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| Southeast Asia |
| Thai policewomen to get training to defuse female-led protests in south |
| 2007-01-25 |
| Officials in violence-wracked southern Thailand plan to use more policewomen in delicate standoffs involving female Muslim villagers, believing they can handle potential conflicts more sensitively. Around 65 policewomen in Pattani province are attending a three-day training course to prepare them to manage crowds containing women and children, Pattani Provincial Police Commissioner Maj. Gen. Korkiat Wongworachart said Wednesday. The decision to conduct the special course comes as protests by female Muslim villagers have become more frequent. Such protests are linked to unrest throughout Thailand's Muslim-dominated southernmost provinces, where an Islamic insurgency that flared in January 2004 has led to the deaths of almost 2,000 people. Villagers protesting government efforts to suppress the insurgents often put women and children in the front line in face-offs with police and soldiers. "We have seen a pattern in which they are using women to block roads and demand the release of suspected insurgents," Korkiat said. Last year, a Buddhist teacher held hostage by villagers at a government school in Narathiwat province was beaten unconscious by a female-led mob demanding the release of suspected Islamic insurgents in custody. She died after nearly eight months in a coma. In the most recent such protest, more than 100 female villagers in Pattani demonstrated on Jan. 9 in front of a police station to demand the release of a suspect in the killing of a government official, Korkiat said. The use of male police officers in such situations poses a problem because of Muslim taboos on mixing of the sexes, he said. Korkiat said the use of female police officers would facilitate body searches, considered necessary because there have been cases of male troublemakers disguising themselves as women during protests. "Using male police for body searches would definitely make things worse," Korkiat said, adding that policewomen are also expected to be able to negotiate better with female protesters. "It's easier for them to talk the protesters out of it. They are likely to be more understanding and willing to use softer means," he said. Yes, when you cooperate with your own defeat, it's so much easier on everyone involved - sheesh! |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #2 Let's try settling these matters less sensitively and see how that works instead. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-01-25 09:13 |
| #1 A womans work is never done ! |
| Posted by: MacNails 2007-01-25 08:09 |