84 Dead in Pattani: "This is typical"

[Zorro]

I just tried it and it worked but here it is anyway.

 

Over the past few days there has been an alarming increase in the number of innocent Muslims who have been killed. I am not referring to Palestine, Iraq or Chechnya but to Thailand. It too has become another country in which Muslims are mercilessly assaulted, beaten and killed.

 

Over the past week I have seen pictures of Thai soldiers firing bullets at unarmed protesters, killing 86 of them in cold blood. What pained me most was the shocking brutality of the soldiers. They kicked people with their boots and struck them with their rifle butts. One solider was very obviously enjoying what he was doing.

 

Unfortunately, I never understood what had provoked the soldiers to fire upon an unarmed crowd. Thailand too, it seems, has joined the ?war on terror.? Encouraged by certain countries, it has now embarked on a collision course with a group of its own citizens. No amount of dialogue will satisfy the army?s appetite for striking at the poor and impoverished minority who, in fact, have genuine grievances. But who is there to stop them? Who will? Who can? No one.

 

The time has come for someone to speak out, to call the world?s attention to a gross injustice. Muslims are being slaughtered around the world and no one utters a word in protest. In America, there is now a new law. If you criticize Jews, you are liable to have legal action taken against you. George W. Bush wants the Jewish votes and so he tries to please them. And then of course, there is his opponent, John Kerry.

 

I would like to bring to your attention an article written by Kerry for ?Forward,? a Jewish magazine published in New York. He said he would hound and punish anyone who incited people against Jews or defamed them. He also said far worse things and so to those naive Arabs who are still debating whether Bush or Kerry will be good for the Arabs, I say please go, have a cup of tea and exercise your minds a bit. Alas! we Arabs have not used our brains for a long time. For far too long.

 

Remember that the Bush Arab Islamic policy is the same as the Sharon policy. What is more dangerous is that Bush will certainly use American power and money to attract other players onto his anti-Islamic team. Other likely players include Russia?s Vladimir Putin; the Likud of course is on the team as well as certain anti-Islamic Indian leaders who will join because of their hatred of Pakistan. Even China is a possibility. All of this springs from Bush?s orchestration of the ?war on terror.? It is as if he and his neocons were trying to frighten the world into some kind of alliance against Muslims and Islam.

 

Pakistani President Musharraf is concerned about this and indeed, last month at the UN General Assembly, he spoke of an ?iron curtain descending between the West and Muslims.? History repeats itself as we know and Bush?s attempts to gather support for his ?war on terror? reminds me of Europe?s Holy Alliance in 1815. The alliance was meant to prevent revolutionary change and maintain the status quo after the havoc resulting from the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars.

 

What is most disturbing is the fact that a Bush victory will sharpen the appetites of both the neocons and the Zionists for a prolonged conflict with Islam. Sadly, there are strong indications that Colin Powell who is seen as a moderating influence will not be part of any new Bush administration. His has sometimes been the only voice of reason and it is certain that, as a former general, he fully understands the difficulties and implications of using military force to solve disputes. There has been no hint of dialogue with any of the Muslim countries America has condemned nor has there been any hint of investigation into the causes of international terrorism.

 

The right-wing media has done all it can to heighten anti-Muslim sentiment in the US. Its rhetoric and accusations will drive a number of moderates into the arms of the extremists in the Muslim world. Thus, a new collision with America will become inevitable. The solution to these problems is not military might. Many Muslims believe in dialogue as the answer and certainly, it would be a first step toward arriving at an answer and a solution. Many other Muslims, including me, believe that by giving justice to Muslims, stopping the attacks on Islam and not aligning itself so absolutely and uncritically with Israel and supporting its state-sponsored terrorism, America could at last have peace with the world of Islam.

 

In the meantime, Muslim blood continues to flow.

[Guest]

Zorro said:

I just tried it and it worked but here it is anyway.

 

Over the past few days there has been an alarming increase in the number of innocent Muslims who have been killed. I am not referring to Palestine, Iraq or Chechnya but to Thailand. It too has become another country in which Muslims are mercilessly assaulted, beaten and killed.

 

Over the past week I have seen pictures of Thai soldiers firing bullets at unarmed protesters, killing 86 of them in cold blood. What pained me most was the shocking brutality of the soldiers. They kicked people with their boots and struck them with their rifle butts. One solider was very obviously enjoying what he was doing.

 

Unfortunately, I never understood what had provoked the soldiers to fire upon an unarmed crowd. Thailand too, it seems, has joined the ?war on terror.? Encouraged by certain countries, it has now embarked on a collision course with a group of its own citizens. No amount of dialogue will satisfy the army?s appetite for striking at the poor and impoverished minority who, in fact, have genuine grievances. But who is there to stop them? Who will? Who can? No one.

 

The time has come for someone to speak out, to call the world?s attention to a gross injustice. Muslims are being slaughtered around the world and no one utters a word in protest. In America, there is now a new law. If you criticize Jews, you are liable to have legal action taken against you. George W. Bush wants the Jewish votes and so he tries to please them. And then of course, there is his opponent, John Kerry.

 

I would like to bring to your attention an article written by Kerry for ?Forward,? a Jewish magazine published in New York. He said he would hound and punish anyone who incited people against Jews or defamed them. He also said far worse things and so to those naive Arabs who are still debating whether Bush or Kerry will be good for the Arabs, I say please go, have a cup of tea and exercise your minds a bit. Alas! we Arabs have not used our brains for a long time. For far too long.

