Islamic separatists say slayings in southern Thailand will be paid in "blood and tears," urge Muslims to rise up

ROHAN SULLIVAN, Associated Press Writer
AP Worldstream
04-30-2004
Dateline: BANGKOK, Thailand
Islamic separatists in southern Thailand urged all Muslims to rise up and warned that the slaying of 108 alleged militants by security forces this week would be paid for "with blood and tears."

They also warned visitors to stay away from some of the most popular tourist sites in southern Thailand _ sending shivers through an industry that forms a huge chunk of the country's economy.

Already, some governments were issuing travel warnings. Australia and New Zealand, whose people come to Thailand in their thousands every year, advised their citizens to defer travel to Thailand's south because of the violence.

The threats were posted on the Internet site of a once-strong Islamic separatist movement that disbanded years ago but maintains a presence on the Web. It was impossible to confirm the origin or veracity of the statements, one in English and another in a southern Thai dialect.

It was not clear exactly when the statements were posted, but they refer to Wednesday's bloody violence in three southern provinces, in which heavily armed security forces responded with deadly force to coordinated attacks by young men armed mostly with machetes.

The death toll was 113, including five troops. In the bloodiest incident, security forces opened fire on the historic Kreu-Sae mosque in Pattani province, killing 32 alleged militants.

The statement on the Web site of the Pattani United Liberation Organization urges Muslims to "stand up and fight against the Siamese with all means. Don't let those who sacrificed in Kreu-Sae pass for nothing."

"We want to warn the Siamese that the lives of (southern Thais) are valued and you have to pay for those lives with a very high price, with blood and tears as well," it says.

Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist country, was once known as Siam.

Security officials worry that Wednesday's attacks could be a watershed for a growing insurgency in the provinces on the border with Malaysia, the only Muslim-majority region in Thailand.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, and officials say little is known about the current separatist movement. But they say the number of fighters is in the hundreds, including some who have been trained overseas, and their goal is a separate state.

The other statement on the PULO site warned visitors to Thailand not to travel to the deep south provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Satun and Songkhla _ or the neighboring provinces of Phuket, Pangnga, Krabi and Pattalung, home to some of the spectacular beaches that help draw about 10 million of tourists a year to this country and contribute up to 14 percent of its gross domestic product.

"Pattani people are not responsible for anything (that) happens to you after this warning," the statement said, without elaborating.

Tourism officials worry that the escalating violence could create a perception of insecurity.

"Of course the TAT is concerned about what's happening in the south and last night with the PULO Web site," said Thanit Phetsuwan, a spokesman for the Tourism Authority of Thailand. "The rest of Thailand is still safe for tourists," he added.

PULO was one of Thailand's largest separatist groups, commanding up to 20,000 armed guerrillas at its peak in the late 1970s, before a government amnesty defused the group in the early 80s. But violence flared again this year.

Copyright 2004, AP News All Rights Reserved