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Islam’s Thai problem: Patani Muslim Malay sultanate occupied in 1902. The Muslims are primarily concentrated in Thailand’s five southern provinces which border Malaysia: Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Satun, and Songkhla

NEW YORK: June 6th, 2008-Rupee News: Three Thai Muslims killed in football fieldsYALA (Thailand), June 5: Three Muslim men have been killed in separate attacks on football fields in Thailand’s Muslim-majority south, where a separatist insurgency is raging, police said on Thursday.

A 30-year-old man was shot dead in Yala province on Wednesday evening as he played football with a group of friends, police in the region said.

The same evening in neighbouring Narathiwat province, three militants opened fire during half-time at a local game, killing a 40-year-old local government employee who was refereeing the match, and a 30-year-old player.

More than 3,300 people have been killed since separatist unrest broke out in January 2004 in the south, which was an autonomous Malay Muslim sultanate until mainly Buddhist Thailand annexed it in 1902, provoking decades of tension.-AFP

BACKGROUND:

Muslims comprise Thailand’s largest religious minority and are concentrated mainly in the southernmost provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, and Satun. Islam is said to have been introduced to the Malay Peninsula by Arab traders and adventures during the 13th century. Most Thai Muslims are Malay descent, reflecting the common cultural heritage Thailand’s southernmost provinces share with Malaysia.

Ninety-nine percent Sunni and one percent Shi’ite Thai Muslims enjoy inspirational and finacial support from His Majesty the King, who provided money for translating the Koran into Thai. Each year the King or his representative also presides during celebration commemorating the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday. Moreover, His Majesty appoints a respected Muslim religious leader as Chularajamontri, or State Counselor for all Islamic affairs. The government also provides funds for building and renovating mosques.

In some southern provinces where the Muslim population is substantial, government-employed Muslims are allowed to leave for important Muslim festivals and allowed to work half-days on Friday, the Muslim holy day. In such provinces family and inheritance cases are judged according to Koranic with a Muslim religious judge, or “kadi”, sitting on the bench. In addition, one four months’ leave with full salary is also granted to allow an employee to make the Haj, the pilgrimage to Mecca.

There are approximately 2,000 mosques in Thailand, about 100 of which are in Bangkok. Some 200 Muslim schools offer secular as well as religious instruction. All in all, Thailand’s Muslims enjoy full state support and are free to teach and practice their religion according to their own tenets.

PATANI

Patani (Pattani) is known to have been part of the ancient Srivijayan kingdom. It then covered approximately the area of the modern Thai provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and much of the northern part of modern Malaysia. The King of Patani is believed to have been converted to Islam some time during the 11th century.

Like many of the small kingdoms in Southeast Asian history, Pattani broke away from an older ancient state. Most did not have their own written language, enjoyed only short periods of real independence and have long since disappeared.

The Patani United Liberation Organization (also spelled Pattani United Liberation Organisation) or PULO is one of the groups calling for a free and independent Patani. This group, along with others, is currently fighting for the independence of Thailand’s predominantly Malay Muslim south.

The Muslims are primarily concentrated in Thailand’s five southern provinces which border Malaysia: Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Satun, and Songkhla. There has been no significant group migration across the country’s regions since the early 1900s.

The Muslims are a religious minority in a country in which Buddhism, the religion of the majority Thai community, is the official state religion. The social customs of the Muslims differ from those of the Thais and although some Muslims speak Thai, some 80% are Malay-speakers. Group members who reside in the western Satun province speak Thai and they are fairly integrated into Thai society. Those concentrated in Pattani, which was once a semi-autonomous sultanate of Malaya, have maintained the use of the Malay language.

