Rights group condemns attacks on schools in restive Thai south
Bangkok - Human Rights Watch on Thursday accused insurgents in Thailand's troubled Muslim-majority south of "terrorising" civilians by targeting teachers and forcing the closure of schools.
"Insurgents are terrorising the civilian population by attacking teachers and schools, which they consider are symbols of the Thai state," said Brad Adams, Asia director at the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW).
"These attacks on civilians are not just grave crimes. They also threaten children's basic right to education."
Thailand on Monday announced that it was closing indefinitely all 944 public schools in the three provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, after a string of arson attacks and shootings left two teachers dead.
The region bordering Malaysia was an independent sultanate annexed by mainly Buddhist Thailand in 1902, and the latest period of separatist violence erupted in January 2004, killing over 1,600 people.
In Pattani last week, suspected Islamic militants shot a 48-year-old school director inside his parked car then set fire to the bullet-riddled vehicle.
He was the 60th teacher killed during three years of unrest in the south, where the almost daily killings have been variously blamed on ethnic Malay separatists, Islamic extremists and criminal gangs.
HRW said that since the beginning of a new school term on November 1, insurgents had set fire to 10 schools in the region, as well as killing and injuring seven teachers.
"Insurgents are using the growing insecurity among teachers and educators to strengthen their power and weaken the credibility of Thai authorities," said Adams.
"The Thai government must work closely with local communities to protect them and ensure that their children have access to education."
HRW said the Teachers' Federation had agreed with a regional army chief to re-open the schools on December 4, provided there are no new attacks.
Since taking office after the September coup, army-installed premier Surayud Chulanont has offered a number of olive branches, including an offer to hold talks with militants, in a bid to bring peace to the troubled region.
But the violence has spiralled since then, with bombings, arson attacks and shootings happening every day. Agence France Presse
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