Human right groups are demanding a halt to DNA profiling of people in the southern province of Pattani by the military, saying it is a violation of the people's fundamental human rights.
The Cross Culture Foundation and the Muslim Attorney Centre Foundation made their demand in a petition addressed to the 4th Army Region commander, the secretary general of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre, the prime minister, the director of the Internal Security Operations Command and the National Human Rights Commission.
They said checkpoints had been set up in Pattani's Mai Kaen and Sai Buri districts and in Narathiwat's Bacho district to force men aged between 16 and 35 years in some villages to undergo DNA profiling at the district offices.
The petition claims people were forced to give urine samples and had tissue samples taken from their mouths, their hands and their clothes. The samples were put into brown plastic bags.
They were also fingerprinted, all 10 fingers, had their photos taken from four sides, with name tags and had to sign to certify the personal information records despite their not being informed of the reasons for the personal information inquiry.
The petition said this was a breach of fundamental human rights. Setting up checkpoints was also a violation of the right to mobility. The collection of fingerprints, personal information and DNA samples from their mouth, their body and clothes was violation of the right to privacy.