Beginning in the 1930s, successive Thai military regimes attempted to instill a common nationalism among the country’s population through measures such as a compulsory education program that utilized the Thai language and the celebration of national holidays. Malaysian independence in 1959 brought the attention of Thai authorities to the southern Muslim regions. This was partly due to Pattani’s former status as a Malayan sultanate which raised concerns about potential links between Malay kin in the two countries. Government programs in the south were implemented by Thais who often did not speak Malay and/or did not understand the population’s Islamic customs and beliefs. Further, the region remained economically underdeveloped in comparison to much of the country.

Muslim resentment against the government’s assimilation policies turned from localized resistance to broad support for the Pattani United Liberation Organization (PULO) by the early 1970s. The PULO rebellion began in the late 1960s with the most intense phase emerging in the early to mid 1970s . The separatist rebels were reported to have been aided by Libya. In the 1980s, the Thai government sought to address some Muslim demands through a combination of programs that promoted their political participation along with policies to further economic development and religious toleration.

Group members face significant demographic stresses. These include declining public health conditions in relation to other groups, high birth rates, environmental decline due to widespread flooding, and migration abroad for economic reasons. The Muslims are substantially underrepresented in the political and economic arenas due to historical neglect or restrictions, but public policies seek to improve the group’s status (POLDIS03 = 1; ECDIS03 = 1). While there were 25 Muslim politicians in the 1996 Parliament (around 600 seats), group members remain underrepresented at the local and provincial levels.

Most Muslims are seeking widespread autonomy for the southern provinces where they primarily reside (SEPX = 3). A small minority favors the creation of an independent state. Other group demands include greater political participation in all levels of decision-making, equal civil rights and status, and better economic opportunities including a larger share of public funds. In addition, the Muslims are concerned about protecting their cultural and religious beliefs.

Group members are primarily represented by militant organizations such as the PULO and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) but also by conventional national political parties that represent broader interests. A minority is reported to support the activities of rebel organizations. While the Muslims are a factionalized group, there were no reported violent intragroup incidents during the years 1998 to 2003 (COHESX9 = 3). Also, there was no violence between the Muslims and other ethnic groups for the same time period.

The neighboring state of Malaysia has politically supported the goals of the Thai Muslims, but Kuala Lumpur does not appear to be actively supporting the separatist campaign. In 1999 and 2000, Malaysia sought to further economic development in the southern Thai regions by promoting education programs.

It appears that the separatist campaign lost much of its momentum in the 1980s. Although sporadic violent attacks were attributed to PULO and the BRN during the late 1990s, it is not clear if these rebel groups were responsible or whether the attacks were by bandit organizations. Beginning in 2000, violence has increased and become more frequent (REB00-03 = 4). Muslim actions in the form of demonstrations and strikes first began in the post-WWII period, and in recent years these protests have centered on issues such as the development of an oil pipeline project and political inclusion (PROT45X = 2; PROT00-01 = 3, PROT02 = 2, PROT03 = 4). Repression by state authorities eased during the 1998 to 2000 period although attacks were reported against armed rebels along with the use of widespread force against protestors.

References
Daipi, Hawazi, “Thai Muslims: A Community in Transition,” The Straits Times (Singapore), June 24, 1996.

Daipi, Hawazi, “Thai Muslims Take Steps to Preserve Malay Identity,” The Straits Times (Singapore), July 1, 1996.

The Europa Yearbook, Far East and Australasia 1993.

Far Eastern Economic Review, 1990-93.

Keesings Record of World Events, 1990-93.

Lexis-Nexis news reports, 1990-2003.

Phase I, Minorities at Risk, overview compiled by Monty G. Marshall, 07/89.

U.S. Dept. of State, Human Rights Report 1993, 1994, 2001-2003.

According to Wikipedia these are the rebel groups fighting for independence in Thailand.

Mujahideen Pattani Movement (BNP)
Pattani United Liberation Organization (PULO)
Pattani Islamic Mujahideen Movement (GMIP)
Mujahideen Islamic Pattani Group
National Revolution Front (BRN)
Pattani Liberation National Front (BNPP)
Jemaah Islamiyah (JI)
Runda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK)