Thailand, Muslim militants agree to peace talks
Thailand’s government signed a breakthrough deal with Muslim insurgents for the first time ever on Thursday, agreeing to hold talks to ease nearly a decade of violence in the country’s southern provinces that has killed more than 5,000 people.
Thailand’s government signed a breakthrough deal with Muslim insurgents for the first time ever on Thursday, agreeing to hold talks to ease nearly a decade of violence in the country’s southern provinces that has killed more than 5,000 people.
The agreement was announced in Malaysia’s largest city, Kuala Lumpur, between Thai authorities and the militant National Revolution Front, also known by its Malay-language name, Barisan Revolusi Nasional Melayu Pattani. It is seen as a positive step, but is unlikely to end the conflict because several other shadowy guerrilla movements also fighting in southern Thailand have yet to agree to talks.
“God-willing, we’ll do our best to solve the problem. We will tell our people to work together,” Hassan Taib, a Malaysian-based senior representative of the National Revolution Front, said after a brief signing ceremony with Paradorn Pattanathabutr, secretary general of Thailand’s National Security Council.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who met with his Thai counterpart, Yingluck Shinawatra, later on Thursday, said Thai officials and the insurgent representatives would hold their first meeting in Malaysia within two weeks.
Najib described the signing as “merely the starting point of a long process” because many issues have to be resolved, but added that it was a “solid demonstration of the common resolve to find and establish an enduring peace in southern Thailand.”