Security officials in deep South stay alert

BANGKOK, March 3 (TNA) - Despite the recent signing of a peace agreement with an insurgent group to end violence in deep South, security officials operating in the troubled region have been ordered by army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha to stay more alert because fighting still continues there. Gen. Prayuth said several insurgent factions continue to make movements even after the peace agreement was signed and that he had ordered officials to become more alert. He said the signed peace agreement is one of several ways to end the bloodshed in the region and that the government believes it could improve overall situation. The peace agreement was signed in Kuala Lumpur last Thursday by National Security Council secretary-general Lt. Gen.Paradorn Pattanathabutr and Hassan Toyib, chief of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional liaison office. But violence still continues since then. More than 5,000 people have been killed mainly in three southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat since the conflict reignited in the Muslim-dominated provinces in January 2004. Gen. Prayuth said the signing of the peace agreement does not guarantee for an end of the violence and soldiers there would continue to perform their duty and would not be withdrawn from the area. He said two sets of committee would consider whether leniency under Article 21 of the Internal Security Law would be given to insurgents who surrender to the government. The use of the Article is “sensitive”, Gen. Prayuth added. (TNA)