Thailand, Malaysia row exposes rift over Muslim rebellion

Agence France Press news agency
03 November 2005

Thailand, Malaysia row exposes rift over Muslim rebellion

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 (AFP) - Shocking by the polite standards of
Southeast
Asian diplomacy, the barbs and accusations traded recently between
Malaysia
and Thailand have exposed a major rift over the Muslim insurgency on
their
border.

At the height of the row last month, Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi
Suphamongkhon said he had stopped speaking with Malaysia, accusing his
counterpart Syed Hamid Albar of grandstanding over 131 Thai Muslims
whose
flight over the border triggered a diplomatic tussle.

Syed Hamid had enraged the Thais by saying they should be more
"mature" over
a consumer boycott called by Malaysian activists, which Thai Prime
Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra reacted to in characteristically angry fashion.

Both sides stepped back this week, with Malaysia saying they realised
there
was no sense in poisoning the entire relationship over the fate of the
displaced Thai Muslims, who said they feared for their lives in their
homeland.

Thailand has insisted that they return, but predominantly-Muslim
Malaysia
says it has a duty to protect Muslim refugees from southern Thailand
-- a
stance which has wide public backing here.

"I think gradually there is understanding that we should manage the
problem," Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said Monday after
meeting his Thai counterpart Chidchai Vanasathidya.

"We should not allow the problem of the 131 to be blown out of
proportion
and... it should not spill over into the other areas in terms of overall
bilateral relations."

But despite the detente, political observers said their worst row in
recent
memory has highlighted serious differences between Thailand and Malaysia
over the handling of the rebellion in Thailand's Muslim-majority
southern
provinces.

And despite Bangkok's attempts to fend off outside interference, the
August
flight of the 131 men, women and children has blasted the issue onto the
international stage.

Former Thai ambassador to the United Nations, Asda Jayanama, said
Thailand
had itself to blame for allowing the issue to slip out of its grasp
and draw
the attention of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the Organisation
of the
Islamic Conference -- the world's biggest Muslim grouping which Malaysia
currently chairs.

"It was mishandled in a sense. Diplomacy was done at the highest
level, the
prime ministerial level. It need not have been that high," he said.
"If you
make a mistake, it's difficult to undo."

Relations between the two countries are improving now that the
"megaphone
diplomacy" has been lowered, Asda said.

"The diplomatic bridge has been burnt, it hasn't collapsed... it's still
there, but it's all charred, it's all black."

Thaksin's management of the hostile south has been widely criticised as
clumsy and insensitive, with too much use of military might instead
of more
subtle tactics like consultation, inclusion and economic advancement.

Bilveer Singh, associate professor in political science at the National
University of Singapore, said Malaysia has been "very irritated" by
Thaksin's barn-storming approach which has only worsened the violence.

And Thailand's claim that Muslim separatists met in Malaysia to plan
attacks
on its territory has cast doubt over Malaysia's cooperation in the US-
led
"war on terrorism", he said.

"That took the situation to a point of no return because it put the
Malaysian government in a very bad light," Singh said.

"And the situation is even worse now because the Thai government
seems to
have lost control of the south," he said of the region where some 1,000
people have died in almost daily bombings, shootings and arson attacks.

Singh said Malaysia had lost its patience after facing flak over the
rebellion, but having no chance to influence the way it is handled.

"The Malaysian government has been counselling restraint for a very long
time but the Thai government is very dismissive, saying they can take
care
of the matter. Then when things are out of control, Thaksin blames
Malaysia
and Indonesia for being responsible for the insurgency in the south," he
said.

Malaysia is aware it could have to bear the brunt of the consequences of
worsening violence in the south, including widening insecurity and a
possible flood of refugees into its northern states.

Religious leaders there, who believe Thai Muslims have been given a
raw deal
by the Bangkok government, have said they will welcome any refugees and
offer them food and shelter.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) officials would not
comment
publicly on the row between two of its most important neighbours, but
the
bloc's former chief Rodolfo Severino said he was confident it was
mostly hot
air.

"They may feel the need to look tough in front of the public.
Countries are
under pressure from their people, especially democratic ones like
these two,
to take a firm stand," he said.

"But these things are invariably solved by compromise."

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