Organization of Islamic Cooperation Commends Thailand’s Clear Policy on the Southern Situation

(10/05/2012)

The visiting high-level delegation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has commended the Thai government’s clear policy on the southern situation. The delegation, led by Ambassador Sayed Kassem El-Masry, Adviser of the OIC Secretary General and Special Envoy of the OIC Secretary General on Thailand, is on a visit to Thailand from 7 to 13 May 2012, to gather information about the latest developments in the southern situation. It has been provided with opportunities to meet authorities in the South, members of Thai Muslim communities, and academics in order to have better understanding of the situation. The Secretary-General of the Office of the National Security Council, Police General Vichean Potephosree, stated that he had briefed the delegation on the Southern Border Provinces Development Policy for 2012-2014. The policy, which was approved by the House of Representatives, is divided into two parts, comprising both security and development strategies. It seeks to deal effectively with southern unrest through peaceful means, decentralization of administrative power, respect for human rights, and the rule of law. Police General Vichean said that the OIC delegation gave moral support to officials for their efforts to ease unrest in the southern border provinces. It also expressed concern about violent incidents, saying that IOC was ready to give a helping hand to restore peace in the deep South. He said that OIC shared the view with Thai officials that the southern situation was not a religious conflict and regarded it as Thailand’s internal affair. Moreover, the southern problem has been intensifying for a number of years and has become a complicated issue. As for the Executive Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations enforced in the southern border provinces, Police General Vichean explained that the Government would revoke this special law in the areas where peace has been restored and would replace it with the Internal Security Act. Officials would assess the situation before deciding whether to renew the enforcement of the emergency decree or not. Meanwhile, the Cabinet, during its meeting on 8 May 2012 acknowledged the order, issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, appointing a committee to mobilize the policies and strategies to tackle problems in the southern border provinces. The committee is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapha, with the Secretary-General of the Office of the National Security Council as member and secretary. It is responsible for integrating operations by various agencies to resolve the southern situation in the same direction, based on the Government’s policies and related strategies. Through unified operations, the southern situation will be handled with greater efficiency.