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Southern Thailand Protest Letter
by Dr. Mazeni Alwi
29th October 2004
The Right Hon. Mr. Chaisiri Anamaran
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Malaysia
Royal Thai Embassy
206 Jalan Ampang
50450 K. Lumpur
Dear Sir,
We, Malaysians of various faiths would like to express our profound sadness and grave concern over the incident in Southern Thailand early this week, which occured during the Muslim holy month of Ramadhan.
We regret the 6 deaths that has been earlier condemned as resulting from a dispropotionate use of force to quel a demonstartion by Muslim youths. However, the ensuing deaths of 78 demonstrators from suffocation as they were being transported in military trucks was horrifying and shocking beyond belief.
The scale and manner of these deaths is well beyond what is considered sane and civilized behaviour by the security forces of a democratic nation.
As a democratic nation, the government of Thailand has the solemn obligation of protecting the security and rights of its Muslim minority citizens.
We urge your government to promptly conduct a thorough and independent investigation, and bring to justice those responsible for this tragic loss of lives in order to restore the confidence of its aggrieved Muslim minority and that of the international community.
We trust that your government will exercise greater wisdom to peacefully resolve the escalating and increasingly violent crisis in Southern Thailand in the time-tested Asean spirit of dialogue and consensus.
Finally, we would like to convey our deepest sympathy and condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy.
The Muslim Professionals Forum
Contact :
Dr. Mazeni Alwi
Chairman
Muslim Professionals Forum
mazeni@ijn.com.my
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