Thai soldiers raid rights group's office

THAI security forces raided the office of the Working Group on Justice for Peace (WGJP) in Pattani early morning yesterday amid warnings from the powerful Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) that southern Thai separatists may disguise themselves as human rights defenders.

WGJP chairman Angkhana Neelaphaijit said soldiers stormed the office at about 5am but did not arrest any of the volunteers who were asleep.

"When I asked the officer in charge of the raid (over the phone) if he had a search warrant, he said there was no need for one as it was conducted under the martial law.

"I contacted the Fourth Army Chief to show our displeasure and concern over the raid," she said when contacted.

Angkhana, wife of missing lawyer and human right defender Somchai Neelaphaijit, said the soldiers left three hours later after searching the premises, which serves as the base for WGJP to carry out fact-finding missions on the situation in the restive south.

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

Bangkok has dispatched over 20,000 soldiers and police to battle separatists who use guerilla tactics.

Isoc had said that a total of 85 violent attacks took place in the region in January alone, killing 44 people and injuring 79, with Pattani recording the highest number of incidents, followed by Narathiwat, Yala and Songkhla. Angkhana said the incident occurred following the February 4 dialogue between police, soldiers and human right defenders and student activists in Yala.

She said authorities might be worried with numerous fact-finding missions that had revealed cases of abuse, torture and extra-judicial killing.

She also said that the raid could be a warning to the human right groups.

"They cannot simply accuse human right defenders without any evidence. We have students as volunteers." Bernama