Gadhafi's son, Sonthi discuss insurgency

Today's General News - Wednesday December 12, 2007

DEEP SOUTH / UNREST, LIBYAN VISITOR, FLOODS

Gadhafi's son, Sonthi discuss insurgency

POST REPORTERS and AFP

Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, met Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi Boonyaratkalin yesterday to discuss the insurgency in Thailand's southernmost provinces. During a one-hour meeting Gen Sonthi told Mr Saif that the separatist unrest, which has claimed 2,700 lives over four years, was not a sectarian conflict, a government official said.

Gen Sonthi, the first Muslim to head the army and who led a coup and was later made deputy prime minister, also said Thailand would open an embassy in Tripoli next year to strengthen ties with the North African nation.

After the meeting, Mr Saif said he would explain the situation in Thailand's deep South to other Muslim countries at the next meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

''Gen Sonthi told him that there are 1.7 million Muslims in the provinces [affected by the separatist violence] but only a few of them do not want to stay within Thailand,'' the official said.

''Some 95% of local government leaders in the region are Muslims, so Thailand assured him that religion was not the root of the conflict in the South,'' the official added.

In Narathiwat, daily violence continued yesterday. A suspect thought to be involved in the insurgency was shot dead by soldiers late yesterday morning in Rueso district after he shot at them as they conducted a search of his house.

The man was identified as Mahama Dohni, 48. An official source said the soldiers had let their guard down halfway through their search of Mahama's house when he took out a hidden shotgun and opened fire at them. The soldiers then returned fire and killed him.

In Yala, Tuankaji Musor, 51, a member of a tambon administration organisation, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Raman district yesterday morning.

In other developments, flooding caused by recent downpours forced the temporary closure of more than 10 schools and government offices in Narathiwat yesterday.

Recent reports said nine districts _ Waeng, Sukhirin, Si Sakhon, Rueso, Chanae, Sungai Kolok, Sungai Padi, Rangae, and Tak Bai _ were submerged by flooding and rain-induced run-off from a local mountain. Sungai Kolok and Rangae were the hardest-hit.

So far, 25,267 people in 137 villages in nine districts have been affected by the floods. Also, 78 local roads and 18,833 rai of farmland have been destroyed.

Five bridges in Sukhirin district, two in Si Sakhon, and two in Rueso district were washed away by strong currents.

Ten houses in Sukhirin district, two in Sungai Padi district, and one in Waeng district were badly damaged by the deluge. The distressed families were evacuated to safety by rescue teams.

Army spokesman Col Acra Tiproch said the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 was ready to provide relief aid to flood victims.
Bangkok Post