A student organisation in the restive deep south of Thailand has called on the Thai junta to respect the civil and political rights of people in the region and pointed out that human rights have deteriorated under the junta’s rule.  

The Federation of Pattani Student and Youth (PERMAS), a student organisation based in the southern border province of Pattani, on Thursday afternoon issued a statement to condemn the arbitrary detention and searches of students in the region on Tuesday.

According to PERMAS, military and security officers on Tuesday briefly detained about 50 students in the region, one of whom were Fradi Salae, the secretary-general of PERMAS, while carrying out a massive search of the PERMAS office and student dormitories, citing their authority under martial law.

The officers also demanded DNA samples and confiscated communication devices and computers of students, added PERMAS.

In the statement, PERMAS pointed out that the actions of the Thai authorities reflected the prejudices that the Thai authorities have towards Muslim students who engage in activities to promote the peace process in the restive south.

The arbitrary measures of the security officers will put further obstacles in the way of the reconciliation process between the Thai state and the southern insurgent groups in the region, PERMAS added.

The student organisation concluded in the statement that Thai people from the deep south and other regions, including international organisations such as UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the European Union (EU), should coordinate efforts to improve the worrying human rights situation in Thailand under military rule.

Moreover, PERMAS urged media outlets presenting news on the deep south to refrain from presenting distorted information, which could further worsen the human rights situation in the region.