Thai-phoon
What could drive someone to kill Buddhist monks?
Violence between the Thai government and Muslim terrorists has claimed more than 550 people this year including several monks. Two days ago, the government "negligently" suffocated 78 Muslim protesters in southern Thailand. Teachers in the region are demanding bullet-proof vests because of the death of three of their colleagues.
Muslims are a minority in Thailand, a mostly Buddhist country.
It appears that no single organization orchestrates the attacks which began in January. The Thai government initially claimed that "bandits" were responsible and then begrudgingly acknowledged there was a separatist movement (which some suspect to be tied to Jemaah Islamiah). Thailand has also accused Malaysia of involvement with the rebel groups.
What's interesting about the conflict is how it challenges the traditional distinction between war and crime. Uncertainty of what to label the situation led to Thailand's waffling on who was in charge between civilian ministers and army generals, a confusion that only contributed to the region's instability. This mirrors the problems many countries face in addressing terrorism and handling terrorists (are they criminals or soldiers?). Perhaps it's time for a third way.
Violence between the Thai government and Muslim terrorists has claimed more than 550 people this year including several monks. Two days ago, the government "negligently" suffocated 78 Muslim protesters in southern Thailand. Teachers in the region are demanding bullet-proof vests because of the death of three of their colleagues.
Muslims are a minority in Thailand, a mostly Buddhist country.
It appears that no single organization orchestrates the attacks which began in January. The Thai government initially claimed that "bandits" were responsible and then begrudgingly acknowledged there was a separatist movement (which some suspect to be tied to Jemaah Islamiah). Thailand has also accused Malaysia of involvement with the rebel groups.
What's interesting about the conflict is how it challenges the traditional distinction between war and crime. Uncertainty of what to label the situation led to Thailand's waffling on who was in charge between civilian ministers and army generals, a confusion that only contributed to the region's instability. This mirrors the problems many countries face in addressing terrorism and handling terrorists (are they criminals or soldiers?). Perhaps it's time for a third way.
posted by Elaine at 1:26 AM
5 Comments:
The title of your previous post was eerily prescient if unrelated to last week's tsunami...the post itself was a bit challenging, as extra-national terrorism isn't something I often think about in my DC cocoon.
But I'll try to respond.
There isn't always a good reason behind ethnic- or religiously-motivated slaughter, which obviously bothers rational thinkers like you and I. But look at all of the globe's simmering hotspots--Kashmir, Israel, Kosovo, Rwanda. Buddhist monks or not, people need to believe in something...and sometimes what they believe in is hatred of the other.
You raise an interesting question regarding whose role it is to suppress insurgency, particularly separatists. I've honestly never thought about it before--what's the third way you allude to?
I don't know what the third way should be. The Bush administration's preferred way is whatever they god-damn please with no restrictions. That's definitely wrong. I'm looking into though, DD. I should have an answer by the end of the semester (after I finish my class on law of war).
That's unfair. Everything I blog comes out of self-education...you actually get to draw on things you learn over the course of the day! Look forward to a series of posts on hospital finance.
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