Thailand seeks support to tackle insurgency at OIC in Pakistan

Bangkok, May 16 (UNI) Thai Foreign Affairs Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram today sought support for Bangkok's handling of insurgency in its Muslim-majority southern border region at the 34th session of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).

Mr Nitya while addressing the foreign ministers of the 57-nation OIC in Islamabad said '' It grieves me to say that in the Southern Border Provinces of Thailand, there are those who reject the very principles that both Thailand and the OIC hold dear. There are those who reject compassion, a core principle of Islam, and instead use religion to justify violence and terror against innocent women and children of all faiths''.

Thailand is attending the 15-17 May influential Islamic nation's ministerial forum as an observer.

'' Such violence and terror is the very anti-thesis of Islam and indeed of any religion,'' he added in his statement released here by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

More than 2,100 people have been killed in the separatist violence troubling Thailand's three Muslim-majority provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat along the Thai-Malaysian border since early January 2004.

At least 29 people have been beheaded by suspected Islamic militants in the three provinces so far.

Thailand has the support of its neighbouring Islamic nations like Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei in trying to bring peace to the region, the minister said.

'' The OIC's understanding and cooperation will further help us in our efforts to bring lasting peace and reconciliation to the Southern Border Provinces. Your support will send a powerful message of hope to all those who advocate peace,'' Mr Nitya told the conference.

Thailand seeks a '' multi-dimensional partnership with the OIC to advance our common cause of fighting intolerance and extremism, poverty and injustice,'' he said.

Emphasizing that the Thai inusrgency is not a religious conflict and that this has been '' reaffirmed time and again by the OIC,'' Mr Nitya said the Thai government welcomed the OIC Secretary-General's recent advice to southern Thai militants to reject violence.

Thailand's junta government has given high priority to tackling the insurgency starting with a public apology by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont to Thai Muslims in the southern provinces '' for the wrongdoings and mistakes of the past''.

In keeping with this, the government recently announced a general amnesty for those accused of violence in the south, the minister informed the OIC foreign ministers.

Thailand's Muslims have '' contributed so much to our rich and diverse cultural heritage for centuries'' and the government's multi-pronged approach to handling the insurgency is based on recognition of this.

This is focused on improving educational and living standards by combining secular and religious topics in school curricula, teaching the local Malay language besides Thai, promoting work opportunities and local business enterprises.

At the same time, authorities are engaging the local people to better understand their needs, encouraging people participation in local administration, improving the judicial system and applying the Sharia law in family matters.

UNI