KERAJAAN MELAYU PATANI (PATTANI)

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Thai Ratthaniyom




State-Decreed Dress Code



A Thai Ratthaniyom era (1938-45) poster directs the Thai public on the “ civilized ” form of dressing. A laid-back Patani Malay man in traditional songkok and sarong (far right of left picture) is transformed into a dapper chap in crisp pantaloon, shirt and safari hat. Womenfolk attend to their daily chores in glitzy blouses and skirts while a boy (previously depicted buck naked now scurry along in Western garb straight out of a Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalogue.






This institutionalized assimilation also regulated personal names and systematically Thai-cised the age-old Malay geographic names of the Patani Region. Hence Jalor, Menara, Singgora, Tanjong Mas, Sebayu, Gersik, Tiba, Setul, Bendang Setar, Tabal and Penarek (all perfectly lucid Malay place names) were bizarrely transliterated as Yala, Narathiwat, Songkhla, Tanyongmat, Sabayoi, Krue Sae, Thepa, Satun, Bannang Sata, Tak Bai and Panare, rendering the names meaningless and hilariously absurd to the Malays and reflected the inherent elocution limitations of the Thai pali script. Thai names became a condition for public employment. During the height of the Ratthaniyom era, Malays were forced by Thai forces to prostrate before Buddhist sacred objects in national events. In all public schools, Buddha statues were prominently displayed, and Malay Muslim students were forced to bow to them as a patriotic act. Malay language and script were strictly banned in government affairs and public usage. Malay culture was suppressed. Shari’a law and its court system were abolished. Traditional Malay and Islamic legal traditions on marriage and inheritance were supplanted by Thai civil jurisdiction. Patani history was erased and replaced with Thai-centric revisions laced with mythical heroic conquests of the Patani region by ancient T’ai kings through the ages. The term “ Malay ” became politically incorrect and was officially suppressed. “ Thai ” and Thai-ness were the epitome of patriotism.




Prathet Thai







Metamorphosies of the “ Thai ” race

Phibun Songkhram’s Thai Ratthaniyom (Thai Customs Decree) of 1939 enforced punitive assimilationist measures to compel ethno-cultural conformity and to subsume Siam’s plurality of ethnic groups into a concocted “ Tha i” race modelled on the T’ai ethnic group of the Chao Phraya River basin. “ Thai ” means “ Free ” and is actually a cunning play of the homonym for the dominant T’ai ethnic group. The Patani Malays, as the most divergent ethno-cultural and religious group, were particularly affected and resisted till this day the erasure and supplanting of their ethnicity with a generic “ Thai Muslim ” tag.



Sources : http://patanibook.blogspot.com/

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thenone

malaysia patut kene usaha menyerapkan pattani ke malaysia seperti sabah dan sarawak..
HangPC2 Post at 2-6-2005 02:28

boleh ke bro? gua rasa kalo serapkan patani kedalam malaysia mau berperang kite ngn siam jawapnya memandangkan situasi sekarang semenjak patani diketahui mempunyai simpanan minyak dan gas dan kerja2 menyedut dilakukan secara usahasama antara thailand-malaysia, apa yang gua harapkan patani merdeka 100% from thai..

autonomi adalah jalan terakhir................

thenone

kalo tak silap tak boleh ler...coz Pattani salah satu jajahan Negeri Thai...lagi satu banyak risikonyer...bayangkan Sabah dan Sarawak baru jer nak membangun setelah lebih 40 tahun merdeka....cuba Patt ...
Vendetta Post at 2-6-2005 13:42

patani disebelah negeri pembangkang? mak aih dalam masalah isu umat melayu islam duk kena bunuh mcm binatang dek kapir siam pon bleh pikir bab politik nasional lagi? perghh...

thenone

hmmmm.... baru ku tahu rupanya tok kenali tuh anak murid wan ahmad nih..........
jofizo Post at 12-9-2005 16:36

huhu... Sheik Ahmad menguasai 47 cabang ilmu dari 60 cabang ilmu agama manakala tuk kenali menguasai 24 cabang ilmu, semasa di mekah Sheik Ahmad adalah ulama yang paling alim selain ulama berbangsa arab yang mana beliau berkedudukan no 2 dan no 1 adalah dari ulama bangsa arab sendiri(tapi gua tak ingat nama ulama tu ape)...

tuk kenali yang terkenal alim dan warak di tanah melayu oleh para2 ulama serantau malah muridnya dari rantau kepulauan melayu tidak menafikan beliau adalah seorang guru yg byk karomah terzahir pada diri beliau malah beliau giat menulis di majalah pengasuh.

mari kita tanya tuk2 guru wahabi/salafi/kaum muda kat 1 malaysia kita ni.. dimanakah tahap mereka semua dijika dibandingkan dengan Sheik Ahmad dan muridnya Tuk Kenali....

thenone

mmg ramai tokoh agama kelahiran pattani. astora jabat pun org pattani.
riccckyyy Post at 12-9-2005 21:06

tu orang gile tak waras....

thenone

Datuk aku berasal dari sana .. nama asal dia memang ada Teuku di depan tetapi apabila menjadi warga Malaya (masa belum merdeka),  pangkat Teuku dah dibuangnya  ..

hmmmm Laxamana, lama tak nam ...
chumpon Post at 21-2-2006 16:20

sebenarnya ramai nenek monyang keturunan melayu patani membuang pradikat nama mereka ketika berpindah ke tanah jajahan british atas tujuan keselamatan, sama juga keturunan ahlul bait dipatani yang menukarkan pradikat mereka daripada syed/syarifah kepada nik/wan/tengku/che untuk mengelak daripada diberkas oleh siam..

thenone

Apa kater orang2 Melayu Patani dan Siam berdamai? Lupakan sengketa lama...Zaman globalisasi
kini tidak sesuai lagi dgn nasionalisme sebab harga tiket hanya RM400 dan sampai 2 jam berbanding berjalan ...
herman Post at 16-10-2006 22:28

sekiranya umat islam turki yang takde hubungan darah dengan umat islam patani tu sanggup berdemonstrasi kat turki sana.. masakan orang melayu islam kat malaysia yang ade hubungan darah dgn org melayu islam kat patani nak berdamai.. :@

thenone

pada pendapat komelah, keturunan melayu patani khususnya dan umat islam kat sebelah sini amnya(malaysia) kena buat sesuatu selain dari cara diplomasi(tapi tak bermakna cara kekerasan bersenjata).. selagi tak setel masalah patani ni.. selagi tu laa oghe nayu tani habih keno bedel po nate anying ko sie... kena buat sesuatu untuk...

REPUBLIK ISLAM PATANI DARUS SALAM

cmf_tongkatali

'Let South have autonomy'
By The Nation, BANGKOK
Cha Am
Published on October 26, 2009



Malaysian PM vows no support for extremists who violate Thai laws
Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak said yesterday that Thailand should offer a certain degree of autonomy to people in the predominantly Muslim region to allow them to be good Muslims in the predominantly Buddhist kingdom.

Najib, who is to tour the restive South with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in December, said he would tell them that Kuala Lumpur would not support extremists who violate Thai laws.

"Look, you know you just have to be good Thai citizens. Don't expect Malaysia to back any violation of Thai law. You are on your own and if they [law breakers] come over, we will send you back," the Malaysian Prime Minister said in an exclusive interview with The Nation's Editor-in-Chief Suthichai Yoon.

Prime Minister Abhisit invited Najib to tour the deep South after the Thailand-Malaysia's annual consultative meeting and he said he would love to see people living in the region.

Najib said some form of autonomy could be a solution to end the violence, which has claimed more than 3,800 live since the beginning of 2004.

"You may not want to call it autonomy but there could at least be some form of involvement," he said.

The government could offer self-determination for people in areas that are important to them such as the selection of local leaders, employment, religion and education, he said.

"It is Thailand's decision to consider how far such autonomy in the deep South should go, and Malaysia, as a neighbour, would not intervene in the matter, he said.

"Our part is to be supportive. We will not negotiate on your behalf. We will do what a good neighbour should do," he said.

Independence from Thailand championed by any organisation is unrealistic for Muslims in the South, he said.

"They have to be loyal to Thailand, the King and the Constitution, but at the same time they should be good Muslims and should be allowed to act as good Muslims," he said.

However, the major issue affecting bilateral relations between the two countries and the situation in the Malay-speaking South is the question of dual citizenship by people who exploit legal loopholes to criss-cross the border, he said.

Malaysia wanted to resolve the problem with Thailand and tell some 20,000-25,000 people who hold dual nationality to choose either Thai or Malaysian citizenship, he said.

Some times extremists exploit their dual nationality to seek safe haven in Malaysia's northern states but Najib said he had no solid evidence to prove whether the opposition party, based in the north has harboured them.

Malaysian authorities would arrest and send them back to Thailand if it was learned that any of them had fled from prosecution to Malaysia, he said.

Najib gave an example of 130 people from Narathiwat who were sent back three years ago after fleeing from persecution at home to the northern states of Kelantan and Terengganu to show co-operation from Malaysia. Some of them were accused of involvement in the violence before fleeing.

The Malaysian Prime Minister said he saw no outside elements in causing the violence in the deep South but suggested that if the situation were prolonged, it would open up opportunities for outsiders to become involved.

cmf_tongkatali

Malaysia must speak carefully on Thailand's fractious South
By DON PATHAN
THE NATION, BANGKOK
Published on October 27, 2009



PRIME MINISTER Najib Razak was not the first and probably will not be the last Malaysian leader to suggest to Thailand that one way out of the ongoing conflict in the Malay-speaking South is to grant the people there some sort of autonomy.
Some years ago, not long after his retirement, former Malaysian prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohammed also made a similar suggestion. He went as far as to compare the plight of the Patani Malays to that of the Palestinians - a statement that jolted the government in Bangkok but was largely welcomed by the Malay Muslims in the deep South.

Malaysian opposition leaders such as Anwar Ibrahim and Nik Aziz Nik Mat, the spiritual leader of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (Pas) have also urged the Thai state and the Malays in Patani to reconcile their differences and look for ways to coexist peacefully.

None, of course, have come up with any particular blueprint. But it is well understood that concessions will have to be made on both sides if peace is to prevail in Thailand's southernmost provinces, the historical homeland of the Patani Malays, who came under Bangkok's direct rule after the turn of the 19th century.

Najib's upcoming visit to Thailand's Malay-speaking South is significant indeed. In so many words, Najib is telling the Patani Malays that they have to come to terms with their Thai citizenship. Ideally, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit, who will accompany Najib to the region, should tell the Patani Malays there that their Thai citizenship shouldn't have to come at the expense of their identity or their membership of the Malay civilisation that stretches from southern Thailand to the southern Philippines.

But finding middle ground for the Thai state and the Patani Malays is no easy task, especially when it requires the state to rethink its entire notion of nation-state building.

As difficult as it may be for Thai nationalists to believe, giving the Patani Malays some sort of autonomy amounts to acknowledging that the Muslims in the southernmost provinces embrace an entirely different history and culture. And in this historical and political consciousness, the Thais are seen as foreign occupiers and the local Malays are colonial subjects. In other words, the legitimacy of the Thai state in the region is at the crux of the question.

The ongoing insurgency aside, relations between the community and the Thai state suggest that the Patani Malays are willing to be part of the Thai State but on their own terms.

But the level of honesty and frankness needed for this kind of debate is nowhere to be found, as the two sides appear to be bogged down by the alleged atrocities committed by both the insurgents and the government security forces. No one has time to think about long-term relations. And the task at hand is being tackled in bits and pieces. Nothing comprehensive enough is being done to give the debate a new paradigm.

The Abhisit Administration, for example, is weighed down with problems on the ground, as well as in trying to bring back civilian supremacy in the region after nearly six years of military leadership that has failed to win any hearts or minds.

Local residents, on the other hand, are either demanding justice and, or, compensation for relatives killed by either the insurgents or the government security forces.

Nevertheless, Abhisit is slowly pushing ahead with ongoing secret talks with members of the long-standing separatist movements living in exile. From the official point of view, it is hoped that the old guard can talk sense into the new generation of more violent militants on the ground.

During the Surayud Chulanond administration, Thailand sought Malaysia's help in facilitating some of these discussions with the old guard, mainly with members of the Patani United Liberation Organisation and former members of the now defunct Bersatu.

This time around, there are indications that some of the hardliners in the Barisan Revolusi Nasional-Coordinate (BRN-C) are planning to come on board of this peace process. It hasn't been smooth sailing, however, as some security top brass with inflated egos think that talking to the old guard is a waste of time. They say that the old guard naively believes that the insurgents on the ground will surface and talk to them.

And then came the Ai Bayae massacre on June 8, when about six heavily armed men - reportedly members of a Thai militia - fired into a mosque full of Muslims conducting evening prayers. The attack resulted in the deaths of 11 Muslims, with 12 people injured.

Police have named one suspect, Suthirak Khongsuwan, a former ranger turned village militia man under a government-sponsored scheme to outsource security duty to local residents. The massacre caused the old guard to balk, while the militants have demanded that the authorities get to the bottom of incident in order to prove that the Thais are committed to peace.

According to sources in exile, the active militants, often referred to as juwae, or "fighters" in the local Malay dialect, are not in a hurry to talk to anybody.

"The way they see it, they are winning," said one member of the old guard, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

No one knows what Abhisit's approach to Malaysia will be. Surayud sought Kuala Lumpur's help in facilitating some of the meetings his people had with the old guard, and Abhisit will probably do the same. But because Malaysia is a stakeholder in this conflict, neither Thailand nor the separatists view it as an honest broker. Moreover, the exiled separatist community has never forgiven Kuala Lumpur for handing over in 1998 some of the senior Pulo leaders - Abdul Rahman Bazo and two brothers, Ismail and Da-oh Thanam - to the Thai authorities.

That episode was a Thai way of testing Malaysia's friendship, said one Thai official. While that may be the case, it drove a still permanent wedge between the Patani Malays and the Kuala Lumpur government.

cmf_tongkatali

THE NATION, BANGKOK
More discussion on south with Malaysian leader: Abhisit

Published on October 27, 2009

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Tuesday cautiously acknowledged the suggestion by his Malaysian counterpart, Najib Raza, that the Malay-speaking region in the deep South be granted some form of autonomy as part of a strategy to bring an end to the ongoing violence.
Speaking to reporters after the Tuesday weekly Cabinet meeting, Abhisit said the policy of the Thai government was more or less in line with the need to acknowledge the special needs of the Malay-speaking region where nearly 4,000 people have been killed since January 2004.

Abhisit said he will discuss the issue about the conflict in the deep South with Najib during his upcoming visit to the restive region in December.

In an interview with Nation Channel over the weekend, Najib said Thailand should offer "some form" of autonomy to the region".

"You may not want to call it autonomy but there could at least be some form of involvement. It is Thailand's decision to consider how far such autonomy in the deep south should go, and Malaysia, as a neighbour, would not intervene in the matter," Najib was reported as saying.

Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the Malaysian leader understands that the problem is Thailand's domestic affairs and vowed to cooperate with the country to solve the problem.

"Thailand is supporting this approach but it's not an independent region. It does not contradict the constitution, but instead allows more public participation in the form of a local assembly," he told reporters

cmf_tongkatali

THAI TALK
What does Najib Razak mean by 'autonomy' for the South?
THE NATION, BANGKOK
Published on October 29, 2009

In what context did Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak speak when he mentioned "autonomy" for Thailand's southern Muslim population? That question was asked me by Thai Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva the day after his Malaysian counterpart raised the issue with me during an exclusive interview in Hua Hin on Saturday night, on the sidelines of the Asean Summit.
PM Najib isn't the first Malaysian leader to suggest some sort of autonomy for the three southernmost Thai provinces. Nor will he be the last. But Malaysia's new premier's answers to some of my specific questions on this issue shed some light on how the two countries might handle the common problem more effectively.

Suthichai Yoon: I understand you're coming to Thailand in December.

Najib: I'm coming for an annual consultation, and Prime minister Abhisit has suggested I should go to southern Thailand. I have accepted his invitation and we will be going down together.

Q: This will be the first time for the two prime ministers to tour the southern border together.

A: Well, my predecessor went with Prime Minister Surayud for the opening of a bridge (project).

Q: What's your thinking on the south of Thailand?

A: I think it is not an intractable problem. It is a problem that can be resolved, because the people in the south ... their demands are not so onerous. Their demands are within the realm of ? you can consider their demands. They are not going for independence. That's totally out of the question

Q: Really out of the question?

A: Completely out of the question. What I've been telling them, what we have been telling them, is to be part of some form of autonomy. You may not even want to call it "autonomy", but at least some form of them participating in things that matter to them. For example, in education; in selecting their local leaders; in employment; the question of religious education. These are things that matter to them. It does not intrude into the fundamental question related to the Constitution of Thailand - or how Thailand is governed. But these are things that the government can consider for their people.

Q: How far do you think Thailand should go in allowing autonomy?

A: It is not for me to decide. I want to make it very clear that this is a domestic consideration. This is internal. We want to be as helpful as possible. You, the Thais, must be comfortable with the level of autonomy.

Q: Malaysia plays a very important role in this regard.

A: Yes. I mean our part is to be supportive, that's all. But we're not going to negotiate on your behalf. We're not going to go beyond what a good neighbour would do. We must respect Thailand's sovereignty.

Q: Is the suspicion still there that there is support for the extremists in the South from the other side of the border?

A: No, absolutely not

Q: Both unofficial and official?

A: Absolutely not.

Q: Perhaps support might not have come from the central government but rather from certain groups, political groups, that benefit from the problems on the border.

A: I think it is not the case. The level of suspicion, I would say, is almost negligible. We have this problem of people who cross over because they are dual citizens. And we would like to solve this problem. Maybe about 20 to 25,000 are dual citizens, but I think we should ask them to make a choice. They have to decide whether to be Malaysian citizens or Thai citizens.

Q: But that issue has been discussed for a long time.

A: I know

Q: Why hasn't it been solved?

A: It's for both sides to sit down and take a look at the technical aspects of it.

Q: PULO [the Patani United Liberation Organisation] and related organisations have said they want to set up a so-called Republic of Patani. So, it's not just autonomy they are demanding. It's independence, a separate state. Would Malaysia consider having a Patani Republic as a neighbour?

A: No, absolutely not. We will tell them that it's no go. It is something that is not realistic for them to demand, and they should not demand it. They should be good Muslims and good Thai citizens. They must be loyal to Thailand, to the King, to the constitution of Thailand, but at the same time they should be good Muslims and they should be allowed to be good Muslims. And the system here in Thailand should allow for that - as much as we allow in Malaysia.

cmf_tongkatali

New human rights body's credibility at stake - Pulo
THE NATION, BANGKOK
Published on October 25, 2009

A leading separatist movement has accused Thailand and Asean of being indifferent to the plight of the Patani Malays residing in the deep South, arguing the credibility of the recently launched Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) was at stake.
In a press statement posted on the group's website, the Patani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo) accused Thailand - the host of the 15th Asean Summit and one of the main architects of the AICHR - of ignoring "atrocities" committed against the Malay Muslims in the deep South.

A number of local and international human-rights bodies have accused Thai security forces in the deep South of carrying out extrajudicial killings, abduction and torture and demanded that the government end what they say is a culture of impunity in the restive region, where about 4,000 have died violently since January 2004.

Pulo questioned the sincerity of Asean, and whether the establishment of the regional human-rights body was just a ploy to promote itself.

Pulo said Asean members often cited the grouping's principle of non-interference whenever the issue of human rigths in their respective countries is raised.

It added that Asean's conduct on human rights was far below acceptable international norms.

Pulo said the Thai state had to appreciate the fact that the Malays in the southernmost provinces are Muslims who embrace a different identity and culture from the rest of the Kingdom's people.

Islam calls for peaceful coexistence with people of other religions, but justifies uprising against unjust rule or attempts to violate the culture, identity or dignity of the local people, the statement said.

cmf_tongkatali

Don't forget the deep South: Pulo
THE NATION, BANGKOK
Published on October 24, 2009

A leading separatist movment accused Thailand and Asean of being indifferent to the plight of the Patani Malays residing in deep South, arguing the credibility of the recently launched ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) was at stake.
In a press statement posted on the group's website, (www.puloinfo.net) the Patani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo) accused Thailand, the host of the 15th Asean Summit and one of the main architecture behind the AICHR, of ignoring the atrocities committed against the Malay Muslims in the deep South.

A number of local and international human rights have accused Thai security forces in the deep South of carrying out extrajudicial killings, abduction and torture and demanded the government to end they said was a culture of impunity in the restive region where about 4,000 have died since January 2004.

Pulo questioned the sincerity of Asean on whether the establishment of the regional human rights body was just a ploy to promote itself.

Pulo said Asean members often cite its principle of non-interference whenever the issue of human rigths in their respective countries is raised and added that the grouping's conduct on the human righs is far below the acceptable international standards and norms.

Pulo said the Thai state has to appreciate the fact that the Malays in Thailand's southernmost provinces are Muslims who embraced a different set of identity and culture form the rest of the country's people.

Islam calls for peaceful coexistence with people of other religion but justify uprising against unjust rules or attempts to violate their culture, identity and dignity of the local people, the statement said.

cmf_tongkatali

Patani Malay separatists at a crossroads
By DON PATHAN
THE NATION
Published on July 14, 2009



FIVE YEARS ago, the Patani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo) was at a crossroads. The long-standing Malay Muslim separatist group that emerged in the late 1960s was in disarray. Its splinter groups had splinter groups. If anything, it was the worst time to be in disarray. A new generation of militants had just emerged on the ground, operating in full force. Some of the old guard, including the Pulo rank-and-file, thought it was an opportunity to get back into the scheme of things.
Like other long-standing groups whose members have been living in exile since their generation of fighters went down in the early 1990s, Pulo was willing to talk to the Thai authorities. The movement was willing to settle for something less than full independence.

And so for the past five years, group members have been shuttling back and forth to various pockets of Patani Malay exiles in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe to get everybody on board.

It was hoped that some sort of peace process could be jumpstarted with the Thais. The hard part was getting the new generation of militants to agree. In order to do that, the new generation of militants, as well as the old guard from the previous generation, has to be convinced that there is an endgame to the violence.

This means dropping the word "independent" in exchange for something along the lines of "self determination", but under the context of the Thai state.

Exiled leaders told The Nation that it was hard for some to swallow this transition at first, but more and more are progressing toward the idea of talking to the enemy.

A slight hiccup came just one year ago when Pulo's founder, Tengku Bira Kotonila passed away in Damascus, Syria. "Tengku Bira will be missed. He has been ill for some time. Our struggle will go on," The Nation quoted Pulo foreign affairs chief, Kasturi Makota, as saying at the time.

The struggle goes on. Just this past week, after several rounds of meetings and sounding out more than 130 of the group's senior figures, a new line up has been chosen to take the struggle to the next level.

Nur Abdul Rahman was elected as the new president, while Kasturi, who continues to hold the foreign affairs portfolio, became his deputy.

The group is also fine-tuning its position, which includes endorsement for a peace process, support for the use of military means for political settlement, and upholding the principle of self-determination.

But becoming a mainstream political force is easier said than done. The group made some headway during the Surayud Chulanont administration, but the short-lived interim government was not able to institutionalise their relationship.

The successive governments of Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat were too bogged down with street protests and had no time for any long-term initiative, much less a dialogue process with the separatists.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is trying to pick up where Surayud left off, but has been finding it difficult to convince the conservative quarters in the government, namely the Internal Security Operation Command (Isoc) and the military, that talking to the enemy is the best way to go.

While the Abhisit government explores the idea of talking to the separatists, Pulo is working hard to convince other groups of the merit of talking to the Thai authorities. A Pulo insider said the Barisan Revolusi Nasional-Co-ordinate (BRN-C) is the toughest group of all to convince.

Other groups claim to have some sort of network on the ground, but it is generally agreed the BRN-C is the most important group of all, as its members are said to have direct contact with the militants.

Members of the communities in exile say not all of the BRN Co-ordinate members are convinced that talking to the Thais is what they want at this point in time. Some favour the idea of working with other long-standing groups, while others favour the idea of taking a wait-and-see approach.

But as they toyed with the idea of a peace process, a group of six gunmen massacred 11 Malay Muslims at the Al-Furquan mosque in Narathiwat's Joh I Rong district on June 8. The incident jolted everybody, including the militants on the ground and the exiled Patani Malay communities. None believed that it was the work of the militants, as suggested by the Thai authorities.

According to sources in the exiled community, BRN-C has threatened to stay away from whatever pre-dialogue process might be about to emerge. Co-ordinate members told their Pulo counterparts that they want to see how the Thais will respond to the massacre. An indifferent attitude from Bangkok could mean an absence of cooperation from the Co-ordinate.

A serious investigation into the mosque killings could very well be the thing that convinces the BRN hard-liners that the government is serious about any peace process that might emerge. And of course, justice for the victims' families will also be a prerequisite.

Even if the BRN hard-liners agree to give the peace process the benefit of the doubt, there is also the big question as to how the militants on the ground - often referred to as juwae - will take up the initiative of the old guard.

Said a senior Army general overseeing security in the deep South, "The militants see themselves as winning this war against the Thai state."

Like others, the general doesn't think the BRN-Co-ordinate's link to the juwae constitutes a shared command. Indeed, talking is one thing, but can the BRN-Co-ordinate tell the juwae to put down their arms?

cmf_tongkatali

UTUSAN MALAYSIA
31/10/2009
Langkah Najib, Abhisit tepat

Oleh MOHD. SAIFUL MOHD. SAHAK
[email protected]
KUALA LUMPUR 30 Okt. – Penganalisis politik berpendapat Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dan rakan sejawatannya dari Thailand, Abhisit Vejjajiva mengambil langkah yang tepat dan wajar dalam menyelesaikan konflik di selatan negara itu.

Menurut mereka, cadangan agar umat Islam di wilayah tersebut diberikan autonomi dalam perkara- perkara yang berkaitan boleh membantu ke arah usaha menghentikan konflik tersebut.

Profesor Sains Politik, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Prof. Dr. Ahmad Nizamuddin Sulaiman berkata, rundingan antara kerajaan Malaysia dan Thailand mengenai perkara itu menunjukkan kecenderungan dan harapan yang positif ke arah mengembalikan keamanan di wilayah tersebut.

“Konflik di selatan negara itu telah menjangkau empat tahun tanpa titik penyelesaian sehingga mengorbankan beribu nyawa di selatan Thailand.

“Kita menyokong usaha Malaysia mencadangkan kepada Thailand supaya menamatkan konflik di selatan negara itu bagi memastikan keamanan dan kesejahteraan umat Islam terbela dan mendapat keadilan,” katanya ketika dihubungi Utusan Malaysia disini hari ini.

Menurutnya, Perdana Menteri Thailand sewajarnya menyambut baik idea Najib mengenai komitmen Malaysia terhadap keamanan di selatan negara itu.

“Secara peribadi, saya berpendapat sekiranya idea dan cadangan Najib itu direalisasikan oleh pemerintah negara Gajah Putih itu, ia membuktikan Thailand bersungguh-sungguh untuk menyelesaikan konflik yang masih berlanjutan itu,” katanya.

Perdana Menteri Thailand itu hari ini dilaporkan menyokong cadangan Najib supaya Bangkok memberi autonomi kepada wilayah selatannya.

Dalam satu wawancara akhbar yang disiarkan baru-baru ini, Najib berkata, Thailand hendaklah menawarkan autonomi ‘dalam bentuk tertentu’ kepada selatan Thai, di mana lebih 3,900 orang terbunuh sejak keganasan meletus pada Januari 2004.

Najib memberitahu akhbar berbahasa Inggeris di Thailand, The Nation bahawa ‘anda mungkin tidak mahu menyebutnya sebagai autonomi tetapi sekurang-kurangnya terdapat autonomi dalam bentuk tertentu’.

Menurut Ahmad Nizamudin, pembabitan Malaysia dalam menyelesaikan konflik di wilayah bergolak itu adalah rangsangan kepada kerajaan Thailand untuk membantu dan membangunkan ekonomi rakyat di selatan negara itu.

“Rakyat di sana berasakan mereka dipinggir oleh pemerintah, hasil idea dan sokongan Malaysia kita mengharapkan penduduk di situ berasakan mereka sebenarnya tidak dipinggirkan dan masih diberi perhatian oleh kerajaan Thailand,” katanya.

Sementara itu Profesor Politik dan Pentadbiran Awam Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Profesor Dr. Ahmad Atory Hussain berkata, idea Perdana Menteri berhubung penyelesaian konflik di wilayah itu tidak boleh dipandang ringan.

Katanya, pergolakan di selatan negara itu akan menjadi parah apabila ketegangan masih berlaku antara kerajaan Thailand dan pemimpin di wilayah yang bergolak tersebut.

