Kamnan and chiefs concern over personal security

They pointed to the fact that forty of their colleague have been killed since January 2004 and that many more have been attacked by the militants.

Seri Nimayu, 51, head of the KamnanVillage Chiefs Association in Narathiwat, said the situation has become unbearable and called on the state to take their plight seriously.

A kaman receives a monthly salary of Bt5,000 a month, while village chief Bt4,000 and an assistant bt2,500.

"We sided with the state and put up our lives on the line while doing our jobs. They will have to do more in terms of looking after our welfare and security," Seri said.

Wae Kariyor, head of the KamnanVillage Cheifs Association in Yala said the insurgents have demonstrated that they are superior to the state because they are able to carry out violence and not being caught.

"If they can attack a kamnan or village chief and get away with it, just think of the ordinary villagers and how they would feel," Wae asked.

District chiefs and kamnans, like the district chiefs who appointed them, fall under the Ministry of Interior chain of command.

While many have been targeted by insurgents, security officers suspected that a number of kamans and village chiefs sympathises with the militants or chose to turn a blind eye to the violence for fear of retribution.

More than 2,900 have been killed since January 2004 in the Malay-speaking region.

The Nation