Bangkok (AsiaNews) – Most people do not understand why the government and Muslim separatists are fighting a war in which children orphaned by the fighting are left to fend for themselves. But the war’s statistics are clear: in three years there have been 3,198 attacks in the three southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, 750 against the army, 638 against the police and 1,810 against people.
Srisompop Jitpiromsri, a political scientist at Pattani University, said that so far the conflict has cost the lives of 2,088 people with another 3,290 people wounded, mostly ordinary people hurt in their homes or going to and fro work. People now ask themselves “Who will be next?” On top of all this, the war has created more than 3,000 orphans, many of whom facing economic hardships.
“My husband was head of the village,” Wanida Putae told AsiaNews. “He was killed on November 7, 2005, and I was left with three kids to raise. The eldest, Intat, is 12 years old. I am homemaker and don’t have an education. How can I make ends meet? Our life was ordinary—whenever we had a problem we could ask our neighbours, until the murder. We didn’t see it coming, but I accept Allah’s will. I tell my children to study hard, be honest and forgive. Our friends have remained close. They give strength and told us they’ll always help us.”
Soldiers now guard the village but Wanida’s daughter Intat is not sure “what the problem is, except that someone wants to split the country because of some injustice. I don’t understand why we need to guard the village.”
Such stories are not rare and can be heard in both Muslim and Buddhist families. Petchdao Taumena, a Muslim and a member of the Islam Compromise Committee, told AsiaNews that “there are innocent victims every day. In the past the police was accused of using violence to deal with the problem. They should instead find the culprits and punish them according to the law,” she said.
“Figures by the Social Development Ministry indicate that out of more than 3,000 orphans only 1,171 receive any kind of government care. We should help NGO-run orphanages if we can’t help them directly,” Ms Taumena added. “In the south soldiers, police, teachers and ordinary people live with a cloud of uncertainty hanging over them. Many children saw their parents murdered.”
For one of Wanida Putae’s neighbours, “Thais have never had a religious problem. Muslims, Buddhists, Christians have always lived side by side without any problem, in mutual understanding. Now people are confused; they don’t know what might happen or to whom.”
Hatika Kalae’s husband was killed three years ago. Since then she has not received any help from the government.
“I have five children and no job,” she told AsiaNews. “My cousin is helping me and sometimes my eldest son, who is 11, stays home from school to give a hand with the other children. When they ask about their father I show them his picture. All I wish now is for people to have peace.”
