Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat has labelled two southern insurgency leaders as liars for accusing state authorities of using violence against people in the deep South.
"We do not do that. It is a lie. Government officials will not do anything wrong. It is you who do it," he said Thursday.
"Authorities are disciplined and controlled. Negotiations can continue and we have compromised on many issues but it is not right to make such an accusation," ACM Sukumpol added.
He was responding to the latest video clip posted on Tuesday by Hassan Taib and Adulkareem Kalib, leaders of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) insurgency movement, in which they accused government officials of hurting local people in the far South.
Discussing the continuing violence in the southernmost provinces despite the ongoing peace talks between Thai authorities and BRN representatives, the defence minister said local people doubted if the BRN was being sincere.
Yukeebuelee, left, wanted for deadly blast. Reedawal was also killed in the firefight.
As he spoke, security forces were involved in a firefight that resulted in the death of one of the most-wanted militants, believed responsible for many bombings and for the death three years ago of Bannang Sata police chief Pol Gen Sompian Eksomya in Yala. (Full details below)
ACM Sukumpol also said he agreed with the proposal by army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha for the government to build a fence along the Thai-Malaysian border.
Gen Prayuth proposed the idea during a meal with the prime minister on Sunday. The border fence could prevent militants from escaping easily as well as deter smuggling and drug trafficking but it would be expensive, he said.
He noted that many countries had border fences.
Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, who supervises southern
problems, said Thursday that despite the video clip, the peace dialogue would continue. Although it would fail and the BRN has been unable to control insurgent groups in the deep South, the government could at least prove to the international Muslim community that it had tried to avoid violence and was ready to listen.
Mr Chalerm also said he would be ready to talk to BRN leaders if the peace negotiations with the National Security Council (NSC) fail.
Regarding the five demands that the BRN made before the upcoming talks, Mr Chalerm said he could not accept any of them, especially the demand for an independent Pattani state.
He added that the government has just assigned deputy national police chief Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen to join the peace talks team that would meet BRN representatives on June 13.
Lt Gen Paradorn Pattanatabut, secretary-general of the NSC who is leading the negotiating team, said he was aware of the BRN's accusation on YouTube. He insisted his team had not become an underdog in the negotiations and that both sides had just proposed their demands at this stage.
Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva Thursday urged the NSC to review the peace talks process.
He said it was useless to talk to a group that had accused the government of using violence. Mr Abhisit said the BRN's video clip showed it was insincere in the peace talks process.
Meanwhile...
Muhammad Ayub Pathan and Abdulloh Benjakat filed this report from Yala on Thursday that one of the most-wanted militants in the South has been killed.
The suspected insurgent accused of killing former Bannang Sata police chief Pol Gen Sompian Eksomya three years ago died in a gunfight with authorities in Bannang Sata district Thursday.
Two suspected rebels were killed in a clash as police and rangers raided their hideout Thursday morning.
One of them was identified as Yukeebuelee Jehdeemae, also wanted for a number of other security-related crimes.
Police said he was the bomber who planted the explosive device that killed Pol Gen Sompian on March 12, 2010.
The officer was chief of Bannang Sata police station at the time, and held the rank of colonel. He was given a special promotion to the rank of police general after his death.
A combined force of police and military rangers Thursday raided a house in Ban Tanopulae following a tip-off that armed militants were hiding there.
The two suspects opened fire on the authorities as they tried to escape.
After the clash, the authorities found the body of Yukeebuelee near a kubo (a Muslim cemetery). An M16 rifle, a cartridge of bullets and an 11mm handgun were found near his body, officials said.
The body of another rebel suspect Reedawal Laeha, was also found in a ditch 100 metres away, with an M16 rifle and a bullet cartridge near his body, according to officials.
Meanwhile, in Pattani, a robber, a bank employee and a security guard were killed in a gunfight during a failed holdup at Kasikorn Bank's Palas branch in tambon La-nga of Mayo district Thursday.
Witnesses said a group of at least five armed men approached the bank as staff were preparing cash for delivery to the local treasury office. They were spotted by security guards who opened fire.
