Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BANGKOK6850
2005-11-01 09:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bangkok
Cable title:  

SOUTHERN VIOLENCE: THE SLOW PROGRESS OF THE NRC

Tags:  PGOV PREL PTER TH 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 006850 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/MLS, DRL, INR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER TH
SUBJECT: SOUTHERN VIOLENCE: THE SLOW PROGRESS OF THE NRC

REF: A. BANGKOK 4108

B. BANGKOK 6595

Classified By: Political Counselor Susan M. Sutton. Reason. 1.4 (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 006850

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/MLS, DRL, INR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER TH
SUBJECT: SOUTHERN VIOLENCE: THE SLOW PROGRESS OF THE NRC

REF: A. BANGKOK 4108

B. BANGKOK 6595

Classified By: Political Counselor Susan M. Sutton. Reason. 1.4 (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: The RTG has moved slowly to implement
fourteen interim recommendations, issued by the National
Reconciliation Commission (NRC),to address violence in the
South. While some of the interim recommendations may be of
limited utility or impact, the thrust of the report is
helpful, underscoring the need for community involvement,
improved security for every one, and respect for civil
rights. Separately, on October 25, an NRC member leaked an
unofficial draft of the NRC's final report. The report will
go through several months of revision before its final
release in March, 2006. Prime Minister Thaksin ignored calls
from some southern Buddhists and northern Senators for the
dissolution of the NRC for failing to protect Buddhists in
the South. We will continue to encourage the government to
work with the NRC to improve government policies in the
South. END SUMMARY.

-------------- --------------
LIMITED PROGRESS ON NRC'S INTERIM RECOMMENDATIONS
-------------- --------------


2. (C) The NRC issued fourteen interim recommendations on
July 26 as a first effort to address the ongoing violence
affecting Southern Thailand. Most local observers agree that
the RTG has made a limited attempt to implement some of the
proposals, however there is some confusion over which
recommendations the government has been working on. Two NRC
members -- Dr. Worawit Baru from Prince of Songkhla
University in Pattani, and Buddhist civil activist Phiphop
Thongchai -- told emboffs that most Commission members agree
that three of the fourteen recommendations have been
"implemented." (NOTE: Numbers 2, 4, 7. The complete list of
interim recommendations is copied below. END NOTE) However,
they had differing opinions on which other recommendation the
government had realized. Baru and Phiphop agree that the
government is working on the proposals, but suggested
policy-level officials were dragging their feet on
implementation. They noted that some of the proposals would
require amendments to existing laws -- work that has yet to

be done by the government.

--------------
EARLY DRAFT OF NRC'S FINAL REPORT LEAKED
--------------


3. (C) Separately, on October 25 an anonymous NRC member
leaked to the media a draft copy of the NRC's final report.
The 77-page paper compiles the work of the NRC's five
separate subcommittees. The full NRC is scheduled to meet in
Pattani from November 11-13 to begin the process -- which
will continue over the next several months -- of completing
the final report; scheduled to be presented to the cabinet in
March, 2006. NRC member Mark Tamthai cautioned emboffs that
the leaked draft report does not represent the consensus
views of the NRC. Tamthai complained that NRC member Chaiwat
Satha-Anand had personally compiled and leaked the draft
report to the media without consulting other NRC members. We
will provide further analysis on the leaked document after
further discussions with the NRC and other interested parties.

--------------
BUDDHIST BACKLASH TO NRC'S WORK
--------------


4. (SBU) Meanwhile, Prime Minister Thaksin has brushed
aside brushed aside recent calls from some Buddhist groups
and northern politicians to dissolve the NRC. On October 24,
the Pattani Sangha Council -- which oversees provincial
Buddhist affairs -- issued a 15-point statement calling for,
among other things, the dissolution of the NRC. This
statement follows the murders or a monk and two novices at a
Pattani Buddhist temple on October 16. On October 25 Several
Senators from north-eastern Thailand also called for the
dissolution of the Commission, blaming the NRC for being
"prejudiced" against Buddhists. A Pattani based journalist,
Paret Lohansen, told emboffs that the Sangha's statement
reflects growing local Buddhist resentment against the NRC.
Paret said that many southern Buddhists feel that Muslim NRC
members are sympathetic to the separatists and are
accommodating the demands of local Muslims, while ignoring
the security concerns of Buddhists.

