence-free month to demonstrate the sincerity, commitment and seriousness of both sides in finding solutions to the common problem through the JWG-PDP peace dialogue platform", the statement said.

JWG-PDP stands for the Joint Working Group Peace Dialogue Process.

The move is the first serious test of their efforts to end the violence at the negotiating table.

The insurgents will refrain from targeting the security forces, civilians and property, and ensure the safety of non-Muslims in the region, the statement said.

In return, Thailand will refrain from ''any aggressive actions'' on security problems and also ensure the safety of civilians regardless of religion, it added.

The facilitator of peace talks between Thailand and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional, Ahmad Zamzamin Hashim announces the Ramadan Peace Initiative at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur on Friday. (EPA photo)

Thailand "will continue its responsibility toward crime prevention actions and monitoring for the purpose of public security", the statement said.

"Any party that breaches, disrupts or sabotages this understanding will be considered as a non-peace loving side and disrespectful of the aspirations and wishes of the people of Thailand," the statement added.

"This is a stepping stone to what we want to achieve in the future. If there are no incidents, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It will be a precedent, a stepping stone," Mr Ahmad told reporters in the Malaysian capital.

The National Security Council (NSC), which is a lead negotiator for Thailand, the army and police forces have promised to scale down their raids on suspected insurgents and checks on people during the Muslim holy month.

The government has also begun withdrawing soldiers from the region and replacing them with police forces in a bid to end public mistrust.

The day after the fasting month began, a road bomb exploded underneath an army truck carrying soldiers protecting teachers in Raman district of Yala, wounding eight of them and leaving a huge crater in the road.

NSC secretary-general Lt Gen Paradorn Pattanatabut said on Friday he was confident the peace period would be enforced, after learning the statement had been released.

He said earlier in the day that the BRN admitted responsibility for the explosion, but also gave him an assurance that it could control insurgents operating in the region.

The government is adding defence volunteers and moving soldiers off rosters to protect teachers in some areas, he said. But soldiers will not lower their guard on public offices and buildings, he added.

Srisompob Jitpiromsri, director of Deep South Watch, said earlier the bombing of the soldiers' truck could be seen as a message from the separatists to keep troops off the job of safeguarding teachers' lives.

Domeng Majaema, a religious leader at Moo 2 village, in Raman, welcomed the announced pledge for peace in the region, and hoped that it would set a precedent for further non-violence.

"I hope that this Ramadan month and other periods will not be the same as it used to be. Having talked to other imams, I know they also want peace to return to the area," he said.

Separatist violence in the Muslim-majority southern region has claimed more than 5,000 lives, civilians, soldiers, police, insurgents and state officials, since it began afresh in January 2004.

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