SOUTHERN CONFLICT
Private sector calls for security boost
Hundreds of Yala residents march yesterday to demand tougher action against violence in the South.
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Local business people rally in Yala to demand the government step up its campaign against violence in the region
About 300 people rallied in Yala yesterday to demand the government step up security - as roadside bombings and shootings continue unabated in the strife-torn region. Members of the local business community led the march through town yesterday and ended up at the Yala governor's office, where they handed him a letter calling for stronger measures to stem the violence. The march came one week after insurgents launched scores of coordinated attacks, mostly on "soft targets" in the heart of this southern city, and the nearby provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla. Yala mayor Pongsak Yingpong-charoen told reporters: "The government is trying to solve our problems in the wrong way. These voices are coming from the private sector to show what should be done." The protesters complained the government's efforts had been lacking - closed-circuit TV cameras installed around the city were sub-standard, they said, and had failed to deter attackers. They also called for the government to strengthen self-defence forces by providing more arms and resources for the people at the village level. The crowd, with many in yellow shirts showing allegiance to the King, delivered their demands to the provincial governor. They also praised the work of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC). Meanwhile, a 5kg roadside bomb exploded in Narathiwat's Sisakorn district, injuring four police officers who were part of a security detail for teachers at a local public school. The bomb was placed in an aluminium box and set off remotely when the officers walked by, police said. In Yala's Tantho district, an Army private suffered minor injuries from a roadside bomb. Bomb squad officers were rushed in to sweep the area for more devices but found no others. In Songkhla's Saba Yoi district, police found the body of an unidentified man on the side of a road, charred beyond recognition. It appeared the man had been beaten to death before he was set on fire, police said. Commissioner of the Border Patrol Police's Fourth Region, Lt Major General Suraphong Kemasing, said militants had effectively penetrated many villages and that special attention was now placed on people's movements and networking. About 2,000 people have been killed since January 2004 in the Malay-speaking region.
The Nation Yala
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