VILLAGERS KILLED IN RAID IN NARATHIWAT

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 007123

SIPDIS

INFO ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2015
TAGS: PGOV PTER TH
SUBJECT: VILLAGERS KILLED IN RAID IN NARATHIWAT

REF: BANGKOK 6104

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR SUSAN M. SUTTON. REASON: 1.4 (D)


1. (U) Insurgents killed 9 Muslim villagers during a
nighttime raid in Ra Ngae district in Narathiwat province on
November 16th. Eight people were also injured during the
attack, five of them children. According to Embassy police
sources, an entire family was among the victims.


2. (C) Very early speculation is that the insurgents staged
a revenge attack on villagers for cooperating with Thai
authorities. Police Colonel Manot Ananritthi-kun told the
Embassy that the target of the attack could have been an
estranged former lieutenant of wanted militant leader Masae
Useng. According to Colonel Manot, militants may have feared
that this so far unidentified man was killed (along with his
whole family) because militants feared that he was talking to
Thai authorities.


3. (U) The Ra Ngae District Chief told the Embassy that
reports that the villagers had blocked Thai authorities from
entering the scene of the attack were completely untrue. He
said that the villagers had in fact warmly welcomed
authorities. Colonel Manot said that the Narathiwat
Governor, the Deputy Fourth Army Commander, and several
high-ranking Police Commanders have visited the scene of the
attack.


4. (C) Comment. At this point what really happened remains
anyone's guess. The attack site is in the same district
where on September 21, a Thai Navy officer and Marine were
beaten and stabbed to death by Muslim villagers (reftel).
Though this fact could spark speculation that the attack was
actually revenge by security personnel, it is too soon to
tell. End Comment.
BOYCE