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| Southeast Asia |
| Thai cabinet extends emergency rule in Muslim south |
| 2008-04-18 |
| Thailand's Cabinet approved a three-month extension of emergency powers in the country's Emergency powers, which are renewed by the Cabinet every three months, cover the provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, where an insurgency has left more than 3,000 dead since violence flared in 2004. The state of emergency allows the government to impose curfews, prohibit public gatherings, censor and ban publications, detain suspects without charge, confiscate property and tap telephones. It also gives officials legal immunity for acts — including killings — carried out under its provisions. Human rights activists have criticized the continued use of emergency rule, saying it has failed to contain violence and has worsened the situation by allowing violations of constitutional rights. Friday's extension came a day after the National Security Council lifted martial law, imposed nationwide after a September 2006 military coup, in all areas of the country except the restive south. Since the coup, martial law had gradually been lifted in about half of Thailand's 76 provinces, including the capital, Bangkok. Thursday's move ended martial law in 179 districts across 31 provinces where it was still in place, Samak said. It remains only in the three southernmost provinces and five districts of Songkhla province, which borders the insurgency-hit area, Samak said. |
| Posted by:ryuge |