Hundreds of southern insurgent suspects detained in military bases for occupational training programmes and banned from returning home by order of the 4th Army Commander, finally came home and met their families after the ban order was lifted.
On Nov 18, 180 detainees who had been released from the Surat Thani military base and had been staying at the province's main mosque travelled to their home provinces by buses provided by the Governor of Surat Thani.
They were released by court order on Oct 30, but could not return home until the 4th Army Commander's ban order was revoked on Nov 16.
At the main mosque in Yala, the home province of many detainees, family members both cried and smiled to see them after 5 months of separation. However, anxiety still ran deep beneath the surface as to how they would live in their communities.
Two mothers from Bacho and Khuen Bang Lang sub-districts in Bannang Sata district told Prachatai that afterward they would stay close together, and would not let their sons go out alone, because they were not sure if their sons would be taken away again as there were soldiers patrolling in their villages every day and violence still continued.
The mother from Khuen Bang Lang said that before the arrest and detention her son went to school in Yala town everyday. Now she still had not figured out what to do with his schooling as commuting to school every day might be risky.
The 4th Army Commander Lt Gen Viroj Buajamroon issued an order under Martial Law on Nov 16 allowing the detainees to enter their provinces including Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Songkhla from 9 am of Nov 18 onward, citing as reasons the changing situation, the upholding of democracy through the upcoming elections and the proper observance of Islamic tradition.
Related news:
Three vocational training detainees rearrested; police threaten others
Military policy for the South: Creating Refugees?
Court to Rule on Detention of Southern Suspects in Occupational Training Camps
Southern suspects complain that 4-month occupational training is illegal
Missing lawyer's wife warns of state detention camps for suspects in the South
Translated by Ponglert Pongwanan
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