Violence in Thailand's Muslim South Intensifies - VOA Story

In Thailand's Muslim-dominated south, an increasingly violent insurgency is breeding fear and mistrust among neighbors, and government efforts to bring peace have made little progress.

More than 2,000 people have died since a Muslim insurgency flared up in 2004 in Thailand's Muslim-majority southern provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. While the majority of Thailand's 65 million people are Buddhists, around 1.3 million ethnic Malay Muslims live in the south. Most identify more with Muslim Malaysia and the Melayu language than with Thai Buddhists.

Many have complained of discrimination and attempts at forced assimilation since Thailand annexed the region 100 years ago.

The shadowy insurgents have never identified themselves nor made any public demands. Officials and analysts widely believe they want to establish a separate Islamic state.

The insurgents attack symbols of the government, including the armed forces, schools, businesses, workers in critical industries such as rubber, and places deemed un-Islamic, like bars that serve alcohol.

They also kill Muslims viewed as government collaborators.

The insurgents, however, primarily target Buddhists in what is believed to be an attempt to drive them from the region. Officials estimate tens of thousands have fled. Many of the Buddhist temples here have closed and all are heavily guarded.

The government that took power in a military coup last September vowed to make peace in the south a priority, but has made little progress.

Many Buddhists and Muslims in southern Thailand say it is a tragedy that they, who once lived side by side in peace, now live in fear. Both sides worry now that trust and tolerance have broken down, this conflict could spiral out of control.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Thailand
• Muslim
• Islam
• war
• Buddhists
• Muslims

[XStandupforfreedomX]

Islam is a sick deatch cult and should be forbidden.

[idontcarei]

FACT: MUSLIMS JUST CAN NOT LIVE IN PEACE WITH ANY OTHER RELIGION. THEY FIGHT WHEREVER THEY GO. TAKE EXAMPLE OF ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. IN US AND UK THEY FIGHT WITH CHIRSTIANS, IN RUSSIA THEY FIGHT FOR SEPERATION, IN ISRAEL THEY FIGHT WITH JEWS, IN INDIA THEY FIGHT WITH HINDUS, THEY KILL BUDDHIST MONKS, THE WHOLE WORLD IS SICK OF ISLAMIC JIHAD...ALL PEACE LOVING RELIGIONS AND ATHEISTS SHOULD COME TOGETHER TO FIGHT AGAINST THE EVIL ISLAMIC TERRORISM...UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL.

[TopInfadel]

Get ready for this in the US and Obama welcomes these violent Muslim scum.

[yahyamoro]

Ethnic Thais need to respect cultural minorities.

[yahyamoro]

South Thailand is Muslim Malay Mr.Znoople or whatever the hell you are . Learn your history & stop selling your women to white men !

[MrZnoopie]

@yahyamoro Islam is a race who always blame other. It is our land.

[MOONRIVERALEX]

@idontcarei why not the world kill them all?

[MOONRIVERALEX]

@rudepunkguy u stupid??



[rudepunkguy]

@idontcarei hey dude,, the media tell lies, i suggest u not to watch tv news bcuz they're always blame ISLAM... i am muslim,, ISLAM WILL NOT ATTACK BEFORE ATTACKED

[thegoogoosh1996lover]

Did Jews forget what tehy've done in Palestine and Southern Lebanon and Syria?

Did the Christians forget what they've done in Iraq and Afghanistan?

[thesanctfy]

@Kurtlane same thing is happening in the philippines.