SEPARATISTS DISMISS REPORT "PONDOK" SCHOOL BREEDING GROUND FOR INSURGENCY

BANGKOK, June 24 (Bernama) -- A separatist group fighting for the
independence of three Muslim-majority provinces in southern Thailand has
dismissed a report by the International Crisis Group (ICG) that the Islamic
"pondok" school system is being used in any way to propagate violence.

The Pattani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo) said it believes that such
a report was designed to undermine the religious school system in the southern
provinces.

Pulo Foreign Affairs chief Kasturi Mahkota said certain elements were
meddling with and interfering excessively in the "pondok", which he described as
educational centres and respectful social institutions, and disturbing the
natural, peaceful way of life there.

He said the report on "Recruiting Militants in Southern Thailand" released
Monday seemed solely for the interest of or on behalf of the Thai
ultra-nationalist movement, which only served to emphasise the lack of
full-scale and neutral journalistic ethics in the coverage of the conflict in
Pattani.

In the report, ICG said that private Islamic schools or "pondok" schools
have become breeding grounds for insurgency as separatist groups are using them
to recruit and train young Muslims.

More than 3,500 people have died in daily violence since separatist groups
resumed their armed campaign in January 2004 to seek independence for the three
Muslim-majority provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat.
-- BERNAMA