Academics in Thailand are beginning to ask this question & in the months toward the end of 2009, there were a number of big academic seminars focused on problems in the Deep South. They covered a range of issues, and were hosted by institutions in both Bangkok and the South, with the dominant themes being Autonomy, Pattani history, Human Rights and the Government’s response to solving the conflict. All of which did not shy away from criticizing government policy or providing alternative solutions.

The “Non-Violence Global Political Sciences”, held by Prince of Songkhla University, looked at solving the political issues of the Deep South. The main discussion looked at methods to stop the violence, by promoting grassroots approaches as a counter to an increasingly top-down method. The also looked at ways to ensure the military strategy was led by the political rather than the other way around.

Prince of Songkhla University, supported by the Research Centre for Peacebuilding of Mahidol University, held a conference on the possibility of an autonomous area in the South, and looked at the experience of autonomy in other countries such as Aceh in Indonesia, Midanao in Philippines, and minority groups in China & New Zeland.

“Phantasm in Southern Thailand : Historical Writing on Patani and the Islamic World”, held by Walailak university, Chulalongkorn university, National Discovery Museum Institute and Thailand Research Fund, in Bangkok, was biggest ever conference about the conflict in the Deep South and had speakers from around the world. Focused on the history of Pattani, the general consensus was the government needed to pay more attention to the historical roots of the conflict – the Patani empire, and the particular identity of region’s people.

However, since the conflict began in 2004, there have been over 1000 published academic articles and books on the situation in the Deep South, and yet violence continues and no real progress seems to have been made. All of these conferences are lacking a crucial element – the participation of local people. The question should not only be about the government response, but where is the space for local people in the peace process? Only then will we see progress in the conflict on Thailand’s Deep South.

Posted by Kokaew Wongphan, 13 January 2009

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They initially found funding from the East West Institute (EWI), and the  focus of their activities is on promoting trust and cooperation amongst the many ethnic groups in the region. The council publishes a tri-lingual youth magazine called ‘Youth Bridges’, which brings together voices of youth activists from across the Balkans. YC4CBC actively promotes education, and provides students in Kosovo, Serbia, & Macedonia with information about courses, seminars, & projects, available to them.

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The organisations promotes peaceful approaches to conflict resolution and collaboration between communities. Through its “Pride of Place” competition, Cooperation Ireland encourages  people to come together to take pride in their communities. Co-operation Ireland’s youth & education projects – Artlinks and Civic-link - bring together young people from all communities and gives them the opportunity to meet & learn about other cultures.

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National Youth Survey

SPARC are currently undertaking a survey of young people nationwide, including in the North & East, in order to gather information that will inform the development of a national youth policy under the government’s Youth Ministry.

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Protecting IDP’s from Sexual and Gender-based Violence

This project is aimed at reducing sexual and gender-based violence committed in the IDP welfare centres, and to provide assistance to those affected by sexual and gender-based violence. It also aims to educate and caution potential offenders against gender-based violence in the future. Through these means the initiative makes a positive contribution to the healing and conflict transformation process in the larger ethnic conflict, which is essential for sustainable peace building.

From the reduction in the number of complaints RDF receive at the counselling centres, it seems that a considerable number of problems are addressed through the initiative. A reduction of between 45% and 60% is perceived along with the increased awareness among women on their rights, and the authorities they can contact for support in cases of a sexual violence.

Conflict Transformation

This project addresses people of all ethnicities who live in seven selected districts affected by the war, and involves them in a series of seminars and workshops run in order to train local communities and individuals in conflict transformation. It operates in rural Sri Lanka and works hard to bring together different ethnicities in the same training.

Participants are given the skills to transform their conflicts, and encouraged to form community-level organisations. These organisations are intended to be the first step towards the processes of community development and reconciliation that are needed so that the war-affected people can transform the conflict.

Peace Programme for Muslim IDPs

This programme brings Muslim IDPs together with other communities in their area to bring about a solution to resettlement and develop a sustainable peace. RDF provides them with the knowledge to develop sustainable solutions for their relocation, and helps them meet with different groups who can provide assistance. The project aims to reduce conflict between IDPs and their host communities by improving relations between the two groups; ending the isolation of Muslim IDPs and bringing them support from other communities in their bid to resettle.

Awareness Programme on the UNCRC

By promoting the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Sri Lanka, this initiative hopes to see – and indeed has seen – more children in education in the target areas, less child labour, and a focus on bringing children up in a non-violent environment. Ensuring that when the children of today become the decision-makers of tomorrow, they will take with them a doctrine of peace.

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Multi-ethnic Pre-schools

Since 2000, Sithumina has been involved in the establishment of multi-ethnic pre-schools in villages in Kahatagasdigiliya and the surrounding area as an alternative to the existing method of separating pre-school children according to ethnicity. The schools include children from the Sinhalese, Muslim, and Tamil communities, and represent the various religions within those groups. The teachers are also drawn from all these ethnicities and religions and are specially trained in working with multi-ethnic groups. The goal of the schools is to teach Sri Lankan children, and by extension their parents, the value of mutual respect and friendship between different ethnicities.

Celebrating Festivals of All Religions

In order to emphasise the right of each religion in the region of Anuradhapura to celebrate their festivals, and to improve inter-religious cooperation, Sithumina promotes the celebration of the major festivals of each religion on a cross-community level. Celebrating significant festivals of all religions provides an opportunity for the villages to congregate, and to respect and support each others’ religions; promoting religious and ethnic harmony in the area.

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Inter-ethnic Commercial Networks

This project aims to re-establish business connections between Sinhalese, Muslims and Tamils, thereby reducing fears each ethnicity has of the other and building trust. Participants are selected from interested young farmers, fishermen and small-business people in different areas. They receive training on how to strengthen a multi ethnic society through commerce.

Co-existence through Pre-schools

This project provides multilingual teachings in pre-schools to ensure fair and equal representation within communities. This serves to educate young children about other ethnicities present in their communities and creates respect and tolerance. All generations are seen to benefit from this schooling project as families come together to raise money and restore the buildings.

Road and Drinking water provision for a Multi ethnic village

This project brought together the two different ethnic communities within a village to unite them on a single project. By working together to achieve a new road to connect the separate communities, and creating the infrastructure to provide access to drinking water the two separate groups were able to realise they both want and need the same things; regardless of different ethnic backgrounds. This understanding is fundamental to achieving peace; developing person-to-person relationships and creating a sense of community belonging and purpose.

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Vocational Training for Women Affected by War

Working in collaboration with the Jaffna Technical College, JASC provides vocational training for women from internally displaced communities and their host communities in Jaffna. Individuals are given the skills to make a living, and by providing shared skills development training to both IDPs and their host communities the project creates person-to-person relationships that reach across ethnic divides.

Shelter for Internally Displaced Persons

Jaffna has over 20 years’ history of IDPs, and this project aims to move them away from the refugee camps into a safer, more secure, and healthier environment by providing them with semi-permanent houses. Through the provision of semi-permanent houses it is hoped that IDPs will be able to begin to return a more normal, settled lifestyle, away from the mentality of waiting to leave at any moment. IDPs have a space they can call their own again, a feeling of security, and hope for the future. Adults are motivated to return to work, and children see the purpose in education and study. IDPs are encouraged to integrate into the host community and the likelihood of conflict is reduced.

Safe House for Women and Children

Since 2003 JSAC has provided an immediately accessible secure place for children and women affected by violence, providing temporary shelter, medical and legal care. Further, acting on the information given by those seeking shelter, the initiative carries out awareness programs designed to address the root causes of violence in specific locations. The project provides a much needed facility in this conflict-affected community.

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Fundamental Rights Programme

WCF established the Fundamental Rights Programme to tackle what they saw as the widespread linguistic, cultural and religious discrimination Tamil people in Puttalam face, particularly from government institutions. Many government officers speak only English and Sinhalese, causing communication problems, and effectively leaving Tamils live without basic education, healthcare, and legal protection.

Initiated in 2003, this project aims to involve Tamils and government officers to raise awareness of fundamental human, children’s, and group rights. By informing the two groups about rights and responsibilities, WCF hope to improve the relationship between them – easing the current tension and creating a significant and long-lasting impact on ethnic conflict in the area.

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