THAILAND: OIC assesses security in south Thailand

Record ID: 735373

  • Title: THAILAND: OIC assesses security in south Thailand
  • Date: 15th May 2012
  • Summary: NARATHIWAT PROVINCE, THAILAND (FILE) (REUTERS) MILITARY CHECKPOINT ON ROAD VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS CHECKING PICKUP TRUCK AT CHECKPOINT SOLDIERS CHECK MOTORCYCLE AT THE CHECKPOINT MUSLIM CIVILIANS IN MARKET PLACE ARMED DEFENCE VOLUNTEERS AT THE MARKET MORE OF MUSLIM CIVILIANS IN THE MARKET
  • Embargoed: 30th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7YM04QEJO8GLPEAX4FT34EZ2N
  • Story Text: Advisor to the Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Sayed Kassem El-Masry visits southern Thailand, where thousands of people have died during eight years of violence attributed to Muslim separatists; urges the Thai government to seek dialogue with the insurgents.
    Advisor to the Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Sayed Kassem El-Masry on Friday (May 11) urged the Thai government to seek dialogue with insurgency parties to end violence in southern Thailand.
    More than 5000 people has been killed in southern Thailand since 2004 in violence attributed to Muslim separatists.
    About 30,000 troops are in the region trying to crush the insurgency.
    Most of them are stationed in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces bordering to Malaysia.
    The Advisor to the Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Sayed Kassem El-Masry had visited southern violence-plagued areas on Thursday (May 10) to assess the situation there.
    "Security measures affect the innocent civilians more than anybody else. Road blocks and the limitation of network communication, the heavy presence of the military on the ground, all of these help create a tense atmosphere," he told reporters at a joint news conference with permanent secretary of the Thai ministry of foreign affairs, Sihasak Phuangketkeow .
    El-Masry said he hoped the Thai government would find negotiating partners who represented the true views of local people in southern Thailand.
    "Let's hope that we put through dialogue, I mean 'we', I mean the government of Thailand, put through dialogue with the right people. Not only the people who we agreed with but with the people who oppose the government or hold an opposite point of view. To speak with them and try to accommodate them through understanding and reach compromise solutions. I think the sooner the better," el-Masry said.
    El-Masry's visit was held by invitation of the Thai government.
    Thailand holds observer status in the OIC.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register