South decree to be extended again : Schools permitted to choose when to close

South decree to be extended again : Schools permitted to choose when to close.

POST REPORTERS ON THE RECORD

Nervous schools in the strife-torn southern border provinces will be allowed to close without prior permission, Education Minister Wijit Srisa-arn said yesterday as security agencies announced emergency rule would be extended in the region for another three months. The emergency decree, covering the violence-plagued provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, will be renewed for another three months from Jan 20, said National Security Council secretary-general Prakit Prachonpachanuk.

The coverage, however, excludes the four districts of Songkhla bordering the three southernmost provinces and Satun, where martial law remains in place.

The emergency powers, which must be renewed every 90 days, give security forces broad immunity from prosecution and, among other measures, allow authorities to detain suspects for up to 30 days without charge, search and arrest without warrants and tap phones.

The interim government announced in October that it planned to abandon the controversial security powers introduced under the administration of Thaksin Shinawatra in July 2005.

However, violence has escalated in the region over recent months, with civilians increasingly being targeted in near-daily assassinations.

Schools and teachers are also being increasingly targeted.

Arson attacks on schools and drive-by shootings against teachers have increased in recent weeks.

Mr Wijit said that the decision whether to close schools due to security fears would be placed entirely in the hands of school directors.

''I leave it to them to judge whether to close or open their institutions,'' he said.

Hundreds of schools close periodically across the region following attacks. However, until now, school directors have not been allowed to shut down classes until local education offices approve an official request _ a process that can take several days.

Mr Wijit said he understood that the ongoing unrest had demoralised teachers, many of whom have been the target of violence in the region.

The attack on Juling Pongkunmul, of Kujingluepa school in Narathiwat's Rueso district _ who was beaten after being taken hostage at the school last May _ has come to symbolise the plight of teachers in the region.

The idealistic teacher who came to the region from Chiang Rai died on Monday after nearly eight months in a coma.

More and more teachers have sought transfers out of the strife-torn provinces as they and their schools continue to be targeted in militant attacks.

The ministry however, has promised to find teachers to fill the vacancies, Mr Wijit said.

Just yesterday, another female teacher was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Pattani's Sai Buri district.

Yaena Mayamae, 40, of Ban Tohbala school, was shot dead while riding in a pick-up truck with a physician and two fellow teachers on Ban Johgee-yaek to Sai Buri road yesterday. She was shot in the head and pronounced dead in hospital.

The physician was injured in the attack while the other teachers in the car escaped unharmed.

Mr Wijit met with Interior Minister Aree Wongarya, the Fourth Army Region commander Viroj Buajamroon, the Southern Border Provincial Administration Centre director Phranai Suwannarat and teacher representatives from the deep South yesterday to work out safety measures for teachers in the region.

The meeting at Government House was chaired by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont.

Lt-Gen Viroj said more rangers, including female personnel, were being deployed in the deep South to forge community relations on a long-term basis.

He said guns would also be made available to frightened teachers who wanted to be able to protect themselves from possible attacks.

Mr Phranai said he had asked the Interior Ministry to recruit more village defence volunteers in some 1,600 villages across the restive region.

The government has also recalled bounties on the heads of 13 suspected insurgent leaders including Sapae-ing Bazo, former headmaster of Thamma Witthaya School and a leading figure of the BRN Coordinate, an armed separatist group.

Meanwhile, violence continued in the region as Sulgiflee Mama, 35, a villager, was shot dead in Pattani's Mayo district last night.

And in Yala's Muang district police were put on full alert of a possible attack spearheaded by Sahudin Tohjehmeh, a wanted suspect, following an intelligence report.

Electrical appliances stores, auto-part shops and department stores were possible targets of the attack, police said.

Bangkok Post
Thursday January 11, 2007