US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK7073

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 007073 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PTER, TH, Southern Thailand 
SUBJECT: DISCUSSIONS ON SOUTHERN TROUBLES WITH OBSERVERS IN 
SONGKHLA 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR SUSAN M. SUTTON.  REASON: 1.4 (D) 
 
 1.  (C)  Summary:  During a one day visit to Songkhla in 
southern Thailand, Thailand Desk Officer and Emboff met with 
several prominent local observers to discuss the causes and 
possible solution to the area's ongoing turmoil.  The 
observers were opposition Democrat Party (DP) MP Niphon 
Bunyamanee, Prince of Songkhla University researcher Zakee 
Pitakumpol and Islamic Committee of Songkhla Department of 
Academic and Foreign Affairs Head Wisoot Binlateh.  While 
none supported the separatists action, neither did they 
support Thaksin's approach to resolving the conflict, or the 
methods of the security forces. Each stated that Thaksin's 
often harsh rhetoric and strong-arm treatment by security 
personnel had alienated the Thai Muslim population and left 
them distrustful and fearful of the RTG's intentions.  They 
also in large viewed the ultimate solution as better RTG 
recognition of the Thai-Malay culture, respect for Muslim 
schools, more spending on education and job training, and 
investigation of and trials for any government officials 
engaged in brutal practices against local civilians.  End 
summary. 
 
LOCAL OPPOSITION MP SAYS THAKSIN IS THE PROBLEM 
 
2.  (C)  Songkhla MP Niphon said that a political solution is 
the only option for the government.  The "Oum Kha" or 
literally "take away and kill" methods many believe the 
police practice on separatist suspects has embittered the 
Thai Muslim population in the region and Prime Minister 
Thaksin's public statements on the situation too often has an 
incendiary effect.  Niphon blamed the Prime Minister for the 
most recent surge of violence in the historically restive 
deep south by disbanding in 2002 a long successful joint 
Army-Police-Civil Southern Border Provinces Administration 
Center formed some twenty years earlier by Prime Minister 
Prem.  This group had functioned well as both a center for 
intelligence collection and a conduit for grievances. 
Thaksin's replacement of this group with the deeply despised 
police destroyed the intelligence network and exacerbated 
tensions between the central government and the local 
population, Niphon said. 
 
3.  (C)  Niphon said that the public in the south is deeply 
suspicious of police involvement in the disappearance of 
local Thai Muslim's considered troublesome by the Thai 
authorities.  Niphon claimed that at the time prominent 
Muslim lawyer Somchai Neelaphaijit disappeared in March, 
2004, 105 persons had already disappeared under unexplained 
circumstances.  By now, Niphon continued, the numbers had 
gone close to 300, with no credible investigation.  Added to 
the distrust of the police are the "tough" comments by the 
Prime Minister that further alienate the Thai Muslim 
population.  The government needs to win the population's 
trust, said Niphon, not exacerbate distrust of the 
government's intentions.  Niphon also criticized what he 
viewed as Thaksin's war of words against Malaysia. 
 
SEPARATISTS' AGENDA 
 
4.  (C)  Niphon said that the separatists are trying to drive 
a wedge between the Buddhist and Muslim communities by their 
attacks on monks and temples.  Though the attacks have 
increased tensions, they have not yet gone so far as to 
destroy inter-communal relations in the south, he added. 
 
5.  (SBU)  Niphon listed steps he considers essential to 
resolving Thailand's southern conflict.  These included: 
 
- immediate cessation of "oum kha" operations by security 
personnel; 
 
- decentralization of government 
 
- more participation by all communities in the reconciliation 
process, including 
  local and religious leaders; 
 
- double the budget for education; 
 
- stop talk of banning religious pondok schools; 
 
- provide more financial support for the pondok schools; 
 
- more respect shown to Muslim teachers (ustaads); 
 
- reform the police and judicial system and institute better 
criminal investigation techniques; 
 
- promote labor skills training; 
 
- promote increased business investment in the region. 
 
