The restive southeastern region’s residents have joined forces to denounce the escalating violence against civilians.
At least five people have died in a string of violent incidents in Narathiwat since Friday, including a police agent.
A group of unidentified adversaries attacked a 76-year-old blind girl on Friday evening in Ai Bue Tae, in the state’s Chanae district, killing their son and seriously injuring him. Six motorcycle-armed intruders after opened fire on a home in tambon Khosit in Tak Bai area, injuring at least two people, and killing three persons, including a nine-year-old woman.
A police investigation team’s work the following day resulted in the explosion of a weapon in Chanai city. One of the injured victims eventually died from his wounds the next day in addition to the three others who were hurt in the attack.
The Pheu Thai Party issued a condemnation of the recent attacks in Narathiwat in a statement posted on its social media channels monday, promising that the authorities would prosecute those responsible for any problems that target innocent civilians.
The party expressed confidence in the state’s commitment to combat the growing violence in the South through a link to a statement released by the National Security Council ( NSC ).
In a statement released on Sunday, NSC denounced the assaults on vulnerable people, including children, women, and the old, calling them “uncivilized acts” that heavily undermine trust and impede the peace-building process in the area.
The declaration also affirmed the NSC’s commitment to the defense of honest residents in the southern border regions.
The NSC demanded that “irresponsible works” against innocent civilians be stopped immediately, arguing that any attempt to end the region’s conflict’s ongoing conflict will not be helped by these activities.
The opposition’s People’s Party ( PP ) also issued a statement on its official Facebook page, informing users of the recent upsurge in southern border provinces.
The group claimed that the most recent attacks targeted civilians without any connections to the fight, including spiritual figures, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. The PP noted that these works have caused the people to distrust the peace-building approach by causing anger and pain in both Buddhist and Muslim communities.
It urged all parties, including military rebel groups claiming to act on behalf of Malay-Muslim areas in the deep west, to perpetrate to the peace-building approach and warned that the most recent wave of violence was likely to bring the issue to its worst point in decades.
The statement added that the killing of innocent civilians goes against the laws of all religions, legal customs, and global humanitarian standards, noting that such acts solely increase hostility, deepen social groups, and undermine the legitimacy of any political cause.
The opposition party then demanded that attacks on innocent civilians be stopped immediately, arguing that this step is crucial to resuming peace talks. Insurgent groups were required to demonstrate political responsibility and a commitment to resolving the conflict through dialogue rather than weapons.
The party also urged the government of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to resume the nearly a year-long peace negotiations.
It made note of the fact that previous breakthroughs in talks led to lessening violence and stressed the need for a clear government strategy on justice and peace.
The party suggested inclusive peace forums that allow participation from affected Buddhist and Muslim communities to ensure successful negotiations. Additionally, it stressed the value of bringing people with real authority to the peace process to stop violence.