“Pergolakan di selatan Thailand perlu dihentikan segera dan perkara itu perlu dibawa ke meja rundingan,” katanya.

cmf_tongkatali

UTUSAN MALAYSIA
26/10/2009
Rundingan fokus selatan Thailand akhir tahun

HUA HIN, Thailand 25 Okt. - Rundingan tahunan Malaysia-Thailand yang bakal berlangsung akhir tahun ini antara lain memfokuskan kepada isu pembangunan wilayah selatan negara itu yang majoriti penduduknya beragama Islam.

Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, sempena rundingan itu, rakan sejawatannya Abhisit Vejjajiva juga telah bersetuju untuk berjumpa dengan pemimpin di selatan negara tersebut.

Katanya, Malaysia berhasrat untuk terus memainkan peranan positif di kawasan tersebut tetapi dengan pengetahuan kerajaan Thailand.

''Kita mahu memainkan peranan dengan membantu dari segi keupayaan iaitu yang kita buat selama ini," katanya pada sidang media pada hari terakhir Sidang Kemuncak ASEAN Ke-15 di sini, hari ini.

Menurut Najib, antara komitmen kerajaan Malaysia termasuk menyediakan latihan kemahiran, pembangunan sekolah agama dan penganjuran lawatan bagi mendedahkan pemimpin di wilayah itu dengan pelbagai maklumat.

Bagaimanapun, Perdana Menteri berkata, kesemua pandangan dan rancangan akan dirujuk kepada kerajaan Thai dan tidak semestinya mereka akan menerima setiap cadangan yang dikemukakan.

Ini kerana, kata beliau, wilayah selatan Thailand sememangnya hak kedaulatan negara jiran itu, cuma Malaysia menyifatkan masalah penduduk di situ mesti diselesaikan secara tuntas termasuk dalam menangani isu keganasan.

Perdana Menteri turut ditanya mengenai pertikaian antara Thailand dan Kemboja yang hangat diperkatakan semasa berlangsungnya sidang kemuncak selama tiga hari itu.

Katanya, masalah tersebut tidak boleh dibiarkan berlarutan sehingga menjejaskan imej ASEAN di mata dunia.

''Kalau berlaku perbalahan akan keruhkan suasana bukan saja antara Thailand dan Kemboja tetapi dunia akan menganggap ia satu lagi kegagalan ASEAN," katanya. - UTUSAN

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Pulo sedia bincang tanpa syarat

Saranan Malaysia disambut baik tamatkan konflik di selatan Thailand ,

KOTA BHARU: Pertubuhan Pembebasan Pattani Bersatu (Pulo) menyambut baik saranan Malaysia supaya berunding dengan Kerajaan Thailand, berhubung tawaran yang hendak diberikan kepada kumpulan pejuang pemisah di selatan Thailand bagi menamatkan konflik wilayah bergolak itu.

Timbalan Presiden Pulo, Kasturi Mahkota, berkata pertubuhan itu sedia duduk berbincang tanpa sebarang syarat, tetapi rundingan mesti dikendalikan pihak ketiga yang berkecuali.

"Isu Pattani (wilayah selatan Thailand) adalah isu penjajahan dan penindasan kerajaan Thailand terhadap umat Islam di wilayah itu selama ini. Pulo dan kumpulan pejuang lain yang bergerak di dalam dan luar wilayah itu, adalah pertubuhan memperjuangkan kemerdekaan. Namun, Pulo sedia duduk berbincang apa saja cadangan atau tawaran daripada pihak Thailand.

"Ia bukan bererti kami sedia menerima semuanya, sebaliknya sedia berbincang tanpa sebarang syarat jika dikendalikan pihak ketiga. Dalam hal ini, kami sedia menerima mana-mana pihak sebagai pihak ketiga yang berkecuali. Malah Pulo, mengalu-alukan kalau Malaysia menjadi pihak ketiga kerana kami tidak pernah menolak peranan Malaysia dalam mencari keamanan di wilayah ini.

"Malangnya, hingga kini, Kerajaan Thailand sebenarnya tidak bersedia menerima Malaysia menjadi pihak ketiga dalam isu ini, kerana mereka beranggapan Malaysia akan berpihak kepada pejuang pemisah sebab rakyatnya mempunyai persamaan agama, bangsa dan sejarah," katanya ketika dihubungi Berita Harian, semalam.

Beliau mengulas kenyataan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, yang dilaporkan berkata, tuntutan kemerdekaan oleh kumpulan pemisah di selatan Thailand adalah tidak wajar, tetapi berpendapat Thailand seharusnya menawarkan tahap autonomi tertentu kepada wilayah yang majoritinya umat Islam itu.

Najib dan Perdana Menteri Thailand, Abhisit Vejjajiva, juga dijadual akan mengadakan lawatan bersama ke wilayah bergolak merangkumi Pattani, Narathiwat dan Yala di selatan Thailand itu, Disember ini.

