Teachers tell of lessons in the firing line

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Teachers tell of lessons in the firing line

Armed escorts, shootings, bomb threats and hazard pay - all just part of daily life for educators in the far South who have found themselves growing targets of a ruthless insurgency. Three shared their stories with 'Spectrum'

Published: 16 Dec 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: Spectrum

'There is a saying among insurgents: 'Get Buddhists, gain merit,"' says Khru Ya, a retired Muslim teacher in Pattani province. "They believe that if they kill Buddhists, they will go to heaven."

SCHOOL SECURITY: A soldier stands guard at Ban Ranor school, in Yala’s Bannang Sata district. Since violence in the South escalated in 2004, 157 teachers have been killed in the region.

Born and raised in the southern border province, Khru Ya said he has seen his home transform from a place of peace and cultural vibrancy to one where fear and sadness now dominate daily life.

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bucktoui
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Discussion 28 : 23 Dec 2012 at 21.2528
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In the past Thai government were using the tactic "Jon Jub Jon" very successfully on Isane and Northern of Thailand. Anyone local leader who wanted to separate from Thailand the government will use special force acting as Seua(tiger=Jon)to silent that leader. This tactic showed the effectiveness of intelligent forces in local community.
I am wondering why this tactic won't work with Jon Tai Islam or that kind of intelligent is not existed any longer.
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petar
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Discussion 27 : 22 Dec 2012 at 01.1627
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Get Buddhists to gain merit? For You Muslims?
But NO virgins , if you are in heaven.If you.
Allah will prevent that.Where are the Imams to tell these assasins that killing innocent children ,
or people teaching them isn`t the way to come to heaven!
This is no excuse to other religious crimes in the name of any God.And there has been too much of
this.Mostly in disguise of pelf.
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loyhaasip1
Post : 131
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Discussion 26 : 19 Dec 2012 at 15.4426
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Disc 12,
You have to read what the local people are saying -
"I know what they really want is to drive the military out of the area, so that they can trade and traffic drugs more easily. They are trying to create a religious war in the area, but Buddhists and Muslims are peaceful people. We have lived happily together before in the past, and we intend to remain that way."

Please remember that these people live and work in the local community, unlike virtually everybody posting here (including me) from the safety of their homes a long way from this area.
This is not a terrorist problem at all - plain criminal behaviour, pure and simple.
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bandrew
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Discussion 25 : 19 Dec 2012 at 12.3125
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I'm sure many local people know who the murderers are. Why not offer monetary rewards with total anonymity where convictions are achieved.
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mutley
Post : 183
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Discussion 24 : 18 Dec 2012 at 09.0324
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It's not only Buddhists. It's anyone who isn't Muslim. Sorry Disc. 16, Islam cannot be reformed since it is expressly forbidden by the Koran.
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sjantaraw
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Discussion 23 : 17 Dec 2012 at 22.3423
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Repeated quote that 'We take good care of all the teachers who decide to work in such dangerous areas by providing them with good life insurance policies, housing allowance, and medical insurance

Few comments posted reflecting the statement! Further, anyone share the feeling of sadness and hopelessness with the attitude that administrations wasting time for such announcement? Since people from the top afraid to name the murder activity one way to another, the answer is clear, it never find the solution solving the problem. Surely, the situation asked for definited leadership, not the one in the past and the current one.
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cockeral
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Discussion 22 : 17 Dec 2012 at 17.5822
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While Rome burns the fiddler plays. It is time that Thailand started to think hard how the South problem can be solved, there is not one clear answer. It will not be solved by the gun, neither will the insurgents and other criminals get their way with violence. The Thai government should stop playing the stupid game of politics at all levels and get on with managing the country to the benefit of all Thais. No Thai government has been able to do this so far, but you have to live in hope. I suggest that they solicit help from other countries that have been successful in dealing with such issues and move from there.
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djay
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Discussion 21 : 17 Dec 2012 at 07.4521
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"They believe that if they kill Buddhists, they will go to heaven." What a pathetic belief. But one has to ask - 'what are the Imams doing to counter thise mistaken belief. Oh, I know. Nothing.
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charlie77
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Discussion 20 : 16 Dec 2012 at 23.0020
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Would you expect Thaksin's sister to RAMP-UP on the south Thai separatists terrorists who are Muslims? Particularly since Thaksin is in a Muslim country where he has been accorded assylum.
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shopwow
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Discussion 19 : 16 Dec 2012 at 21.5419
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The problems facing Thai people - the violence in the south - inflation - corruption. The issues that the government is fully concentrating on to resolve - keep the reds happy - change the constitution - bring Thaksin back a hero. All the projects that the government is today WASTING national resources including time and money on, concern merely the welfare of the reds and the condition of Thaksin. The common man has been forgotten, who will fight for the common man? Democracy is becoming an expensive word for the average Thai citizen.
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