--------------
PROPOSALS USEFUL -- ON BALANCE
--------------


5. (C) COMMENT: The NRC interim recommendations below are
a mixed bag, including sensible, concrete proposals
(permitting defendants timely access to their lawyers),and
more philosophical ones (following King Rama VI's policy on
tolerance). Several of the recommendations are rather
ambiguous and some are, frankly, of debatable utility or
impact. (For example, any move by the authorities to
confiscate all the privately-owned guns in the area would
probably result in havoc.) The general thrust of the
recommendations, however, are helpful, underscoring the need
for community involvement, improved security for every one,
and respect for civil rights. The NRC is the single most
respected voice in Thailand calling for long-term solutions
to the problems in Thailand's troubled far South. We will
continue to encourage the government to work with the NRC
sincerely to consider its recommendations and cooperate with
it on practical steps to lower tensions and rebuild trust.
We expect that the final report will attract much greater
attention than the interim recommendations, and there will be
much greater pressure on the government to take action on NRC
final proposals once they are released. END COMMENT

--------------
NRC INTERIM PROPOSALS
--------------


6. (NOTE: The NRC members we spoke with consider proposals
2,4, and 7 to have been implemented by the government. There
is some disagreement over whether proposals 1 and 9 have been
implemented. The proposals were presented on July 26, 2005.
END NOTE)

BEGIN EMBASSY TRANSLATION OF NRC'S INTERIM PROPOSALS:



1. The Government should follow King Rama the VI's policy for
the South (dated July 6, 1923),which emphasizes a tolerant
government policy towards the South.


2. The government should set up a national judicial committee
in order to monitor legal actions in the three southern
border provinces. (NOTE: Minister of Education Chaturon has
established this committee. The committee's responsibilities
have not been clearly defined. END NOTE)


3. Persons arrested or detained under Section 11 (1) of the
Emergency Decree should be allowed to meet their lawyers and
obtain lawyer's assistance within 48 hours.


4. The governments should make better use of forensic science
to investigate attacks in the South. (NOTE: The Department of
Justice's Central Forensic Institute, under the guidance of
the famous Dr. Pornthip Rojanasunant, has begun work
assisting in forensic cases in the South. END NOTE)


5. Local leaders and from both the Islamic and Buddhist
communities should be allowed to work with local authorities
to formulate local policies and represent the views of the
local populace.


6. All guns are regarded as illegal in the 3 southern borders
provinces, except those possessed by soldiers and police and
those who have duty to maintain public safety under the law.


7. The government should install the CCTV in public places in
the three southern border provinces. (NOTE: The government
has reportedly focused on setting the cameras up in Yala City
and is working on other urban areas in the South. END NOTE)


8. Stricter zoning should be enforced. Entertainment venues
should be moved away from community areas, religious
institution, educational institutions, and youth recreation
centers.


9. The government should hold community meetings in villages
following an attack in order to clarify facts and dispel
rumors. (NOTE: This may be happening at in some local areas
but does not appear widespread. END NOTE)


10. Village defense volunteer units, consisting of Ministry
of Interior officials, soldiers, police, and the territory
defense volunteers should be established.


11. Local communities should set up community peace
committees, consisting community leaders, local religious
leaders, teachers, local administrators, as well as soldiers
and police.


12. Students should be allowed to peacefully express their
views. Authorities should avoid investigating and arresting
students in their education institutions without the presence
of their teachers.


13. All schools, both religious school and public school,
should have an alarm system, and modern communication
equipment, which is able to communicate directly with
security forces.


14. The decision to open or close a school or remove the
students must be made in consultation with security
officials, Ministry of Interior officials, and the school
administrators. Authorities should consult teachers on
establishing safety standards for schools.

END EMBASSY TRANSLATION OF NRC'S INTERIM PROPOSALS
BOYCE