Defection continues in deep South

BANGKOK, Sept 10 (TNA) -- The people who earlier joined southern insurgency continuously defect under a “home reunion” project by the southern office of the Internal Security Operations Command. Under the project, authorities allow the people who were wanted under arrest warrants for criminal and security cases to surrender to authorities for defection. At the latest development, two insurgents from Yala province and two other insurgents from Narathiwat province turned themselves in to security authorities. Some of them had been wanted under arrest warrants and others had not. They said they had been invited by previous defectors who had received good care from authorities and realized that defectors could resume a normal life and be reunited with relatives. Lt Gen Piyawat Nakwanit, commander of the 4th Army Area, said the defectors who were criminal suspects would undergo normal prosecution. Those who had no criminal records could restart their life, receive vocational training and have their family members visit them regularly. Some defectors said many people had been lured into joining insurgency. Newly recruited insurgents were assigned to be lookouts, scatter road spikes and fell trees. Some people were asked just to be pillion riders and their motorcyclists then surprisingly launched violent attacks, defectors said. They believed that many insurgents would surrender. (TNA)