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| Southeast Asia |
| BRN militants reject current Thai peace talks |
| 2015-10-13 |
| [Bangkok Post] A major faction in Thailand’s southern insurgency emerged last week to reject Malaysian-led peace talks being held with the Thai government. However, the hard-line National Revolutionary Front or Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) also claimed to be willing to open substantive negotiations, provided international mediation can be guaranteed. Begun in May, the talks have brought together Thai negotiators and an umbrella organization of several separatist factions known as "Mara Patani" which Malaysian officials have implied includes the BRN. Representatives of the usually secretive BRN stressed the party was not involved in the talks hosted by the Malaysian government and views them as a "negative phenomenon". In an interview in a regional capital outside Thailand, four officials of the BRN's "Information Department" discussed the party’s views on negotiations as well as concerns over the extremist ideology of the Daesh. A spokesman who introduced himself simply as "Yusef", said the BRN’s rejection of the talks with Mara Patani hinged on several issues. The real sticking point in the party's call for renewed dialogue will be its insistence on international mediation. |
| Posted by:ryuge |