The Pattani United Liberation Organization (PULO) has condemned the Thai military over an incident involving a previously healthy Muslim man who was taken to a military camp in the country’s southern province of Pattani for interrogation on Sunday, only to end up in the provincial hospital’s intensive care unit with brain swelling.
In a statement, issued today by the insurgent group, PULO president Mr. Kasturi Mahkota said that he was shocked when he learned of the condition of Mr. Abdullah Isa-Musa, a resident of Sai Buri district of Pattani, after he was apprehended by military personnel and taken to Ingkayut camp.
“Once again we are shocked by the news that affects the hearts of the Pattani people over the constant inhumane Thai acts, as if we were their prey, as yesterday happened to Mr. Abdullah Isa-Musa. Mr. Isa-Musa, a healthy man, was taken for questioning at Ingkayut army camp, but ended up being admitted to the ICU in Pattani hospital,” said Mr. Mahkota.
Meanwhile, it is reported that Pattani police went to the camp today to investigate and asked to look at the CCTV footage of the victim’s interrogation, only to be told, by an army officer, that the CCTV system was out of order.
A doctor at the hospital said there were no traces on the victim’s body that would suggest that he was beaten, nor there was their fluid in his lungs, but he said that the victim was suffering from a swollen brain, which might have been caused by prolonged suffocation.
A complaint has been filed with the district police by the victim’s family.
In a separate incident late Monday afternoon, suspected insurgents detonated a roadside bomb as a pick-up truck, carrying four para-military rangers, passed the spot on a road in Tambon Bannang Sata, Bannang Sata district of Yala province.
The force of the explosion blew the pick-up truck onto its side. All the rangers on board suffered injuries.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officials said that improvised explosive device (IED) weighed about 20kgs and was buried under the road surface.
