One dead, two wounded in Pattani attacks

Advocate warns of more violence during talks

One civilian was killed and two more injured in drive-by shootings in Pattani province over the weekend.

Ardae Mahma, 40, a native of Yala’s Yaha district, was shot dead while driving his pickup truck in Yarang district.

Ardae was driving from Yarang to Nong Chik district in Pattani about 8.15pm on Saturday when two men drove alongside his vehicle on a motorbike and the pillion passenger shot him. He died at the scene.

Another civilian was injured in another shooting attack about 15 minutes earlier in the same district.

Mahmoud Juesae, 26, was also shot by a pillion passenger on a motorcycle while he was sitting in front of Santi Witthaya School about 8pm. He was taken to a local hospital.

In Yaring district yesterday, 50-yearold coconut farmer Armad Nilor was shot and seriously wounded on a local road in Mulong village.

He was attacked about 7.50am by two armed men on a motorcycle while he was riding his own motorbike to work at a coconut farm. The assailants fled after the attack.

The victim, who sustained serious gunshot wounds to his chest, was taken to Yaring Hospital. Police are investigating the attacks.

In Yala, three suspects were questioned yesterday about Saturday’s coordinated bomb blasts in Yaha and Kabang districts. The three men live near the blast scenes.

They were discharged after police took their fingerprints and DNA samples.

The bombs, which went off about 5am on Saturday, damaged several high-voltage power poles in Yaha and Kabang districts, resulting in power blackouts in many areas.

Five bomb squad officers were wounded — one fatally — in another bomb attack on Saturday shortly after they returned from inspecting the bomb blasts in Yaha and Kabang.

Wounded Pvt Sorawit Onchanbok was pronounced dead late on Saturday.

Peace advocate Chaiwat Satha-anan yesterday suggested the government set up a panel to create understanding among residents in the deep South about its peace talks with the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) separatist group.

He said the panel should explain to the locals that the government’s decision to send its representatives to hold peace talks with the BRN was aimed at tackling the southern unrest.

The locals had to brace themselves for violent incidents as the southern unrest may not ease during the peace talks process, he said.

He warned that some insurgent groups may not agree with the peace talks and this may be why violent attacks are continuing in the region.

Mr Chaiwat praised the government for its courage in holding peace talks with the BRN, saying it was on the right track in tackling the unrest.

Meanwhile, a person who claimed to be a ‘‘staff vice-delegate’’ of the BRN has posted a video on YouTube to reiterate the group’s five demands which were made public on April 29 in a video by peace talks leader Hassan Taib.

Adam Muhammad Noor repeated demands that Malaysia serve as a mediator, rather than a facilitator, in the peace talks, and called again for the presence of observers from Asean, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and non-government groups.

He said the continuing conflict in the far South stemmed from ‘‘colonial rule’’ in the area. ‘‘Is it wrong that the people of Patani Malay are protecting themselves from the threats of Siam?’’ he said, referring to the separatists’ name for the region comprising the southernmost provinces.