Ideas needed, not meetings

Ideas needed, not meetings

The country's two most important politicians sit down today to discuss the country's most important security problem. Yet no one seriously thinks that anything interesting will emerge.

Today's confab at Government House involved painful and convoluted face-saving just to happen. Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung invited Opposition Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva to a meeting on the problems in the deep South.

Mr Abhisit's spokesman said he could not attend such a meeting. In order to placate him, it was necessary to bring in Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

So everyone has his or her face, and the meeting will convene today.

In addition to the top two politicians, the most important groups involved in the southern conflict will attend. They include Gen Yutthasak Sasiprapa, deputy prime minister in charge of security affairs, commanders of the armed forces, the chief and chief-designate of the national police, the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) and the chief of the Southern Border Provinces Administration Organisation.

This is certainly an impressive line-up of Bangkok-based officials, commanders, political leaders and experts. There seem to be two important omissions. The first is a strong contingent of people directly involved in the affairs of the hard-hit deep South itself.

If there is a single, consistent problem that has been shown in the South, it is the insistence of Bangkok-based officials telling the people of that region what is good for them.

The second problem arises from the first. The agenda for today's meeting that has been released to the public has no outstanding talking points. Surely the men and women gathering today at Government House already know the problems faced by both the nation and the four provinces where violence has become rife. What is needed is a solution.

The escalated attacks which began nearly nine years ago have taken more than 5,000 lives and put the region on constant, fearful alert. The economic result, predictably, has caused tens of thousands to flee, and left the deep South behind the rest of the country in terms of opportunity and progress.

It is encouraging that the prime minister and opposition leader can sit down together to consider this great threat to national security. Ms Yingluck and Mr Abhisit have managed to put political squabbling and face-saving to the side, in the interests of the nation. What hurts, however, is that neither appears to be carrying proposals that can right the wrongs of the deep South.

There are so many problems. Human rights are a shambles, and security is unpredictable. Core issues like drug trafficking and arms smuggling have been largely ignored. While governments under Mr Abhisit and Ms Yingluck have talked about economic projects, neither has acted.

Talks at the top are not only welcome but necessary. On the other hand, meetings without clear agendas and fresh ideas simply dash hopes that solutions are on the horizon. Let us hope that the best minds of the country can come up with new ideas today for immediate action in the deep South. Otherwise, the country will just fall further behind than before.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (5)