ID :
41217
Sat, 01/17/2009 - 17:50
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/41217
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PM orders 'fairness' by government officials in South
YALA, Jan 17 (TNA) -- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, on a one-day official visit to Thailand's insurgency-plagued South for the first time since assuming his post one month ago, ordered officials in the troubled region to perform their duties with "fairness, on a humanitarian basis" and not to contribute to conditions of misunderstanding.
Speaking to journalists after meeting with security officials and personnel in nearby Pattani province, Mr. Abhisit said government operations against ethnic Malay Muslim insurgents in the southernmost border provinces in the past had encountered problems -- including delayed budget and little cooperation between different officials, especially using evidence acquired through forensic science.
Stating that the overall situation has improved, Mr. Abhisit said he had given officials and other civil servants his government's policy for dealing with the southern insurgency at a meeting to allow more participation by local residents in the government's work, introducing forensic science technology as evidence and advising officials to avoid creating conditions which would encourage "opposite side in attacking the state's work."
When violence or other disruption occurs, local and provincial officials must respond immediately to local people, while the government and the Foreign Affairs Ministry will help explain the matter at the national level and abroad, he said.
Some 3,500 people have died in the renewed violence broke out in the deep South five years ago.
"Solving the unrest in the southern border provinces must be carried out by the (whole) government," Mr. Abhisit said. "It can't be tackled by security officials alone.".
He promised that his government would speed up providing security risk allowances and quicker budget disbursements to civil servants stationed in the region.
Regarding a government plan to introduce a new security law to deal with the endemic violence, Mr. Abhisit said his government would decide in the next three months which of the three measures -- the emergency decree, martial law or the new security law -- is the most effective weapon in solving the problem.
The Cabinet on Tuesday extended the emergency decree for another three months to April, the14th extension since it was first introduced. (TNA)
Speaking to journalists after meeting with security officials and personnel in nearby Pattani province, Mr. Abhisit said government operations against ethnic Malay Muslim insurgents in the southernmost border provinces in the past had encountered problems -- including delayed budget and little cooperation between different officials, especially using evidence acquired through forensic science.
Stating that the overall situation has improved, Mr. Abhisit said he had given officials and other civil servants his government's policy for dealing with the southern insurgency at a meeting to allow more participation by local residents in the government's work, introducing forensic science technology as evidence and advising officials to avoid creating conditions which would encourage "opposite side in attacking the state's work."
When violence or other disruption occurs, local and provincial officials must respond immediately to local people, while the government and the Foreign Affairs Ministry will help explain the matter at the national level and abroad, he said.
Some 3,500 people have died in the renewed violence broke out in the deep South five years ago.
"Solving the unrest in the southern border provinces must be carried out by the (whole) government," Mr. Abhisit said. "It can't be tackled by security officials alone.".
He promised that his government would speed up providing security risk allowances and quicker budget disbursements to civil servants stationed in the region.
Regarding a government plan to introduce a new security law to deal with the endemic violence, Mr. Abhisit said his government would decide in the next three months which of the three measures -- the emergency decree, martial law or the new security law -- is the most effective weapon in solving the problem.
The Cabinet on Tuesday extended the emergency decree for another three months to April, the14th extension since it was first introduced. (TNA)
