At least 30% of Buddhists and 10% of Malay Muslims in southern Thailand have fled their homes since 2004 due to the armed conflict there, according to a briefing by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). The displaced have sought refuge in nearby urban areas, or left altogether the provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat.
Buddhists had accounted for around 20% of the million or so people in the three provinces in 2000. Those who have fled include government employees, teachers, doctors, nurses and monks -- people considered to be tied with the Thai state -- but also peasants and rubber tappers.
More than 4800 people have been killed and nearly 8000 have been wounded since 2004 in the predominantly ethnic Malay Muslim region where 40,000 troops have been deployed to try to halt almost daily shootings and bombings.
The government "has strongly encouraged civilians to defend the 'Thai homeland'" and has provided training and arms to Buddhists, IDMC said, adding that "while probably stemming the exodus of Buddhists, this policy has resulted in an increased ethno-religious polarisation and has heightened risk of incidents and abuses between both communities." |