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| Southeast Asia |
| 21 Islamic schools 'fostering militancy' face closure in Thailand |
| 2004-07-26 |
| Authorities yesterday threatened to shut down 21 Islamic boarding schools in the deep South and throw their owners in jail, after accusing them of being breeding grounds for militants. Intelligence information indicated that students and teachers from the 21 schools, known locally as pondoks, have been involved in creating violence in the region, Deputy Education Minister Sutham Saengprathoom said. The Education Ministry will summon the schools' owners and teachers to ask for their cooperation in the detection of militant movements in their respective schools, he said. If the owners refuse to cooperate, they will be imprisoned for six months or fined Bt50,000 - or both, he said, adding that the schools will also be shut down. Of the 21 schools, five are in Yala while there are eight each in Pattani and Narathiwat. The government has clear information that teachers at two of the schools have indoctrinated their students with anti-government sentiment, Sutham said. He said staff at the two schools were indirectly involved in violence in the region. "Within a couple of days the ministry will summon owners and teachers of the two schools first, and the other 19 will be called later when we find clear information," he said. Sutham declined to name the two schools in question. |
| Posted by:TS(vice girl) |
| #1 'Bout damn time. I particularly like the "throw their owners in jail" part. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-07-26 10:58:08 PM |