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Muslim villagers conduct a mass funeral in for the October 25 victims
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BANGKOK,
December 1 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - The Thai government
considers passing a law allowing police to hold indefinitely without
charges anyone taking part in “insurgent” activities in the
country’s southern provinces, where Muslims are a majority, official
sources have said.
The
Justice Ministry has been instructed to assess the constitutionality
of the legislation proposed by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra,
Thailand’s The Nation newspaper quoted the sources as
saying Wednesday, December 1.
Deputy
Prime Minister Vishanu Krua-ngam chaired a multi-agency meeting
Wednesday to examine the proposal.
Thaksin
wanted the “Singaporean and Malaysian examples” to be studied
before a Thai version of a national security law is composed, the
sources said.
While
it remained unclear as to what aspects of the neighbouring
countries’ anti-terrorism laws might be copied, the law is expected
to give unchecked power to detain suspects without trial, the paper
said.
On
October 25, 87
Muslim protesters were killed outside the district
police station in Takbai, when Thai police dispersed them with tear
gas and water canons.
Some
1,000 people were detained, according to Thai authorities, and up to
44 injured, including up to 14 Thai army or police.
On
April 28, security forces clashed with Muslims in southern Thailand
and opened fire killing at least
107 Muslim youths in the bloodiest day in the
history of this troubled region.
About
500 people have been killed over this past year in the South.
“Helpful”
National
Police chief General Kowit Wattana said longer custody of
“insurgents” would be helpful for police work.
The
Constitution allows police to hold a suspect up to 48 hours before
they need to seek court approval for an extension of up to 12 days.
Police can make three requests before charges must be filed or the
suspect released.
Concerns
over the oppression of Muslims in southern Thailand cast
a shadow over the ASEAN summit.
The
Thai premier threatened to walk out of the summit if leaders raised
the conditions of Muslims in the restive south, insisting it was a
domestic problem.
Thailand
is a predominantly Buddhist nation but about five percent of the
population is Muslim, and most live in the five southern provinces
bordering Malaysia.
Pattani,
Yala and Narathiwat are the only Muslim majority provinces in
Thailand.
Muslims
in these provinces have long complained
of discrimination in jobs and education and business
opportunities.
