Tentara Thailand Sanggah Lakukan Kekerasan Selama Ramadan
The Thai Army Denies Using Violence during Ramadhan
Editor : Cahyani Harzi
Translator : Dhelia Gani
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Bangkok (B2B) - Tentara Thailand, Senin, menepis kritik pihaknya telah terpaksa menggunakan kekuatan dan kekerasan dalam menangani tersangka gerilyawan muslim Thailand di provinsi perbatasan selatan selama bulan suci Ramadan.
Wakil juru bicara Angkatan Darat, Winthai Suvaree, mengatakan, personel militer, sebaliknya, telah menekankan memfasilitasi umat Islam dalam menjalankan ritual keagamaan mereka dan memberikan keamanan untuk masyarakat umum.
Dia menyatakan simpati atas insiden kekerasan pekan lalu di mana warga muslim Thailand, yang diidentifikasi sebagai Masupian Mama, ditembak mati di Narathiwat, dan mengatakan korban yang tewas adalah tersangka dalam pembunuhan seorang guru dan beberapa pemboman di provinsi selatan, seperti dilansir mcot.net.
Masupian menembaki personel militer yang tidak punya pilihan selain untuk menembak kembali, katanya.
Dalam kasus lain, Kol Winthai, mengatakan, tentara yang sedang berpatroli memergoki Amli Jehsoh, tersangka dalam membuat dan menanam bom, yang tidak melawan ketika ditangkap, dan rela menyerahkan diri ke pihak berwenang.
Amli dibebaskan dengan jaminan dan diizinkan untuk melakukan upacara keagamaan dengan keluarganya di rumah, katanya.
Mengenai bentrokan dengan lima atau enam gerilyawan di Narathiwat pada Minggu, Kol Winthai mengatakan semua orang dalam kelompok melarikan diri, tetapi pihak berwenang menyita senjata mereka, amunisi, makanan awetan, tabung gas dan beberapa seragam palsu militer.
Dia mengatakan beberapa militan menyamar dengan seragam militer Thailand, menciptakan kesalahpahaman antara rakyat setempat saat kekerasan terjadi.
BulanRamadan berakhir pada 7 Agustus.
Bangkok - The Thai army today brushed aside criticism that it has resorted to force and violence in dealing with suspected militants in the southern border provinces during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Army deputy spokesman Winthai Suvaree said that military personnel, on the contrary, have emphasised facilitating Muslim people in observing their religious rituals and providing security to the general public.
He expressed sympathy over a violent incident last week in which a Thai Muslim citizen, identified as Masupian Mama, was shot dead in Narathiwat, saying the dead man was a suspect in the murder of a teacher and several bombings in the southern province.
Mr Masupian fired on military personnel who had no choice but to shoot back, he said.
In another case, Col Winthai said soldiers on patrol came upon Amli Jehsoh, a suspect in making and planting bombs, who did not resist arrest, and willingly turned himself in to the authorities.
Mr Amli was released on bail and allowed to perform religious ceremonies with his family at home, he said.
Regarding a clash with five or six militants in Narathiwat on Sunday, Col Winthai said all the men in the group fled, but the authorities seized their arms, ammunition, preserved food, a gas cylinder and some military camouflage uniforms.
He said some militants disguised themselves in Thai military uniforms, creating misunderstanding among the local populace when violence took place.
The fasting month of Ramadan ends on August 7.
