“Unrest … caused by Muslim rebels seeking secession from predominantly Buddhist Thailand.”
And what would happen if the proverbial Coyote ever caught the Roadrunner? Would there be peace, and would life then go on? It’s much more likely the “rebels” seeking their own country to run would proceed to turn violently on one another over the implementation of Islamic law and the consequent legitimacy of any government.
This conflict is underway in Afghanistan, it is in somewhat early stages Bosnia as Saudi-inspired jihadists gain strength and support, and it has been raging in Somalia for years. Funny how that keeps happening. “Two killed, five wounded in Thai south unrest,” from Reuters, August 23 (thanks to Sr. Soph):
YALA, Thailand – Suspected Muslim insurgents shot dead two people and wounded five others in three separate attacks in the space of one day in Thailand’s restive south, police said on Monday.
The incidents all took place between Sunday night and Monday morning in Pattani, one of three provinces plagued by six years of bloody unrest, believed to be caused by Muslim rebels seeking secession from predominantly Buddhist Thailand.
A Muslim man, formerly a local politician, was shot dead and a village chief wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire as they drove a pickup truck to morning prayers on Monday, police said.
In another attack on Monday, a Buddhist couple were shot and wounded on their way to work at a construction site.
The previous night, a Muslim village official was shot dead in front of a school by mystery assailants, police Lietenant Mana Naktang said. Two bystanders were also wounded.
More than 4,000 people have been killed since a decades-old rebellion resurfaced in 2004 in the mainly Muslim provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, which border Malaysia.
No group has claimed responsibility for the violence, for which there has so far been no known evidence of links to foreign militant networks.
Except ideology.
The attacks have ranged from drive-by shootings and sabotage to bombings and beheadings. Targets are usually Buddhists and Muslims associated with the Thai state, such as police, soldiers, government officials and teachers.