Kasturi yang baru dilantik sebagai Timbalan Presiden Pulo sejak Julai lalu, berkata kenyataan Najib yang disiarkan media Thailand, yang mensyaratkan supaya pejuang pemisah perlu menerima semua autonomi dan perlembagaan Thailand agak membimbangkan mereka, sebelum sebarang perbincangan dilakukan.

"Apa pun, Pulo kini menunggu jemputan untuk duduk semeja. Malah, Pulo juga sedia memanggil kumpulan pejuang lain menyertai perbincangan kerana kami percaya kepada usaha mencari penyelesaian.

"Selain daripada Pulo, sekurang-kurangnya dua kumpulan lain mesti ikut sama dalam penyelesaian masalah yang telah lama berlarutan ini, antaranya Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) serta Barisan Islam Pembebasan Pattani (BIPP)," katanya.

Kasturi berkata, Pulo kini diketuai Nur Abdul Rahman yang dilantik sebagai Presiden sejak Julai lalu hasil perundingan perwakilan pertubuhan itu yang mewakili empat zon iaitu dalam negeri, sempadan, Eropah dan Asia Barat.

http://www.bharian.com.my/Current_News/BH/Wednesday/Nasional/20091028005401/Article/index_html

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AUTONOMI BUKAN PENYELESAIAN MUJARAB

Cadangan PM, DS Najib Tun Razak pada akhir Sidang Kemuncak ASEAN Ke-15 di Hua Hin, Thailand supaya Wilayah Selatan Thailand diberikan autonomi "terhad" amatlah disambut baik. Walau bagaimanpun ianya dianggap satu cadangan yang "pondan", berbanding dengan cadangan yang lebih kurang sama tetapi lebih "jantan" yang pernah dilontarkan oleh mantan PM, Tun Mahathir Mohamad. Selain mencadangkan supaya Selatan Thailand diberikan autonomi, Tun Mahathir telah mengibaratkan apa yang berlaku di Selatan Thailand, sama seperti apa yang berlaku di Palestin yang dijajah dan dizalimi oleh Israel, dengan kata lain secara tersiratnya, Tun Mahathir mahu mengingatkan kerajaan Thailand bahawa mereka sebenarnya sama dengan Israel iaitu menjajah dan menzalimi orang-orang Islam (Melayu) di Selatan Thailand.

Walaupun cadangan DS Najib  itu  agak sederhana namun ia telah disambut dengan bercampur-campur di Thailand. Di pihak PULO, mereka menyambut baik cadangan tersebut dan bersedia untuk hadir ke sebarang rundingan jika dijemput. Walau bagaimanapun mereka agak kecewa dengan gesaan DS Najib supaya PULO menerima dan menghormati PERLEMBAGAAN Thailand, sesuatu yang telah lama ditentang oleh PULO. Di pihak kerajaan Thailand pula mereka menyambutnya dengan berhati-hati. Tidak kurang pula di kalangan pengalisis di Bangkok yang memberikan kenyataan berbau AMARAN supaya DS Najib tidak campur tangan terhadap masalah "dalaman" Thailand.

Secara kesimpulannya saya menganggap bahawa sebarang cadangan berbentuk pemberian kuasa AUTONOMI kepada Wilayah Selatan Thailand bukanlah satu UBAT yang mujarab. Masalah Selatan Thailand yang telah berakar umbi sejak 1785, perlukan penyelesaian yang MUKTAMAD dan KONKRIT. Memang benar masalah Selatan Thailand adalah sama dengan permasalahan yang dihadapi oleh umat Palestin dan Mindanao di Selatan Filipina, mereka DIJAJAH. Oleh itu hanya satu sahaja penyelesaian, iaitu MERDEKA, sama seperti yang dinikmati oleh umat TIMOR LESTE. Jika ASEAN  dan PBB boleh memainkan peranan yang aktif dengan memberikan membebaskan Timor Leste daripada Indonesia, mengapa tidak kepada PATANI ( Selatan Thailand). Patani bukan seperti ACHEH yang boleh diselesaikan dengan hanya kuasa autonomi. Permasalahan Acheh walaupun kelihatan rumit tetapi ia melibatkan bangsa SERUMPUN dan SEAGAMA, yang kemudiannya menyertai INDONESIA secara sukarela...masalah hanya timbul apabila JAKARTA mungkir janji, tetapi masalah PATANI melibatkan PAKSAAN, PENJAJAHAN, PEMBUNUHAN dan PEMBERSIHAN ETNIK oleh bangsa THAI ke atas penduduk PRIBUMI MELAYU ISLAM. OLeh itu tiada cara lain melainkan KEMERDEKAAN sahaja yang mampu menyelesaikan masalah "dalaman" Thailand tersebut. Pemberian kuasa AUTONOMI walau berbentuk apa pun hanyalah seumpama memberikan PANADOL kepada pengidap KENCING MANIS.