EDITORIAL
Let people in South decide
- Published: 29/10/2009 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: News
The idea for some form of autonomy or self-determination for the three strife-torn southernmost provinces has been on and off for several years. It has been widely debated within academic circles, but has never been considered in earnest by any past governments for the simple reason that the issue is considered highly sensitive politically.
Yet it is indeed welcome news that the issue has, once again, been revived - this time by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak during the Asean summit last weekend. Mr Najib said that some form of autonomy could be a solution to the violence in the Deep South which has, over the past five years, claimed more than 3,800 lives and left 5,000 children orphaned and 1,500 women widowed. Mr Najib added that Malaysia would not provide a safe haven for insurgents from southern Thailand and would have them sent back to the Thai authorities. He also raised the issue of dual citizenship among some 20,000-25,000 people, noting that they would have to choose to be either Thai or Malay citizens.
In a positive response, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva invited his Malaysian counterpart to join him in a tour of the restive region in December during which they would discuss at length the issue of autonomy.
Since Thailand and Malaysia share a common border that is hundreds of kilometres long and some extremists are known to have taken refuge in northern Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur's supportive role in solving the southern insurgency would be helpful.
Still, it is doubtful that granting a certain degree of self-rule or some form of autonomy would solve the rampant violence down there or that it would satisfy the needs of the majority of people there, both ethnic Malay and Buddhist Thai. At the very least, they should be given a say whether they want autonomy and in what form, rather than having the rule imposed on them from top-down.
It should also be noted that the violence in the deep South is not perpetrated only by insurgents whose real organisational network remains a mystery. There are many other criminal elements, among them drug trafficking gangs and illegal loggers, which are believed to be responsible for much of the violent incidents as well.
Another major problem identified as a source of widespread resentment among Muslims against the central administration and bureaucracy is the deep-seated feeling that they are not treated fairly and with justice.
This was clearly seen in the state's handling of the Tak Bai and Krue Se tragedies which took place in 2004. For the Tak Bai case in which 85 people were killed, the Songkhla provincial court ruled in May this year that the 78 victims died of suffocation while they were being trucked to a military camp for interrogation, but the court did not hold any officials accountable for causing the deaths.
In the Krue Se massacre in which 108 people died, not a single official was held responsible. For many Muslims, this means justice remains elusive.
Mutual distrust between the bureaucrats and the Muslim locals is another major issue which needs to be rectified if the government is to win the hearts and minds of the locals, which would help in the fight against the elusive insurgents.
Nevertheless, the proposed idea of autonomy represents a step in the right direction provided, of course, that the people are allowed to participate in the decision-making. It must be explored in earnest.
