Public Statement
Shooters of Imam of Ban Ubeng Mosque, Yaha
District, Yala, Condemned
State Urged to Strengthen Protection of Religious Leaders
State Urged to Strengthen Protection of Religious Leaders
On Tuesday 14 November 2012, Mr. Abdullatae Toedae, an imam of Ban Ubeng Mosque, Tambon
Patae, Yaha District, Yala was gunned down. War weapons were fired against him
from a pickup truck without any fear of legal sanction and the arrest by
officers. The incidence took place on a public road no. 4085 (Yala-Sabayoy)
in broad daylight and in the middle of bursting neighborhood close to the Phra
Yupparat Yaha Hospital, Yala. The imam was there to pick up his wife and
daughter who were having treatment for asthma at the hospital.
Mr. Abdullatae Toedae was Chairperson of the
Imam Association of Yaha District and a member of the Yala Provincial Islamic
Committee. In September this year, he was also appointed Secretary General of
the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC) as part of the
Inquiry Committee on the incidence in which the officers were accused of
shooting down five villagers from Moo 6, Ban Sa-ae, Krong
Penang District, Yala, on 19 April 2012.
Mr. Abdullatae had been contributing immensely
to provide humanitarian and legal assistance to villagers and was a member of a
village-based network formed by the Muslim Attorney Centre Foundation (MAC). He
was recognized by his social work and the assassination of him this time has
undermined confidence in security measures to protect people’s lives and
properties and legal measures to bring the perpetrators to justice. In
addition, the assassination against him was conducted without any fear of legal
sanction. This will naturally cause concern for life among local religious
leaders. In the past more than eight years, a number of religious leaders have
been targets of intimidation and assassination. This horrendous murder shall
cause wider implications and become an obstacle to peaceful solution for unrest
in the local area.
The Muslim Attorney Centre Foundation (MAC)
and the undersigned organizations would like to convey our condolence to
relatives and family of the slain imam. Apart from condemning the perpetrators,
we would like to urge everyone to be aware of the right of innocent people to
conduct their life peacefully. We urge that the government invest all efforts
to bring to justice the perpetrators and to provide for security measures to
protect local religions leaders who command much respect and faith from local
believers. It should help to restore people’s trust in the ability of the state
to protect people and to uphold nonviolence as a major venue to put an end to
the mayhem.
With salam and dua,
1. Yala Provincial
Islamic Committee
2. Muslim Attorney Centre
Foundation (MAC)
3. Cross Cultural
Foundation (CrCF)
4. Islamic Culture for
Development Center (PUKIS)
5. Network of Paralegals
of the Muslim Attorney Centre Foundation in the Deep South
6. Promoting Human Rights
and Access to Justice Networks (HAP)
7. Deep South Woman
Association For Peace (Deep Peace)
8. Network of Volunteer
Undergraduates in the Deep South (IN south)
9. Network of Victims of
Security Cases
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
May peace prevail with those committed to justice
May peace prevail with those committed to justice
No comments:
Post a Comment