By Kristy Tridhavee
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Asia

BANGKOK, Thailand – The Thai Cabinet has extended emergency rule in Southern region of the country to deal with a separatist rebellion by Malay Muslims despite criticisms from human rights groups.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej extended the state of emergency for three more months Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces, where a separatist insurgency is raging. The emergency rule has been extended 10 separate times, putting emergency rule in place for a total of thirty-three months.

In response the repeated extensions, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, said, “The emergency rule will not continue forever because the situation is improving, but as of now we really need it.”

The emergency rule provides security forces with broader immunity from prosecution while giving them wider powers of search and seizure. Persons may also be detained up to thirty days without charges.

Several human rights groups have criticized the continued emergency rule inSouthern Thailand because it creates a culture of impunity.

More than three thousand have died since 2004 when the separatist insurgency began. The killings have become more frequent and brutal as time has gone on despite the Thai government’s assurances that things will improve.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Thai Cabinet Extends Emergency Rule in Muslim South – 18 April 2008

Bangkok Post – Emergency Decree Extended in Deep South – 18 April 2008

MCOT Thai News Agency – Cabinet Approves Three-Month Extension of Emergency Rule in Restive South – 18 April 2008