The opposition People’s Party issued an open letter today, urging the government to revive the peace dialogue with the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), the umbrella organisation for insurgent groups in the Deep South, to bring an end to the recent violence, targeting mostly civilians.
In a Facebook post today, the People’s Party noted that, over the past fortnight, the situation in the Deep South has deteriorated significantly, with a string of indiscriminate attacks on both Muslim and Buddhist civilians.
Among those killed were a Muslim religious teacher, a 70-year-old blind woman, a nine-year-old girl and a 16-year-old novice monk. Numerous other people were injured.
“The violence causes sorrow and anger among Muslims and Buddhists in the restive southern region, as well as Thai people across the country,” said the statement, adding that the latest wave of violence has shaken public trust in the peace process, which has been suspended for about a year, and has created mutual distrust between followers of different religious faiths.
The killing of innocent civilians is against the principles of human rights, laws and religious faiths, according to the statement, adding that it threatens the peace process and provokes hatred and bias against the Muslim population of the Deep South.
The People’s Party pointed out that violence markedly subsides during peace dialogues between the government and the BRN, claiming that violence has erupted again lately because of the government’s lack of clarity on the peace process, due to the dialogue being suspended.
If, or when, the peace process is revived, the party suggests that the people of the Deep South should have a say in the process.
