Schools in South opt to stay shut as killings continue
A police officer was among three people shot dead in the restive deep South yesterday, while teachers' representatives said the continuing violence in the region would delay the planned reopening of some public schools today.
Police Senior Sergeant Major Samart Wamaeng and security defence volunteer Yusoh Jehsoh were shot dead at about 8am while drinking tea together in a teashop just 200 metres from the local police station in Yala's Krong Piang district. An eyewitness said there were six gunmen involved. Three dismounted from motorbikes and walked into the shop to order tea. Samart and Yusoh were about to leave the shop when the three gunmen outside opened fire at them. Both victims were hit in the head and body and died on the spot. In Si Sakhon district of neighbouring Narathiwat province, rubber tapper Mahamakuta Keetoh was shot dead at about 6am while working at a plantation just 200 metres from his home. Police believe both incidents are part of the almost daily random killings that have plagued the deep South since the beginning of 2004, with the victims ranging from security forces to ordinary civilians and teachers. The attacks on teachers led to the temporary closure of about 1,000 public schools in Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani last week. Although all of them were supposed to resume classes today, the murder of a school director in Narathiwat on Saturday has forced some schools to reconsider. Schools in only 7 of Pattani's 12 districts will reopen today, said Boonsom Thongsiplai, president of the Pattani Teachers Federation, while the rest will stay closed until their staff feel safe. Directors of most schools in Narathiwat said they would not reopen today because the killing of Wanna Ongplanuphan, director of Ban Blijeh school, at her home in Rusoh district on Saturday proved that the authorities had failed to provide safety for teachers. The president of the Narathiwat Teachers Federation, Thawat Saeham, said only schools in urban areas would reopen today. Schools will also stay shut in Yala's Bannang Sata, Than To, Yaha and Raman districts said Sanya Suwanpho, president of the Yala Teachers Federation. "We want the government to make plans to solve the problems in the deep South; just talking about peace and reconciliation will not end the violence," he said.
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