Fears Of Religious Tensions Abound After Buddhist Monk and Two Teens Murdered In Thailand

Bangkok, Thailand (AHN) - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra pleaded for calm in the Muslim south today after the murders of a monk and two teenage boys at a Buddhist temple ignited fears of growing religious tension.


"Even Muslim leaders cannot stand this. It was an act human beings would not dare to do," Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin stated when asked about yesterday’s attack in the Pattani province, in which militants slit the throat of a 76-year-old monk, and burnt his body, along with two teenagers who were praying at the time.


"The culprits will get their just desserts," said Thaksin, urging Buddhists not to take the law into their own hands and seek vengenance in the Muslim-majority region, where over 900 people have died in 21 months of separatist violence.


The violent attacks come during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, during which reports from last year show an intensity of attacks on civilian and government targets, both Muslim and Buddhist, compared to any other time of year.


Two people have been beheaded so far this year, raising the number of decapitations to at least 12 since the unrest began in January 2004. Police also state four Buddhists and two Muslims had been killed in separate attacks in the southern region over the last 24 hours. More than 30,000 troops have been deployed in attempts to halt the insurgency.


The army and police have made little progress in tracking down those behind the daily attacks, or providing a sense of security for the people.