The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC)'s Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu issued a statement on November 5 to comment on the public apology made by the prime minister last week to Muslims in the deep South for the previous government's mistakes.

     The OIC statement was considered the first ever positive move toward Thailand's handling of situation in the deep South, according to a Thai official who works closely with the Saudibased Islamic organisation.

Ihsanoglu also welcomed Surayud's confirmation of the government's willingness to solve the region's problems on the basis of negotiation and the reconstitution of the Southern Border Province Administrative Centre (SBPAC).

 "The OIC secretary general expressed his full conviction that the continuation of such correct tendencies of the Thai government will pave the way for finding a peaceful solution to the problems of Muslims in the country," the statement said.

Ihsanoglu said his organisation is ready to contribute all possible ways and means to create a propitious environment to achieve the hopedfor goals. 

During the administration of Thaksin Shinawatra, the OIC consistently expressed strong concerns over violence in the deep South which has rocked the predominantly Muslim region since the beginning of 2004. More than 1,700 people have died on an almost daily basis since then.

The tragedy of Kruse uprising and Tak Bai protest - which 106 and 85 Muslims died, respectively, by official hands - raised international outrage and strong condemnation from the OIC.

The Muslim organisation, of which Thailand is an observer, dispatched a fact finding mission to the Kingdom in May 2005 against the background of the bloody incidents.

The militaryinstalled government led by Surayud has taken many Uturn measures to contain violence in the deep South, including the offer of an official apology which Thaksin refused to do and the reinstitution of SBPAC which was dissolved by Thaksin in 2002.  

Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation