Opposition urges Thai PM to review peace talks with BRN

BANGKOK, June 2 (TNA) – Thailand’s major opposition Democrat Party has urged Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to review an ongoing peace talks with southern rebels, saying that the government should be the party in making conditions and not the rebels. Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Miss Yingluck ought to review peace talks held in the past two rounds before a fresh one is held on June 13 because the number of innocent people killed and wounded by the insurgents in deep South in the past three months still remained high. He reasoned that the government should lay out conditions in the peace dialogue with representatives of Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) and not the latter. Conditions demanded by the BRN were not part of the agreement and should be discussed outside the dialogue and set up small working group to fix regulations, especially on how to reduce violence in the area, said Mr. Abhisit. Agreements reached by members of the small working group can then discuss by the two parties, he noted Abhisit made his proposal was made after the BRN laid out five conditions a few days before the second round of peace talks were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on April 29. The five demands include a release of all detainees held on security-related charges and dropping of all arrest warrants, recognition of the ownership rights of the Malay Muslims of the “Patani” territory, and to acknowledge the BRN as a liberation movement. Meanwhile, police in Hat Yai district, near the Thai-Malaysian border, early Sunday searched rented houses in the district which they believed insurgents would use as hideout or being used for storing weapons. However, police found only a number of foreigners and youths staying there during the search. The search was made after security officers had warned police in the district to stay on alert as insurgents might launch a series of violence in the area before the third round of peace talks is held. (TNA)