Thailand: War Escalates in the South

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June 29, 2007: The war against Islamic terrorism in the south is heating up. Rebels are killing 20-30 people a week, but the police are now getting sufficient information to make many more arrests. Over 200 arrests have been made in the last ten days. The terrorists have responded with several bomb attacks a week, and growing use of roadside bombs against police patrols. The government has been pressing traditional leaders for information on terrorists, and that appears to have had some success. But the terrorists have increased their pressure on Moslems who they suspect of cooperating with the government. Long term, the Moslem population (two million) is too small, in relation to the national population (65 million) to support a successful separatist movement. Most Thai Moslems understand this, and live in fear of a violent backlash from the government. A violent government crackdown is more in line with Thai tradition.

 

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