Monday, September 5, 2011

Pattani prison rioters win concessions

Islam has won a battle in the global jihad in Thailand. Authorities have given in to Muslim prisoners demands because of the prisoners riots. The Muslims rioted because they refused to accept a small group of Buddhist inmates appointed as warden's assistants. This is in keeping with Koranic teachings that no non-Muslim will be placed above any Muslim.

Three of the Buddhists were beaten to death. For the administration to give into the Muslims rather than prosecute for murder demonstrates total cowardice and will only result in more Muslim demands and riots.


FROM BANGKOKPOST.COM:

Pattani prison rioters win concessions

Published: 5/09/2011 at 04:12 PM

Rioting inmates in Pattani Central Prison ended their protest on Monday afternoon after senior officials in the province accepted their demands, including that Buddhist prisoners appointed as warders' assistants be replaced with Muslims.

Three inmates were killed by other prisoners during the riot, which began on Monday morning.

Reports said more than 40 prisoners started attacking about five fellow inmates, who fled to the roof of a dormitory. However, three of them subsequently fell from the roof and were seriously hurt.

Rioters in Pattani Central Prison kill three other prisoners on Sept 5, 2011, as prison warders try to control the situation. (Photo by Muhammed Pares Lohasan)

All three were reportedly beaten to death by the rioting inmates.

Prison warders were unable to help those attacked inside the prison because they were heavily outnumbered by the rioters, whose numbers swelled to about 200 after prison staff were forced to release more prisoners from Narathiwat and Yala blocks.

The reports said the 1,200 inmates in Pattani Central Prison split into two groups. About 800 joined the rioting, while about 400 others decided not to take part in it.

Officers said some rioting prisoners were pounding on the walls, as if attempting to break out.

More than 300 police, soldiers and administrative staff from other areas were rushed to the prison to help control the situation, Pattani Central Prison chief Arwut Suwanno said.

Pattani deputy governor Lertkiat Wongpopan also hurried to the prison and called an urgent meeting on the situation.

A prison source said the riot began with scuffle between a large group of Muslim inmates and a small group of Buddhist inmates who had been appointed as warders' assistants.

The Muslim rioters claimed those warders' assistants, led by Phanuwat Khong-in, had treated them unfairly, particularly in regards to food allocation and management within the prison kitchen.

Phanuwat was one of the three prisoners killed.

Representatives of Muslim inmates submitted a letter to prison executives and senior provincial administrators, saying they would end the riot if they agreed to after their demands.

They demanded changes in the way inmates are regulated in prison. They wanted stringent regulations to be relaxed. The inmates assigned to manage the prison's kitchen must be replaced with Muslim inmates. Inmates assigned to help wardens inspect inmates' belongings and those in other prison units must be replaced with Muslim inmates as well. Buddhist inmates that have created conditions leading to the riot must be relocated to other prisons. But those getting involved in the protest must not be relocated.

Senior provincial administrators led by Mr Lertkiat and prison executives agreed to accept protesting inmates' demand after discussing it in a meeting. Most protesters were eventually satisfied by those authorities' decision.