Muslim World League chief visits southThailand

Bangkok, Jun 19: A prominent Islamic world leader will visit Thailand next week and travel to the country's Muslim-majority southern region reeling under insurgent violence for over three years.

Abdullah Ibn Abdul Muhsin Atturki, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League will meet authorities and Thai Muslim leaders in the southern border provinces of Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani where more than 2,200 people have been killed in insurgent violence since January 2004.

Suspected Islamic militants have stepped up attacks against government educational insitutions in the region, burning down school buildings and killing teachers, forcing Prime Minister Suryaud Chulanont to suggest yesterday that public schools in the three provinces be closed indefinitely.

In an earlier appeal, the Muslim World League has urged Muslims in south Thailand not to support or take part in the separatist violence.

The world Muslim body is also providing financial support for children orphaned by the violence and has funded the setting up of an Islamic university in Yala province.

During his June 24 to 30 visit, the Muslim World League chief will meet with the Thai prime minister as well as Army chief Sonthi Boonyaratkalin who heads the all-powerful Council for National Security and is a Muslim and in south Thailand, he will meet with the official head of Thailand's Muslims.

UNI