Talks back South safety zone

Talks back South safety zone

Cho Airong 'will test resolve on both sides'

Cho Airong district has been a frequent target of terrorist attacks. One of the worst (above) was the June 8, 2009, assault on the undefended Al-Furqan mosque at Ai Payae village, where attackers killed 10 worshippers and wounded 12. (File photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)
Cho Airong district has been a frequent target of terrorist attacks. One of the worst (above) was the June 8, 2009, assault on the undefended Al-Furqan mosque at Ai Payae village, where attackers killed 10 worshippers and wounded 12. (File photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)

Thai authorities will propose insurgency-torn Cho Airong district in Narathiwat as a safety zone, hoping it will mark a significant step in the peace dialogue with key militant groups.

"We want to make Cho Airong the first safety zone," Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said Thursday after a source earlier said five districts in Muslims-dominated provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat were nominated.

Criteria to set up a safety zone, which is supposed to be free of violence, have dominated the peace talks between Thai delegates and representatives of Mara Patani, an umbrella organisation of insurgent groups in the South, since last year. The talk, hosted by Malaysia, started in 2013.

According to the source, Thailand first tabled four districts for consideration, but they were rejected by Mara Patani which argued the areas had so many violent incidences that it was worried it cannot put them under complete control.

The group instead suggested five areas – Pattani's Sai Buri district, Yala's Raman and Krong Pinang districts and Narathiwat's Si Sakhon and Cho Airong districts. Thai officials crossed out Sai Buri, Krong Pinang and Si Sakhon, reasoning the three are not prone to attacks.v They eventually picked Cho Airong, but details of safety measures will be further discussed at the end of this month, the source said.

Gen Prawit believes the announcement of Cho Airong as a safety zone will not "challenge" militants to launch attacks.

Security officers are alert to volatile situations, he said, adding they keep a close watch on security issues in all insurgency-torn areas. However, Gen Prawit admitted, bomb attacks have continued to stir up unrest. He asked security agencies during a meeting held Thursday to pool resources to better subdue the attacks.

A recent bomb blast erupted just before the Songkran holidays. Three motorcycle bombs injured 13 villagers, including children, in Narathiwat's Sungai Kolok district.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Tuesday insurgent attacks would fall if both security officers and Mara Patani stick to efforts to restore peace in the region. Cho Airong safety zone will prove their intention, Gen Prayut said.

If no new violent cases erupt, confrontations between the two sides will not follow and eventually the vicious cycle will grind to a halt.

In another development, Gen Prawit played down a report from Malaysia that suspects linked to Islamic State (IS) , will use Narathiwat for secret operations in Thailand.

Officers have adopted preventive measures, so "there is now no IS network in the country," Gen Prawit said.

According to media reports, Malaysian authorities are hunting four suspects believed to have connection with IS. The four are suspected of being part of a plot to kidnap and kill policemen and attack non-Muslim places of worship.

Two of the four suspects have never entered Thailand, Gen Prawit said. One entered the country three years ago, but left a long time ago, he said. Officials are only questioning the other suspect, who holds Thai nationality, he said.

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