- Published: 15/09/2012 at 12:00 AM
- Writer: Post Reporters
The move follows this week's surrender in Narathiwat of 93 insurgent suspects, led by Waeali Copter Waji, alias Jeh Ali, a suspect in the Jan 4, 2004 arms heist at the 4th Development Battalion in Cho Airong district of Narathiwat.
According to army sources, 4th Army commander Lt Gen Udomchai Thamsarorach has dispatched officers to negotiate with Sapaeing Basor and Masae Useng, leaders of the BRN Coordinate separatist group.
The officers accompanied several religious and community leaders for the secret talks. Both separatists leaders are based overseas. Mr Sapaeing hopes to be prime minister of a Pattani state and Mr Masae its defence minister or army chief in the event their goal of independence is ever achieved.
A bounty on Mr Sapaeing has been set at 10 million baht with one of 3 million baht for Mr Masae.
The negotiations cover their demands relating to their possible prosecution in Thailand. The separatists are also waiting to see how the authorities will deal with the 93 former militants, the sources said.
If negotiations are successful, around 10-15 members of the BRN Coordinate could defect, they added.
Deputy Prime Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa and army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha went to Pattani province yesterday to help speed up efforts to encourage more separatist suspects to defect.
Gen Yutthasak said he wanted the 4th Army and the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre to present recent defectors to the secretary-general of the World Muslim League Abdullah Al-Turky who arrives in Thailand today and who will visit the far South on Monday to prove that the government is pursuing peaceful solutions to the problems in the troubled region and ensuring human rights are protected.
Gen Yutthasak said the defectors who have turned themselves in were "genuine" and they were released to convince more to surrender.
Gen Prayuth said the government has assured separatists and those who were lured or forced to join separatist movements that they will be treated fairly if they surrender.
He said they could have punishments commuted or simply undergo some kind of training for six months or a year before returning to society.
Share your thoughts
- Discussion 1 : 18/09/2012 at 12:07 PM
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How much will this bright idea cost Thai taxpayers ?
- Discussion 2 : 18/09/2012 at 08:44 AM
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As a golden rule, to capture a snake, you need to get hold of the head first!!!
- Discussion 3 : 15/09/2012 at 08:33 PM
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pjt D2
I agree with much of what you say, though it seems a little one sided.
You say that letting men of violence get away with their crimes is a difficult concept to swallow, I agree but there is a precedent, just imagine how the people of the south feel about the military men responsible for Tak Bai and Kru Se and countless murders, kidnappings and torture going unpunished.
Just this week there was a report that there may be up to 400 men in prison because the army's fake bomb detector smelt explosives on them.
One other thought, I would be wary of believing that these so called 'leaders' are actually leading anything or anyone.
- Discussion 4 : 15/09/2012 at 05:46 PM
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In light of this mornings deadly ambush, negotiations must not be going well or else this is another concocted story by the Army without a shread of truth
- Discussion 5 : 15/09/2012 at 02:57 PM
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Cowards killing innocent lives.
- Discussion 6 : 15/09/2012 at 11:44 AM
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This appears to be the only opportunity to end the violence that has come along since this began. Even if they need to rely on the assistance of others, the military needs to take advantage of this effort. Perhaps many lives will be saved if the violence really does end. While it is disagreeable that those responsible for killing and bombing are getting minimal punishment, saving lives of future potential victims may be more important.
- Discussion 7 : 15/09/2012 at 10:57 AM
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If you read the statement in the BP article headed 'Udomchai key to rebel defections' you will see that the 93 defections must have happened over a prolonged period of time (so it was NOT all in one day) because most have already been processed and released (some have even been through a court trial and been found not-guilty).
- Discussion 8 : 15/09/2012 at 10:19 AM
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"It is better to jaw jaw, than to war war." Winston Churchill.
Martin McGuiness and Gerry Adams both found their way into political positions after hostilities ended in Northern Ireland.
Members of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party are now working in Iraq's government.
Let's hope that the needless killings end soon.
- Discussion 9 : 15/09/2012 at 09:22 AM
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So we have already three remote managers tearing the country apart, letting some clerks do the dirty jobs and thinking some day they will come back in style and take the positions they think they deserve.
Now I urgently need one of those plastified bags they use in airplanes or just simply a toilet.
- Discussion 10 : 15/09/2012 at 06:32 AM
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I am sure many will struggle with the concept of negotiating with terrorists who have been intent on violence and indeed taking a lenient view of their activities when it comes to punishment. However opening the way to dialogue and peaceful resolution is the only long term answer. Some grim compromises are inevitable including talking to the men of violence and their commanders. The (apparently) long running army initiative and General Yutthasak deserve support as they try to strike the right balance between ending future violence and holding people accountable for past acts, not least because at last there is a glimmer of hope
- Discussion 11 : 15/09/2012 at 06:03 AM
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How cowardice that their people are dying and yet Sapaeing and Masae are based oversea. The people of seperatists at Pattani must wake themselves up to the fact that they are being used as killing machines for the coward leaders.
Bangkok Post
