LAST week’s murderous attack on visiting farmers in Pattani puts the southern conflict at a crossroads. It gives the government clear notice that the country is facing mortal danger. …

The attack on Friday on an agricultural team was more than just another escalation of the conflict by southern extremists. …

… Now in its 10th year, the uprising has even tried to equate murders of civilian teachers as attacks on the state. But Friday’s ambush of the farmers is well beyond that justification. For some time now, the gangs of the deep south have stepped up adoption of the tactics of international terrorism….

Anti-government groups have increasingly made it a point to single out Buddhists as targets for murder or terrorism. They have affirmed their warped claims to be fighting for their religion, and have intensified their demands for ethnic cleansing of the region they lay claim to. One must also not dismiss the foreign influence in the deep south. …

… An OIC delegation visited the south [in January] … [and] called again for talks between the government and the southern gangs — impossible for now because the insurgents remain anonymous. … [T]he OIC should condemn the attack on farmers in the Thai South.

…The murderous attack on the farmers escalates the war to a crisis point. Unless the government adopts new strategies and tactics, it will start to face a national disaster.—(Feb 4)