Asia Security
Monitor
No. 68, February 25, 2004 Indonesian navy foils Aceh rebel piracy in Malacca Strait;
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February 14: Three Indonesian warships interdicted a piracy attack by Aceh separatist rebels in the Malacca Strait, reports the Asia Times. The Malacca Strait, located between Indonesia and Malaysia, is traversed daily by over 600 ships and has been ranked the foremost area in the world for international piracy. International security consultants warn of the twin dangers of terrorism and piracy along vital maritime passages, stating that al Qaeda has noted vulnerabilities that can be exploited at sea. (See Asia Security Monitor No. 67 – Scotland Yard Memo: Bin Laden’s international navy). February 17: Drug abuse is raging out of control throughout Southeast Asia, according to a recent United Nations report cited by the Bangkok Nation. Even though opium poppy cultivation has shifted primarily to Afghanistan, the most prevalent Southeast Asian illicit drug has quickly become the highly-addictive meth-amphetamine. The narcotic is produced and trafficked by the Burmese junta's chief tribal ally, the Wa United State Army [WUSA], who are considered the world's largest drug trafficking group. An opium crop substitution partnership with Rangoon in WUSA territory - primarily funded by Thailand - has not made a dent in Wa’s meth-amphetamine trade. The Nation adds, the Thai government was duped by "the generals in Rangoon, whom Bangkok tried to please at all costs, even if it meant making a Faustian deal with the Wa." In the Philippines, the communist New People's Army (NPA) has continued attacks across the country, despite entering into peace talks with the Philippine government in Oslo, Norway, the International Herald Tribune reports. The talks seek to end the 35 year-old communist insurgency in the Philippines. The most contentious issue in the Oslo talks is the designation of the NPA as "terrorists" by the United States and some of its allies. February 19: After having dismissed Islamic terrorist violence in southern Thailand as no more than domestic disputes, the Thai prime minister is now proposing drastic measures to stop increased infiltration of foreign-trained fanatics, reports the BBC. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has proposed building a fence along Thailand’s border with Malaysia in an attempt to stop infiltration of militants, as well as tightening regulations on Muslim schools in the region. Thaksin also proposes to spend tens of millions of dollars towards the development of the south. So far, more than 40 people have been killed by the violence. The BBC observes that Muslims constitute four percent of Thailand's population and live in an area rife with poverty. The Muslim areas are also affected by poor relations with corrupt officials appointed by Thaksin's government. Some locals in the area say elements in the police and military are involved with the insurgents in gun-, oil- and drug smuggling rackets, and in human trafficking, which only adds to the violence. February 20: Terror threats have caused the immediate closing of hundreds of state run schools in the Muslim-dominated Thai provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, reports the Bangkok Nation. Soldiers have been dispatched to guard schools after anonymous letters threatened to harm students and teachers. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra called for an emergency meeting with security agencies after six new terror attacks occurred during a visit to the region by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who is highly revered throughout Thailand. Although local residents have condemned the violence, they also resent martial law imposed in their communities by authorities in Bangkok. |
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Copyright
© 2004, American Foreign Policy Council.
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