Article 69

VILLAGE ANGERED BY MILITARY EFFORT TO ENLIST THEIR HELP

Community labelled `sympathetic' to separatists after confrontation

Story by WASSANA NANUAM

Ai Batu village's overt resentment of soldiers on a mission to enlist anti-insurgent allies in local communities has given way to the village being labelled ``sympathetic'' to separatist militants.

The predominantly-Muslim village in the insurgent heartland of Narathiwat's Sungai Padi district does not see eye-to-eye with authorities.

Villagers say the mistrust began after the soldiers branded their community a logistics base for insurgents. The soldiers, on the other hand, insisted there would be no conflict if the village did not take the terrorists' side.

The simmering mistrust came to the boil on Saturday when more than 1,000 residents confronted half a dozen soldiers on patrol and drove them from the village.

Waving sticks in the air, the villagers accused one of the soldiers of firing birdshot at a motorcyclist. News of the shooting spread, unleashing villagers' deep-seated resentment against the soldiers.

Villagers formed a human chain to corner the soldiers in a local school. The soldiers fled to the second floor and escaped via a window and the back door.

Malek Musor, a 12-year-old sixth grader, said many young people joined the stand-off.

Family members told them that soldiers had abducted innocent villagers and framed them for crimes that they did not commit.

``I don't like soldiers. They're bad and we don't want to befriend them,'' he said. Malek admitted he was afraid the confrontation might have turned into a bloodbath. He thought the soldiers might shoot the villagers.

Aduenan Johama, 13, said the authorities had no business being in Ai Batu. ``They don't belong here. Why won't they leave us alone?''

Makata Tohwae-aye, 40, the village headman, said the villagers' dislike of the authorities went back a long time and had worsened since the Jan 4 armoury looting in the province in which soldiers and police sought out and ``arbitrarily'' arrested senior prayer leaders.

Soldiers thought looters had hidden weapons in the village.

Clerics and residents were nervous that they may be on the authorities' blacklist and some went into hiding overseas. Villagers blamed the soldiers for making their loved ones leave.

Mr Makata denied that his village had allied itself with terrorists or insurgents despite intelligence reports of its ties to the Bersatu and the Pattani United Liberation Organisation.

The army and police had tried in vain to build community relations with Ai Batu, offering free medical help, but villagers were not interested.

Mr Makata said the soldiers' presence in the village would only divide people. Anyone seen speaking to the soldiers ran the risk of being attacked by insurgent sympathisers.

Fourth Army commander Pisarn Wattanawongkeeree said Ai Batu remained one of the most inaccessible and insurgent-prone areas of Narathiwat. The soldiers had been replaced by a squad recruited from the Ubon Ratchathani-based battalion which had served as peacekeepers in East Timor.

The patrol would be kept in place while Her Majesty the Queen was visiting Narathiwat.

Lt-Gen Pisarn said the village sheltered hit-and-run attackers who murdered anyone, from rubber tappers to officials.

Col Atthaporn Bosuwan, head of the psychological warfare project, said he was determined to win the hearts and minds of villagers.

His unit was trying to create understanding between the residents and authorities. But the job may now have to wait until tension eases, he said.