RALLIES AGAINST VIOLENCE HELD IN YALA AND

UNCLAS BANGKOK 007207

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER TH
SUBJECT: RALLIES AGAINST VIOLENCE HELD IN YALA AND
NARATHIWAT

REF: BANGKOK 7123


1. (U) Crowds estimated at 5,000 to 6,000 persons gathered
in the southern provinces of Yala and Narathiwat on November
17 to protest the murder by suspected separatists of a former
militant, who was cooperating with the government, and his
family (reftel). The crowds were made up of both Thai
Muslims and Buddhists. Press and academic contacts told the
Embassy that most of the participants were from the provinces
and had been organized by local district chiefs. The crowds
heard speakers condemn the killings of police informant
Sudeng Ahwaebuesa, his spouse and seven children in an attack
in Narathiwat's Ra Ngae district on November 16.


2. (U) The biggest crowd, probably over 5,000 strong,
gathered at the Municipal Youth Center, where representatives
from Islamic student organizations, Muslim leadership
councils and women's groups denounced the separatists. In
Narathiwat, several hundred from Pattani province gathered to
show solidarity with their neighbors. Expressions of support
came from elsewhere. On the day of the rally Ayutthaya
Islamic Committee Chairman Pradit Rattanakomol, on behalf of
the Muslims in his district, condemned the slayings and
announced that those who perpetrated the murders "answered to
no religion." In Songkhla, the Chamber of Commerce has
announced its intention to organize a peace march in Yala,
Pattani and Narathiwat.


3. (SBU) Comment: The "bi-partisan" Buddhist-Muslim makeup
of the crowds is encouraging in light of apparent recent
attempts by separatists to drive a wedge between these two
communities in the region. Whether this will discourage
hard-core separatists from making similar attacks in the
future, however, is debatable.


BOYCE