 

Remember that the Bush Arab Islamic policy is the same as the Sharon policy. What is more dangerous is that Bush will certainly use American power and money to attract other players onto his anti-Islamic team. Other likely players include Russia?s Vladimir Putin; the Likud of course is on the team as well as certain anti-Islamic Indian leaders who will join because of their hatred of Pakistan. Even China is a possibility. All of this springs from Bush?s orchestration of the ?war on terror.? It is as if he and his neocons were trying to frighten the world into some kind of alliance against Muslims and Islam.

 

Pakistani President Musharraf is concerned about this and indeed, last month at the UN General Assembly, he spoke of an ?iron curtain descending between the West and Muslims.? History repeats itself as we know and Bush?s attempts to gather support for his ?war on terror? reminds me of Europe?s Holy Alliance in 1815. The alliance was meant to prevent revolutionary change and maintain the status quo after the havoc resulting from the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars.

 

What is most disturbing is the fact that a Bush victory will sharpen the appetites of both the neocons and the Zionists for a prolonged conflict with Islam. Sadly, there are strong indications that Colin Powell who is seen as a moderating influence will not be part of any new Bush administration. His has sometimes been the only voice of reason and it is certain that, as a former general, he fully understands the difficulties and implications of using military force to solve disputes. There has been no hint of dialogue with any of the Muslim countries America has condemned nor has there been any hint of investigation into the causes of international terrorism.

 

The right-wing media has done all it can to heighten anti-Muslim sentiment in the US. Its rhetoric and accusations will drive a number of moderates into the arms of the extremists in the Muslim world. Thus, a new collision with America will become inevitable. The solution to these problems is not military might. Many Muslims believe in dialogue as the answer and certainly, it would be a first step toward arriving at an answer and a solution. Many other Muslims, including me, believe that by giving justice to Muslims, stopping the attacks on Islam and not aligning itself so absolutely and uncritically with Israel and supporting its state-sponsored terrorism, America could at last have peace with the world of Islam.

 

In the meantime, Muslim blood continues to flow.

 

And the Brits promising them they can have their own homeland if they help them beat the Japanese during WW2 and then going back on their promise when they did beat the Japanese doesn't help either. And people ask why Muslims become extremists/ so called terrorist? because Muslims seemed to get screwed everywhere they turn, and when they try to achieve peace they get blasted by lynch mob alliances.

[MaiLuk]

>>And people ask why Muslims become extremists/ so called terrorist? because Muslims seemed to get screwed everywhere they turn<<

 

Screwed often by fellow muslims yes?

[Flashermac]

<< or is blocked here in thailand >.

 

 

What's your ISP. Loxinfo is owned by the PM and does block sites that other ISPs don't.

 

 

p.s. A Buddhist village deputy headman has been found beheaded in Narathiwat. More to come? (Fellow had a Malay sounding name too.)

[kamui]

Here is a short quote from a Thai military chief who doesn't show any remorse about what happened and who even claimed that his was a *soft* approach. With this way of thinking in Thai military and police the conflict might go one for much longer and will cost many more lifes on both sides.

 

Times Asia: Thailand's bloody Monday

For his part, Traikwan Kraireuk, the Narathiwat military chief, is unapologetic about what transpired at Tak Bai. His handling of the protest was "not heavy-handed," he told TIME. He added: "I used the velvet glove. If I used the iron fist, everyone would be dead."

 

1500 dead Thai men, this certainly would solve the problems in the south. ::

[Dexi]

Admitting a mistake = loss of face ,doubly so for a military leader\politician.

[Pharcyde]

jitagawn said:

The central issue as we speak is that Toxin while trying vainly CANNOT control the military. He tried with his nepotistic appointment of family members within the military but it backfired.

 

What excactly were the details in this story, and why did it backfire?

Can anyone enlighten me with some facts here?

 

Cheers,

Pharcyde (now a student)

[chuckwoww]

Pharcyde said:

jitagawn said:

The central issue as we speak is that Toxin while trying vainly CANNOT control the military. He tried with his nepotistic appointment of family members within the military but it backfired.

 

What excactly were the details in this story, and why did it backfire?

Can anyone enlighten me with some facts here?

 

Cheers,

Pharcyde (now a student)

 

That Time article Kamui posted seems to cover the major points made by people on the spot. The demonstrators were protesting previous arrests. They were told to go home. They didn't. The army had instructions to get tough. They did. Beat them up and stacked them five deep in trucks for a few hours. The English language press is 'outraged' but most Thais don't seem too bothered. Except for the people in Pattani of course. Nobody knows how they will react. Sure looks like bad publicity for Thailand but time will tell.

[Guest]

I think the poster's question was not about the events in Pattani, but about the story of alleged Toxin's trying vainly to control the military and his alleged nepotistic appointment of family members within the military which backfired.

 

I haven't heard anything about this so I'd be curious to hear the story as well.

[chuckwoww]

MadMax said:

I think the poster's question was not about the events in Pattani, but about the story of alleged Toxin's trying vainly to control the military and his alleged nepotistic appointment of family members within the military which backfired.

 

I haven't heard anything about this so I'd be curious to hear the story as well.

 

Yeah I think you're right. Sorry Pharcyde. I'd like some background on that too. Wonder if the Nation will do an 'in depth' investigation? ::