Fighting in southern provinces of Thailand has killed more than 4,800 people and injured nearly 8,000 since 2004
BANGKOK (AlertNet) – At least 30 percent of Buddhists and 10 percent of Malay Muslims in Thailand’s insurgency-prone southern provinces have fled their homes since 2004 due to armed conflict there, said a briefing by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).
The displaced have sought refuge in nearby urban areas, or altogether left the provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat where the government is facing opposition from a number of Malay Muslim insurgency groups, the IDMC said.
According to official figures, Buddhists accounted for around 20 percent of the million or so people in the three provinces in 2000.
Those who fled include government employees, teachers, doctors, nurses and monks – people perceived to be associated with the Thai state – but also peasants and rubber tappers.
“While some have fled in direct response to the violence, many have moved because of the adverse effects of the conflict on the economy, on the availability and quality of education or on the provision of social services,” IDMC added.
More than 4,800 people have been killed and nearly 8,000 have been injured since 2004 in the predominantly ethnic Malay Muslim provinces where 40,000 troops have been deployed to try to halt almost daily shootings and bombings.
The government “has strongly encouraged civilians to defend the ‘Thai homeland’” and provided training and arms to Buddhists, IDMC said.
“While probably stemming the exodus of Buddhists, this policy has resulted in an increased ethno-religious polarisation and has heightened risk of incidents and abuses between both communities,” it added.
(Editing by Rebekah Curtis)
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