Some paper birds vent fury against `bandits'

WASSANA NANUAM

Some paper cranes sent to the deep South conveyed provocative messages, blaming militants for the killing of innocent people and asking them to stop violent attacks.

Though the government had urged Thais across the country to fold paper cranes as a gesture of goodwill and peace, some people used the cranes to vent their anger at those who killed people and officials.

Local residents received paper birds and found some messages which read: ``Bandits are fire and Thais are friends''; ``Stop killing Thai people'' and ``All bandits must die''.

Mae-eya Bula, 15, a Narathiwat resident, collected a paper crane with the message: ``I want to kill militants.'' The crane was sent from Maha Sarakham province.

``I understand that the owner of the crane wanted to kill bandits. I, myself, don't like bandits and don't want to see them killing people either, whether they are Buddhists or Muslims,'' said Miss Mae-eya.

While millions of cranes were dropping from the sky, a fake bomb was found in front of a vending stall at a local market in Tak Bai, Narathiwat province.

Sources said leaflets had been distributed in Ra-nage and Tak Bai districts threatening locals who picked up the cranes.

The leaflets asked local people not to collect cranes, saying they would not be safe if they ignored the warning.

Pol Sen Sgt-Maj Huhammad Sukree Susen, of Tak Bai station, said police and soldiers have increased security for locals following rumours about threats to the lives of those who collected the paper cranes.

Mama Sama-ae, 35, said he heard the rumours about threats to lives but he and his family ignored the threats and joined others in collecting the symbols of goodwill.

He also said that there were a lot of paper cranes on the roads in Narathiwat and many motorists stopped their vehicles to collect them.

In many instances this led to near accidents, though none was reported yesterday that blamed paper birds as being the direct cause.