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DEEP SOUTH : Cleric calls for peaceful resolution
Published on June 05, 2005
Delegation chief blames unrest on lack of attention to local community
The problems in the Muslim-majority deep South could stem from a lack of attention to the well-being of the local community, the leader of the six-member delegation of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) said yesterday.
Sayed Gasim Almasri urged a gathering of government officials in Narathiwat province to use peaceful means to bring about stability in the restive region, where ongoing violence has claimed more than 650 lives since January last year.
The arrival of the delegation was welcomed by the local Muslim community, which sees help from outside - particularly from the Islamic world - as a way to contain the questionable tactics of government officials, especially the security forces. Locals have often accused officials of brutality and corruption, and a lack of respect for the local Malay culture.
Government critics have cited mismanagement and abuse of power by the government as the source of tension between the Malay-speaking region and the rest of the country.
The authorities have blamed the violence on radical elements in the community bent on carving out a separate homeland for Muslims in the region.
The government has made a move to change its tactics, but the level of mistrust remains high as violence in the three provinces continues unabated.
Former prime minister Chuan Leekpai said more than 10,000 people had moved out of the region because of the violence.
He said the government had failed to instil confidence in communities and had chosen to use day-to-day policies instead of a long-term strategy.
None of the government agencies put together over the years has been able to bring about stability in the region or provide any real sense of comfort for the people living in the area, the Democrat Party MP added.
The Nation
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