It may be true that the immediate concern is to suppress insurgency and restore peace in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, but there is no reason why efforts at confidence-building and reconciliation between the predominantly Muslim population and the rest of Thai society cannot be implemented concurrently. After all, the grievances of local residents, who have suffered several decades of neglect and discriminatory treatment by successive governments, continue to inflame feelings and keep the insurgency alive.

Much has been said about the need to come up with political, economic and social development programmes specifically designed to enable people in the southernmost provinces to achieve higher standards of living, make better use of opportunities to advance in society and claim their fair share of the national wealth.

Under the Thaksin administration, government agencies and security forces have consistently failed to convince local Muslim communities they are capable of ensuring public safety and enforcing the rule of law. Even an independent body like the National Reconciliation Commission, consisting of leading civic leaders and Muslim scholars, has proved ineffective as an honest broker attempting to reconcile differences among people in the region and mainstream society. That is partly because several of the commissioners have shown a tendency to view the Muslim population inaccurately, romanticising them as unique by virtue of their religion and strong attachment to tradition.

In reality, the southern Muslims suffer economic and social problems not much different from those found in other parts of the country.

It must be pointed out that many Buddhist policemen and military and government officials are known to be corrupt and have a reputation for engaging in illegal activities, like drug trafficking, prostitution and trade in contraband, all in collusion with local influential Muslims and corrupt Muslim politicians.

Any strategy the government uses to restore peace in the deep South must be implemented in conjunction with a campaign to increase political awareness, so as to enable members of the local Muslim communities to participate more actively in the democratic process.

The reason Muslim Thais of Malay descent need to learn more about effective citizenship is that their politicians have consistently failed them. Muslim politicians, who are supposed to have an intimate knowledge of the problems facing their communities and who have the power and privileges to help bridge the gap and correct the wrongs done to their constituents, are not doing their job properly. Indeed, they have contributed precious little to enhancing understanding between members of their communities and the rest of the Kingdom.

With another general election on the horizon, Muslim voters in the deep South, who often complain about being marginalised and misunderstood, must speak out and vote for open-minded politicians who will serve them honestly. Persuading fellow Thais to respect their cultural uniqueness and distinct way of life can be done more effectively within a framework of democracy, as citizens who enjoy equal rights and freedom under the Constitution, than through violence-mongers who claim to act in their best interest but do not hesitate to use deadly force to terrorise them into submission.

Political enfranchisement of and effective citizenship by the people of the Muslim South are a prerequisite for progress, prosperity and happiness. No matter what we as a society do to try to make things better there, we must never lose sight of the simple fact that that which unites is far greater than the destructive force that divides. Thai citizens, regardless of ethnicity or religious faith, have more to gain from peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.