Four People Killed On Sunday In Thailand Not Militants

BANGKOK, Jan 31 (Bernama) -- The initial investigation into an incident has shown that four people who were shot dead by rangers in Pattani in southern Thailand on Sunday night were not militants as alleged by the authorities earlier. Deputy Prime Minister in charge of national security Yuthasak Sasiprapha who insisted on Monday that they were militants and not civilians said on Tuesday the initial investigation indicated otherwise. However, he said, a thorough investigation was being carried out to ensure justice for both the authorities and ordinary villagers. "All parties including the military and provincial authorities are joining the investigation into the incident, including in determining if the military operation had followed the proper procedure. "If the authorities were wrong, it means they were wrong but if the authorities were right, they have to explain to the people," he told reporters, here. Four villagers from Kampung Tanjung Buluh, Nong Chik district, Pattani, who were travelling in a pick-up to attend a funeral at a nearby village, were killed in the Sunday 8.30pm attack. Four other passengers were injured with three in critical condition, while one escaped unhurt. Yuthasak on Monday claimed that the four dead were not civilians and alleged that the rangers were attacked first by assailants with an M79 grenade launcher. The authorities also claimed they found an AK-47 in the pick-up. However, the passenger who escaped unhurt and refused to give his name told reporters yesterday that a group of gunmen in ranger uniform sprayed bullets at their pick-up and denied that the villagers carried any weapon. The incident has sparked outrage in the south and Yuthasak on Tuesday vowed to prevent the situation from worsening. He said the investigation would not take long to complete for the people to know what actually happened. More than 4,000 people have died since suspected separatists resumed their armed campaign to seek independence for the three southern provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala eight years ago. -- BERNAMA Malaysia