January 4, 2005

Pattani schools reopen, but not Yala

WASSAYOS NGARMKHAM MUHAMMAD AYUB PATHAN

More than 100 public schools in Pattani province closed for 12 days

after the slaying of two teachers in the province will reopen today, but

schools in Yala have decided to suspend classes indefinitely.

Wimol Chankaew, chief of education zone 2 in Pattani province, said

teachers would resume classes today though they were fearful about their

safety.

Teachers' representatives would also meet security officers and

provincial authorities to discuss possible safety measures.

More than 100 primary schools with almost 20,000 students were closed

after two teachers were killed on Dec 22.

Manoon Koch-on , 52, a physical education teacher at Ban Pakaharang

school in Pattani's Muang district was shot dead by a motorcyclist rider

who followed him from school. Later that day Suthee Meesrisawat, 46, of

Ban Korortanyong school in Nong Chik district was shot dead on the

Pattani-Yala road in Yarang district.

Bunsom Thongsriprai, chairman of the association of teachers and school

administrators, said the association has worked out a tentative safety

plan for teachers and would forward it to the deputy director of the

Southern Border Provinces Peace-building Command (SBPPC), Siva

Saengmanee.

The association wants security officers to tighten the guard on

teaching personnel and designate clearly who will provide the

protection.

``Before, teachers did not know which military or police units were

responsible for security in their areas due to frequent changes of

units. There is a lack of coordination among security officers

responsible for areas adjacent to nearby provinces. Officers often pass

the buck to other security units when a shooting occurs in their area,''

said Mr Bunsom.

He proposed the SBPPC and the Fourth Army Region's forward command

collect telephone numbers of all security units providing protection to

teachers. Teachers would also give their telephone numbers to the

units.

Mr Siva said today's meeting with teachers and security agencies was

expected to come up with a clear-cut security plan.

A meeting of the Yala teachers federation yesterday decided to close

all schools in education zones 1 and 2 until the security situation

returns to normal, according to Prasit Suwannapho, chairman of the

federation and directors of schools in education zones 1 and 2.