SOUTHERN VIOLENCE
MUHAMMAD AYUB PATHAN, ASSAWIN PAKKAWAN and WASSANA NANUAM
Two high-profile insurgent groups yesterday shrugged off Thursday's ceasefire declaration by the Thailand United Southern Underground (TUSU), which claims to have 11 militant groups under its umbrella.
Kasturi Makota, foreign affairs chief of the Pattani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo), rejected the ceasefire announcement, saying Pulo would continue its fight and do whatever it takes to rid the three southernmost provinces of Thai control.
Pulo leaders were now discussing the unexpected announcement by the three TUSU members, he said.
A key member of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional Coordinate (BRN Coordinate) said his group had held talks with Thai authorities but never made any pledge to lay down its arms.
An intelligence source working in the far South denied two of the three TUSU leaders who appeared on Channel 5 were the same men.
One of the three was positively identified by army chief Gen Anupong Paojinda as Madipeng Khan. Another was believed to be his brother, Maruding. But the source who knew the two well said they were not Mr Madipeng and Mr Maruding.
The army has distanced itself from any involvement in the TV appearance of the three engineered by former army chief Gen Chettha Thanajaro.
Army deputy spokeswoman Col Sirichan Ngathong quoted Gen Anupong as saying the TV appearance was solely the work of Gen Chettha, now leader of the Ruamjaithai Chart Pattana party, as he was hoping this would help restore peace to the deep South.
Gen Anupong said the army-run Channel 5's decision to air the pre-recorded ceasefire announcement was part of its journalistic duty, insisting he had not seen the footage of the announcement before it was aired on TV.
Former army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin said yesterday he was not even aware of the TUSU's existence.
Intelligence units in the deep South have been told to step up operations to prevent more separatist attacks.
The source said authorities are concerned the BRN Coordinate may launch attacks to challenge the TUSU's ceasefire announcement.
The opposition Democrat party was unconvinced the announcement would bring a ceasefire to the restive region.
Thepthai Senpong, an assistant to the party secretary-general, questioned why the government, especially Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, was not told about the airing of the ceasefire announcement in advance and refused to comment on the matter.
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