The Right Hon Chaisiri Anamaran

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Malaysia

Royal Thai Embassy

Dear Sir,

We, Malaysians of various faiths, would like to express our profound sadness and grave concern over the incident in southern Thailand early last week, which occurred during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

We regret the six deaths that has been earlier condemned as resulting from a disproportionate use of force to quell a demonstration by Muslim youths. However, the ensuing deaths of 78 demonstrators from suffocation as they were being transported in military trucks is horrifying and shocking beyond belief.

The scale and manner of these deaths is well beyond what is considered sane and civilised behaviour by the security forces of a democratic nation.

As a democratic nation, the government of Thailand has the solemn obligation of protecting the security and rights of its minority citizens.

We urge your government to promptly conduct a thorough and independent investigation and bring to justice those responsible for this tragic loss of lives in order to restore the confidence of Thailand's aggrieved Muslim minority and that of the international community.

We trust that your government will exercise greater wisdom to peacefully resolve the escalating and increasingly violent crisis in southern Thailand in the time-tested Asean spirit of dialogue and consensus.

Finally, we would like to convey our deepest sympathy and condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy.

The writer is the chairperson of the Muslim Professionals Forum.