Innocents killed

Both the defence minister and the 4th Army chief have accepted the finding of an independent committee that military rangers wrongfully shot dead four villagers in Pattani.

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After the killings, the pick-up clearly showed the rangers' firepower, and Muslim men prepared the dead for burial and grieving women and children watched.

Sukumpol says innocents killed

Wassana Nanuam,
Muhammad Ayub Pathan
Waedao Harai
 
Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat has accepted military rangers wrongfully shot dead four villagers in Pattani.

ACM Sukumpol yesterday agreed with the conclusions of an independent report that volunteer rangers killed four innocent people in Nong Chik district of Pattani on Jan 29.

The minister said the military accepted the conclusions of a fact-finding committee, and justice would be served and damaged parties would be compensated in accordance.

However, ACM Sukumpol said he also sympathised with security officers who risked their lives and were killed every day protecting workers, teachers and monks in the southern border provinces.

He said authorities would use better technology to boost security operations. Improved checks on vehicles, motorcycles, mobile phones and ID cards would now be carried out.

With stricter controls, ACM Sukumpol said the security situation in the far South would improve gradually.

He admitted the narcotics and weapons trade, and money laundering were adding to the violence, but said the authorities were trying to isolate that from insurgency violence.

Meanwhile, at a press conference in Pattani, 4th Army chief Lt Gen Udomchai Thammasarorat said the rangers involved in the villagers' deaths were responding to an incident in the area and heard a gunshot at the scene.

However, he said he accepted the conclusion of the fact-finding committee, which was also recognised by villagers and an Islamic committee member.

Four people in a pickup were shot dead in Ban Kayi village as rangers were hunting a group that had just attacked their base in Nong Chik.

At the press conference, the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) handed 400,000 baht to relatives of each dead villager. The shooting also wounded five people.

rangers –soldiers who are specially trained to make surprise attacks on an enemy ทหารเฉพาะกิจสำหรับสงครามกองโจรหรือการจู่โจมอย่างกะทันหัน
firepower – the number and size of guns that an army, a ship, etc. has available กำลังอาวุธ
burial – the act of putting a dead body into the ground, or the ceremony connected with this การฝังศพ
grieve – to feel very sad, especially because somebody has died เศร้าโศก, เสียใจ
innocent – a person who has not done anything wrong ผู้บริสุทธิ์
accept – to agree to or approve of something ยอมรับ
conclusion – something that you decide is true after consider all the evidence and thinking about it carefully การสรุป,บทสรุป
independent – done or given by somebody who is not involved in a situation and so is able to judge it fairly อิสระ, ไม่ขึ้นใคร
volunteer – someone who joins a military force without being forced to do so อาสาสมัคร
justice – fairness in the way people are dealt with ความเป็นธรรม, ความถูกต้อง, ความยุติธรรม
party – one of the people or groups of people involved in an official argument, arrangement or similar situation คู่กรณี
compensate – to pay money to someone because something bad has happened to them  ชดเชย
in accordance with – following a rule or system สอดคล้องกับ
sympathise with – to support someone or something เห็นอกเห็นใจ
security – protection; systems providing for safety from attack, harm, or damage ระบบรักษาความปลอดภัย
risk your life – to do something that puts your life in danger เสี่ยงชีวิต
protect – to make sure that somebody/something is not harmed, injured, damaged, etc ป้องกัน,อารักขา,คุ้มกัน
border – the official line separating two areas, regions or countries  เขตแดน อาณาเขต
authorities – people who have the power to make decisions or enforce the law เจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจ
boost – to increase เพิ่ม
operation – a planned activity involving a lot of people, especially soldiers or police officers การปฏิบัติการ
improved – better  ดีขึ้น
strict – very careful and exact เข้มงวด
gradually – slowly and in small stages or amounts อย่างทีละน้อย
admit – to agree that something is true, especially when you are unhappy, sorry or surprised about it  ยอมรับ
narcotics – illegal drugs such as heroin, cocaine or crystal methamphetamine  ยาเสพย์ติด
weapon – an object such as a knife, gun, bomb, etc. that is used for fighting or attacking somebody อาวุธ
trade –  a type of business การค้าขาย
money laundering – hiding the origin of money obtained from illegal activities by putting it into legal businesses การฟอกเงิน
violence – physical force with the deliberate intention of causing damage to property or injury or death to people ความรุนแรง
isolate – to set apart from; to disconnect from แยกออกมา ตั้งอยู่เดี่ยวๆ
insurgency – an attempt by a group of people to take control of their country or the area where they live by force การจลาจล
meanwhile – at the same time ในเวลาเดียวกัน
press conference – an official meeting where someone makes a formal statement about a particular issue or event to journalists and answers their questions about it การแถลงข่าว
involved – taking part or having a role in something เกี่ยวข้อง
respond – to say or do something as a reaction to something that has been said or done โต้ตอบ, มีปฏิกิริยากับ
incident – something that happens, usually something bad เหตุการณ์
scene – site; a place where something happens or happened สถานที่เกิดเหตุ
recognise – to accept that something is true or important ยอมรับ
base – a place where an army, a navy, etc. operates from ฐานทัพ, ฐานที่มั่น
relative – a member of your family ญาติพี่น้อง
wounded – injured, especially where your skin or flesh is damaged, usually seriously บาดเจ็บ