Ex-security chief rebukes Angkhana over insurgency, backs martial law

Former chief of the Special Operations Centre at the Armed Forces Security Centre, Lt Gen Nanthadet Meksawat, has hit back at Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit, a former member of the National Human Rights Commission, over her recent remarks reminding the military to observe the rule of law and the principles of human rights in its operations against insurgent groups in the deep south.

In a Facebook post, Nanthadet responded to Angkhana's warning by asking why she had not reprimanded the insurgents over the killing of five paramilitary rangers while they were carrying out their duties to protect local residents.

"Did you ever think that the rangers had families to care for and loved ones waiting for them at home … the home to which they had no chance to return?" he asked.

Nanthadet questioned whether it was right for the 13 insurgents to kill the five paramilitary rangers and whether they had violated religious principles, the law or human rights.

He said state authorities had faced difficulties in arresting the insurgents, adding that they had to seek help from village heads and religious leaders to persuade them to surrender.

He said security forces also had to wait for the insurgents to open fire before responding, even though the rules of engagement under martial law allowed them to use force immediately, which they chose not to do.

Nanthadet then recalled his experience serving in the restive southern provinces two decades ago, saying he had warned human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit , Angkhana's husband, who later disappeared, as well as southern politicians Den Tohmeena and Nadhudin Uma to exercise caution. He said he had even assigned armed bodyguards to protect them.

He said the government of then-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra did not approve of his actions. He further claimed that, after Somchai disappeared without a trace, he travelled to the southern provinces to investigate and even took Angkhana with him.

In the end, however, he said he came under pressure to withdraw.

"Nonetheless, you should have known what happened to Somchai and who was behind his disappearance. For that matter, you should be aware that most soldiers perform their duties based on the facts and do not always follow the government's wishes," Nanthadet said.

Meanwhile, former National Intelligence Agency chief Nantiwat Samart said the government had chosen the right course by invoking martial law in Narathiwat to deal with the insurgency.

He described the killings of the rangers as acts of terrorism, "not an expression of differing opinions", adding that if the insurgents refused to surrender, they should be eliminated.