A Policy of Small Steps to Reconciliation

Because the country's interim government has not yet been able to bring the conflict under control, the situation in the mainly Muslim southern provinces of Thailand remains critical. Now Malaysia has offered to help establish peace in the turbulent region. Nicola Glass reports

Only a few days ago, Thailand's interim leader, Surayud Chulanont, was forced to concede that "we have not yet succeeded in winning hearts in the South."

Despite the fact that he made a public apology for the human rights violations committed by the Thaksin government in Thailand's southern provinces, which share a border with Malaysia, there has been no sign of a break in the violence in the region. Thailand is not in a position to ease the bloody conflict on its own.

New partnership with Malaysia

After a visit from Malaysia's prime minister, Abdullah Badawi, Thailand has agreed that Malaysia could help bring peace to the region, where the majority of the population are Muslims. This is a completely new departure.

The decision was taken around the time that Malaysia's former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim paid a visit to Bangkok. Ibrahim was imprisoned in 1998 on charges of homosexuality and corruption, but was pardoned by Badawi's government in 2004.

Speaking about the situation in southern Thailand and Malaysia's possible role in the conflict, he said that if a solution is to be found, both army generals and ordinary civilians must play a role in the peace process. He also stressed that all Thais, including Buddhists, must be involved.

Moreover, the Malaysian authorities and the government, especially Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, must appeal more to all Muslims in the south of the country in order to give peace a chance.

Taking a tough stance against separatists

As recently as last September, before Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was deposed by the military, relations between Thailand and Malaysia were icy. Thaksin not only accused his neighbours of hiding suspected separatists, he also used excessive force in his attempts to solve the conflict in the South.

As a result of this tough stance, members of the military and the security forces committed numerous human rights violations. People were abducted and tortured; innocent men and women were murdered. The army also drew up so-called "black lists" of alleged separatists.

For justice and the respect of human rights

According to Sunai Phasuk from Human Rights Watch Thailand, peace in the South can only be achieved if Thailand's current interim government succeeds in suiting their actions to their words. Pashuk is convinced that it is not enough to apologise for human rights violations:

"What we need is justice! If no new investigations are conducted into the tortures, abductions, and murders and if no-one is sentenced for these crimes, Thailand will continue to be dogged by the problems it had while Thaksin was in power. Until the government allows justice to prevail, there will be no end to the violence in the South."

Kraisak Choonhavan, a former senator and one of Thaksin's most severe critics, says that bringing about a significant improvement in the human rights situation is absolutely essential for Thailand's democratic development after the military coup.

"Without justice, Thailand cannot have a free society, no matter how eloquently the constitution is worded." This is why Choonhavan puts human rights right at the top of the agenda for the democratisation of Thailand.

An amnesty for insurgents?

However, it will be very difficult to bring about a reconciliation between Thailand's Muslims and the state authorities. Observers do not currently hold out much hope for the success of the peace process. They criticize the fact that the current government is denouncing the human rights violations committed under Thaksin's rule, yet at the same time playing down the complicity of the military and other state authorities.

Malaysia's former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim says that Thailand must be consistent in its efforts: "If the military government grants an amnesty to the army generals for their involvement in the excessive violence of the Thaksin regime, why not offer an amnesty to insurgents too? These are questions that must be addressed."

Thailand recently announced its interest in holding peace talks with representatives of moderate separatists. However, this would be only one of many small steps that would have to be taken on the road to national reconciliation.

Nicola Glass

Translated from the German by Aingeal Flanagan

Qantara.de

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