Why They Kill the Children?

Kampong Bluka Perak (Baluka Perak) is a  Malay village  lie about 65 km. from Patani provincial town and about 30 Km. from  Narathiwat province, in the sub-district of Bluka Samak,  district of  Bacho, Narathiwat  province, Thailand South. Kampong Bluka Perak  is lie about 5 km. from high way(Patani -Narahiwat )No. 42 on the right side from Patani direction, as another villages around ,              people living in simple life and modesty.  Kampong Bluka Perak  is unknown to many before this tragic killing of  3 boys of Maman  family age 11, 9 and 6 respectively.

The brutal killing happened  on February 3, 2014  at about 21 pm. by  about 10  black uniform gunmen  when Mr. Jehmu and his 3 boys came back from  mosque in the village after Isha(last evening) prayer and about to enter their house. His youngest son Ilyas Maman, 6 years old  was shot dead at the front  door, Mujahid Maman, 11 years old was shot dead inside of the house and Bahari Maman, 9 years old was shot dead in the house  while Jehmu Maman  who was shot at the leg escaped himself by jumping down  from the kitchen of the house and his wife Fadilah was shot at elbow seriously injured and now in the hospital.

Before the tragic Killing

Mr. Jehmu Maman and his wife, Fadilah are the Islamic kindergarten(TADIKA) teacher in the Bluka Perak village and active in the village activities, he loved by all villagers cause of his good characteristic, modesty and helping people, he has no any disputed cases in or out side the village. He has been arrested many times by the Thai state on the security charged according to emergency decree (when the attack happened to the state security forces in the surrounding area), one month before the tragic killing happen-he won the case in the provincial court, come home and stay peacefully with his family.

After the Tragic killing

The brutal killing in this way is not new  that happen to the Malay in this conflict area, on November, 16, 2005 at Kathong village, Rangae district, Narathiwat province ,  9 members of  Aware Buesa family had been killed during they were sleeping peacefully in the house including  8 months old baby. After the killing of both events,  the Thai state voiced that the killing were done by the separatist movement  because   they  were disclosed the information of the movement to the Thai state but people in and outside the village never agree with the Thai security statement , they believed  that  this dirty crime were  done by the security forces(death squad) ofthe state.

Why they kill the children?

The killing of this kind is not new to the Thai state, during fighting with communist party of Thailand in 70s and 80’s, this tactic had been used successfully in order to terrorized and blocked the increasing  members of communist party in the southern part of Thailand. In whatever reason this tragic killing for, Jehmu Maman questioning   that why they killed  the children? and said “ I hope that this going to be  the last case happen to the children” 

Press release

Thailand: UNICEF expresses ‘deep concern’ about violence against children in the far south

BANGKOK, 5 February 2014 – UNICEF today said it was deeply concerned about the continuing violence against children in Thailand’s restive southernmost provinces, including the killing of three young boys in Narathiwat Province on Monday night. 

According to Thai media reports, the boys aged 3, 5 and 9 were shot dead in front of their house by a group of gunmen who opened fire on the family as they returned from prayers at a village mosque. The father and pregnant mother were also injured. Local authorities are investigating whether the incident is related to the conflict in the region. 

“UNICEF strongly condemns this attack against innocent children,” said Bijaya Rajbhandari, UNICEF Representative for Thailand. “We are deeply concerned about the continuing violence against children in the far south of Thailand. This must stop. We call upon all parties involved to do everything to ensure that all children do not fall victim to violence.”

According to Deep South Watch, 62 children below the age of 15 have been killed, and 387 others injured, since the current conflict began in January 2004.

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