Posted on 09/21/2005 8:46:06 AM PDT by Our_Man_In_Gough_Island
Two marines seized by villagers in Thailand's troubled south in response to a shooting incident have been knifed and beaten to death. The men were seized after a drive-by attack on the village of Tanyong Limo, in which at least one person died.
Some villagers said the marines were involved in the attack and were members a government-backed death squad.
But Thai authorities denied the claim, saying the men were seized as a result of mistaken identity.
Thailand's largely Muslim southern provinces have been hit by a wave of violence for more than a year and a half, leaving more than 900 people dead.
The government has blamed Muslim separatists, while local people have been angered by the security forces' often brutal suppression of the violence.
Correspondents say this incident is the latest sign of an increasing mistrust between southern villagers and the Thai authorities.
'Misunderstanding'
The two marines, named as Sub-Lieutenant Vinai Nabut and Petty Officer Khamthon Thongeiat, were taken from their car on Tuesday night after villagers accused them of firing shots in connection with an attack on a local teashop.
The pair were in civilian clothes and driving an unmarked car.
"It is a misunderstanding by the villagers. It was a coincidence that the two marines came when the shooting happened," Defence Minister Thammarak Isarangura told reporters.
After taking the two men hostage - reportedly when their car broke down - local youths left them bound and blindfolded in a nearby school.
The villagers then prevented security forces from entering the area, blocking the main road with a log.
Hundreds of women gathered at the scene, holding placards denouncing the government and security forces.
According to a BBC correspondent in Thailand, Jonathan Head, attempts to negotiate the men's release made little headway.
Villagers demanded a withdrawal of security personnel from the area, and called for journalists from nearby Malaysia to come and report on the incident, since they did not trust the Thai media.
But before the journalists could arrive, the two marines were bludgeoned and stabbed to death, after a rumour spread that the villagers were about to be attacked by troops.
Waehamae Baga, a government negotiator who visited the scene, told Thai media the two marines "were tied together by rope, and they were apparently hit on the head with hard objects before being stabbed."
The bodies of the two men have now been recovered by the Thai military.
Government response
Despite strong government denials, many people in southern Thailand are convinced that the police and military are operating death squads which are targeting Islamic leaders and human rights activists.
Thailand's restive south The government must now decide how to respond to the killing of the marines, our correspondent says.
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra told reporters in Bangkok that justice would be done.
"The authorities tried to negotiate with [the villagers] and were extremely patient, but these people came back with inhuman cruelty and torture," he said.
"What happened shows that these people want violence and not peace."
But before now, the harsh reaction of the security forces to the ongoing insurgency has done little to reduce the levels of violence, and the authorities will be under pressure to make sure they do not inflame the situation still further.
Once again,the "religion" of peace in action.
I'm sure this is somehow the fault of the Jews and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
I heard this report on the radio today. The word "Muslim" was left out. No reference to the religion of anyone mentioned in the story was mentioned.
Thailand has also stated they have evidence of al Qaeda involvement from Malaysia.
I think you are reading much more into this than exists. The behavior that was exhibited is classic Thai village mentality. There are examples of this, the villagers surrounding a village and not letting anyone in or out, going back more than 40 years. Before it was rumors of 'socialists' trying to get into the village. Now it is the evil government. Classic herd mentality.
The difference here is the outcome, two Marines were killed. With this one, what comes around goes around. The government here knows better.
This exact same situation happened approximately two years ago with two Thai Police from a special operations unit. They were new to the unit and had just been transfered down to Narathiwat. They left the base and went to the local market to get some junk food. While heading back to the base, some guys on motorcycles started following them. The two Police headed into the jungle and were eventually captured and taken into a local village.
There were similar negotiations for their freedom. Finally an agreement was reached that if they left their pistols behind, they would be free to walk out of the village. After clearing it with higher-ups, they did just this and as they were walking out were attacked with knives and killed. There was an investigation and the military didn't believe the police. Now, the same thing has happened to military.
As for how this happened, that is a different story and I am sure it will come out in time. I am in no way absolving the locals of what happened, but things need to be kept in perspective. Most of the people in the south, like the rest of rural Thailand, have no education and easily believe what they are told. There are various interests which are putting the teenagers up to this, mainly through large monetary payments. AFAIK, so far it is all in Malaysian currency but there is also influence from Singapore and Indonesia. You connect the dots.
Who in Thailand said this? It is completely off the mark.
The socialist/communists in the North never demanded the death or conversion of their opponents nor did they turn against other villagers -- their opposition was to the central government what was rather fascist at at that time.
My information is directly from the higher-ups involved in the conflict in the south.
There hasn't been any evidence, so far, the groups in the south are linked to AQ groups. One of the biggest proofs of this is the lack of technology transfer between the groups in the middle east and in Thailand.
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