The intrepid mujahedin, gunning down teachers and forcing school closures in the entire province. Later on, they, along with analysts in the West, will complain about the region being poor and underdeveloped, and say it causes jihad. But this is a classic example of jihad causing poverty, and obliterating the means of improving one’s lot in life.
“Call for Thai school closures after teachers killed,” by Rapee Mama for Agence France-Presse, September 7 (thanks to Dumbledoresarmy):
NARATHIWAT, Thailand — Two teachers were among five people killed in a string of attacks by suspected militants in Thailand’s restive south, sparking calls for schools to be closed, officials said Tuesday.
The spike in violence came as the military raided a forest camp they said had been used for militant training — the biggest such find since the insurgency flared up in the region more than six years ago.
A 54-year-old teacher was shot dead and his wife, 52, fatally wounded on their way to work in Narathiwat province on Tuesday. Their deaths bring to 135 the number of teachers killed in the violence-ridden south since 2004.
The Narathiwat Association of Teachers called for all schools in the province to close for three days to allow the authorities to tighten security.
“We don’t want any more teachers to die because they do not have protection,” said association head Boonsom Thongsriplai.
Some of Narathiwat’s 400 or so state-run schools are believed to have closed already and more are expected to shut from Wednesday.
Teachers working in state schools are frequently targeted because they are seen as a symbol of government authority in the south, where Islamic insurgents view the education system as an effort by Bangkok to impose Buddhist culture….