CAIRO — Thailand should act swiftly to punish those responsible for serious rights violations against Muslims in its southern provinces, said the Human Rights Watch, warning the lack of justice would make peace impossible. "There has been no serious effort to hold perpetrators of abuses in the southern border provinces to account," the New York-based rights group said in a statement on its website.
"Thailand's Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, needs to demonstrate progress in prosecuting security personnel for serious rights violations in the southern border provinces."
The group accused the government of reluctance to hold accountable those implicated in serious human rights violations against Muslims in the south.
It cited failure to arrest pro-government militants implicated in a massacre inside Al-Furquan mosque in Narathiwat province last June in which 10 ethnic Malay Muslims were killed and 12 others injured.
A police investigation found that gunmen from army paramilitary volunteers and army-trained village defense volunteers carried out the attack.
Click to read the HRW Statement However, it took two months for police to issue arrest warrants and authorities have not done the required effort to bring perpetrators to justice.
"The failure to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the Al-Furquan mosque massacre has made Abhisit's promises about justice ring hollow," said Elaine Pearson, HRW deputy Asia director.
"This fuels suspicions in the Muslim community that the gunmen are untouchable."
Almost 3,900 people have been killed since the unrest began in the Muslim-populated south in 2004.
Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat are the only Muslim-majority provinces in Thailand and were an independent Muslim sultanate until annexed officially a century ago.
Immunity
The HRW highlighted widespread ignorance of the violations committed against Muslims by government troops.
"The Abhisit government has made no progress in other serious cases of human rights violations involving Thai security forces."
For instance, there has been no development in the criminal prosecution of soldiers from the army's 39th Taskforce, who tortured and murdered Narathiwat Imam Yapa Kaseng on March 21, 2008.
In February, the Office of Attorney General decided not to press charges against troops implicated in killings at the Krue Se mosque in 2004.
A provincial court on May 29 exonerated security forces from killing 78 ethnic Malay Muslim protesters in Tak Bai on October 25, 2004.
"Attempts by human rights groups and families of the victims to seek justice in other less publicized cases have faced various obstructions," the HRW said.
The group accused the government of giving Muslim abusers immunity against any legal action.
"Frustration, alienation, and anger in the ethnic Malay Muslim community have been further fuelled by the enforcement of the draconian 2005 Emergency Decree on Government Administration in Emergency Situations, which gives security forces both extensive powers and near-blanket immunity for criminal misconduct and human rights violations."
Under sweeping powers, security forces often storm Muslim villages and detain hundreds on suspicion of supporting "rebel" groups in the south.
Thai Muslims, who make up five percent of the predominantly Buddhist kingdom's population, say ending draconian laws and abusive practices by the military are the key to peace.
Source: IslamOnline
"Thailand's Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, needs to demonstrate progress in prosecuting security personnel for serious rights violations in the southern border provinces."
The group accused the government of reluctance to hold accountable those implicated in serious human rights violations against Muslims in the south.
It cited failure to arrest pro-government militants implicated in a massacre inside Al-Furquan mosque in Narathiwat province last June in which 10 ethnic Malay Muslims were killed and 12 others injured.
A police investigation found that gunmen from army paramilitary volunteers and army-trained village defense volunteers carried out the attack.
Click to read the HRW Statement However, it took two months for police to issue arrest warrants and authorities have not done the required effort to bring perpetrators to justice.
"The failure to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the Al-Furquan mosque massacre has made Abhisit's promises about justice ring hollow," said Elaine Pearson, HRW deputy Asia director.
"This fuels suspicions in the Muslim community that the gunmen are untouchable."
Almost 3,900 people have been killed since the unrest began in the Muslim-populated south in 2004.
Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat are the only Muslim-majority provinces in Thailand and were an independent Muslim sultanate until annexed officially a century ago.
Immunity
The HRW highlighted widespread ignorance of the violations committed against Muslims by government troops.
"The Abhisit government has made no progress in other serious cases of human rights violations involving Thai security forces."
For instance, there has been no development in the criminal prosecution of soldiers from the army's 39th Taskforce, who tortured and murdered Narathiwat Imam Yapa Kaseng on March 21, 2008.
In February, the Office of Attorney General decided not to press charges against troops implicated in killings at the Krue Se mosque in 2004.
A provincial court on May 29 exonerated security forces from killing 78 ethnic Malay Muslim protesters in Tak Bai on October 25, 2004.
"Attempts by human rights groups and families of the victims to seek justice in other less publicized cases have faced various obstructions," the HRW said.
The group accused the government of giving Muslim abusers immunity against any legal action.
"Frustration, alienation, and anger in the ethnic Malay Muslim community have been further fuelled by the enforcement of the draconian 2005 Emergency Decree on Government Administration in Emergency Situations, which gives security forces both extensive powers and near-blanket immunity for criminal misconduct and human rights violations."
Under sweeping powers, security forces often storm Muslim villages and detain hundreds on suspicion of supporting "rebel" groups in the south.
Thai Muslims, who make up five percent of the predominantly Buddhist kingdom's population, say ending draconian laws and abusive practices by the military are the key to peace.
Source: IslamOnline
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