The Malaysian government should be seriously concerned about the deteriorating security situation in the Muslim-majority provinces of south Thailand as a result of the repressive policies of the Thai government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The killing of five Thai soldiers last week in an ambush highlights the erosion of security in these provinces. In the last 21 months, more than 1,000 people, most of them civilians, have been the victims of the spiralling violence there.

Many, including respected human rights groups, believe that it is the impunity enjoyed by the Thai security forces involved in violation of human rights that is fuelling the violence in the provinces. For example, the Thai government has failed to take action against those responsible for:

the abduction and killing in March, 2004 of Somchai Neelapajit, a prominent human rights lawyer representing two Thai Muslims facing terrorism charges.

the unnecessary use of lethal force and killing of 110 persons armed only with machetes, most aged between 15 and 20, on April 28, 2004 in the historic Kru Se Mosque.

the death of 85 protesters on Oct 25, 2004 in Narathiwat province. Seven of them were shot and killed by the security forces and 78 were suffocated or crushed to death as they were being transferred to detention camps.

The Thai ruling elite mistakenly considers the violence in these provinces as a law and order problem and not one rooted in historical injustices. They refuse to recognise the historical fact that a century ago, there was a Muslim sultanate in these provinces.

The grievances are political which requires a political solution to end the conflict. The conflict in the Muslim south, unless resolved, can have serious implications for peace in the region and the world.

The Muslims in the northern states of Malaysia and south Thailand are bound by common ties of family, religion, language, culture and history. Inevitably, Malaysia, and probably Indonesia, would be drawn into the conflict if it worsens.

In order to curb the violence and to find a long-term solution to the conflict, the Thai government should:

Repeal the draconian Emergency Decree.

Withdraw the armed forces from the Muslim south.

Take steps to develop a democratic local police force composed of members of all ethnic groups and steeped in human rights culture.

Set up forums composed of representatives from government, human rights groups, and local community organisations to discuss and find solutions to the political, economic, and cultural aspects of the conflict.

Try the four generals implicated in the Kru Se and Tak Bai deaths in April and October 2004 and named by the investigative commission. Those responsible should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, not merely subjected to disciplinary actions such as transfers.

Establish a special commission to investigate the rash of disappearances in the Muslim south, many of which are suspected to be the result of kidnappings by state officials, with particular attention to the case of the human rights defender, Somchai Neelaphaijit.

Our Foreign Ministry should take active steps to persuade the Thai government to abandon its policy of violence and repression in dealing with the conflict in the Muslim south and to seek a solution through dialogue and negotiation with the people.

Inaction on our part would inevitably lead to the widening of the conflict which would affect our national security.

The writer is the chairman of Citizens International.