 
ISLAMIC SCHOLAR CITES WIDESPREAD FEELINGS OF INJUSTICE 
 
5.  (C)  Prince of Songkhla University researcher Zakee 
Pitakumpol said that in his view, not much of the National 
Reconciliation Committee's (NRC) interim recommendations have 
been implemented by the government.  He expressed his faith 
in the NRC, opining that if the RTG follows the NRC's interim 
and final recommendations, whatever they turn out to be, the 
situation will definitely improve from the present state of 
affairs.  As in the case of Niphon, Zakee blamed Thaksin for 
the current violence, but also acknowledged that the 
separatists appeared to be trying to separate the Thai 
Buddhist and Thai Malay Muslim communities. 
 
6.  (C)  Zakee said that there is a deep feeling of injustice 
felt by Thai Muslims in the region.  Government talk of 
abolishing the Pondoks increases fears that the government is 
promoting the dominant Buddhist culture over the Thai Malay 
Muslim culture.  What especially hurts the Muslim community 
is the lack of legal action against abusive authorities.  In 
answer to poloff's question, Zakee said that a trial of those 
responsible for the deaths in custody of the 80 odd Muslims 
at Tak Bai would be well received by the Thai Muslim 
population as a sign of good faith.  When asked what the U.S. 
could do to promote more respect for human rights Zakee 
answered that human rights training for the police would be a 
good area to consider. 
 
7.  (C)  Zakee said that he agreed with a set of ideas 
advanced in a recent speech by former Prime Minister (and 
Deputy Prime Minister in Thaksin's first government) Chavalit 
Yongchaiyut.  These points included the support of cultural 
and religious diversity; a step-back of opposing groups to 
allow discussion by representatives; promotion of stronger 
local government and creation of a separate administration 
zone status, such as enjoyed by Bangkok, in Pattani. 
 
8.  (C)  When asked about the role of international jihadism 
on separatists, Zakee responded that there was likely some 
influence, but not much.  He concluded, however, that the 
hardened attitude between the Thai Buddhist and Muslim 
communities created by the violence will take "a long time to 
heal." 
 
ISLAMIC COMMITTEE MEMBER CALLS FOR RESPECT FOR THAI MALAY 
MUSLIM CULTURE 
 
9.  (C)  Islamic Committee of Songkhla Department of Academic 
and Foreign Affairs Head Wisoot Binlateh said that the RTG is 
indifferent to cultural differences in the deep south.  It 
looks at everything through the prism of economic development 
without seeing the cultural sensitivities that are affected 
by this development, he added.  Unhealthy social vices 
inevitably accompany this development and it clashes with the 
largely rural and conservative Thai Muslim society.  Wisoot 
added that in the public schools the Buddhist religion and 
culture is emphasized and the "historical realities" of the 
region are ignored.  The government must accept these 
historical grievances and recognize the identity of the Thai 
Muslims.  In response to a question on the introduction of a 
standardized curriculum, Wisoot said that Islamic ustaads 
should be the instructors to Muslim students in the Pondoks 
and that the curriculum must reflect the "true history" of 
the region. 
 
10.  (U)  When pressed to offer a way to reduce the tensions 
between central authority and local religious leaders, Wisoot 
suggested that the government establish a religious training 
center for the ustaads.  He also said that the government 
should set up a college to train religious leaders (Imams). 
 
 
11.  (C)  Comment:  Although these observers were not a 
complete cross section of opinion in the region, they 
represent significant political and religious constituencies. 
 Their basic positions were close.  While none supported the 
separatists action, neither did they support Thaksin's 
approach to resolving the conflict, or the methods of the 
security forces.  Clearly, the government has a "hearts and 
minds" problem with many of those in the south that it is 
professing to protect.  This situation will have to change if 
Thaksin hopes to achieve a real and durable resolution of the 
ongoing turmoil. 
BOYCE