Monks gunned down in Yala

A Buddhist monk was shot dead and another injured in a gun attack in Yala's Muang district yesterday morning.

Police said the incident was aimed at deepening the divide between Buddhists and Muslims in the restive deep South.

Two men on a motorbike fired AK47s at the two monks while they were collecting their morning alms.

The attack killed Phra Sombat Srisuwanwichian, 60, and injured Phra Thawatchai Chaiyamarn, 24.

Colonel Phumphet Pipatpetphum, deputy commander of the Yala Provincial Police, said the assailants wanted to provoke anger among Buddhists in the predominantly Muslim region.

"They want Buddhists to stay afraid and distrust their Muslim neighbours, in order to deepen divi¬sions within society," he said.

Yesterday's attack was not the first aimed at monks. Many Buddhist monks and temples have been victims of the violence that began on January 4, 2004. At least five monks have been killed to date.

The attack came only three and a half days after a massacre at a mosque in Narathiwat that saw 11 Muslim worshippers killed and a dozen injured.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said yesterday's attack was not a case of Muslim revenge on Buddhists but rather militants bent on fostering religious strife.

Suthep will fly to the deep South today to inspect ground operations in a bid to ensure better security for monks.

Before leaving for Cambodia yes¬terday, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said officials should quickly bring the culprits to justice in order to restore confidence in the authorities.

Fourth Army Region Commander LtGeneral Pichet Wisaichorn, who oversees the area, urged local residents to retain confidence in the authorities.

"Don't allow the militants to use you for their own purposes. Please believe that the government and the Army are working hard to raise the standard of living here," he told a press conference.

The government is pouring money into the restive region, hoping to win local hearts and minds.

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved Bt18 billion for operations in fiscal 2010. Another Bt54 billion for 300 development projects between next year and 2012 was approved on Thursday.

The Public Health Ministry next week will ask the Cabinet to approve an additional Bt36 million to be paid for scholarships for 3,000 nursing students from the deep South, a government source said.

Senator Worawit Baru said pouring money and soldiers into the southernmost provinces might not address the root cause of the problem.

Instead, the government should seriously consider a new administrative form for the predominantly Muslim region, one that gives the locals the right to selfdetermination.

"One possible special measure for the deep South is a special ministry or bureau in which local people could actively participate," he said.