The Dynamics of Ethnic Conflict in Southern Province Thailand Andi Firmansah
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Nation State: Journal of International P ISSN 2620-391X Studies Vol. 1 No. 1 | Juni 2018 E ISSN 2621-735X The Dynamics of Ethnic Conflict in Southern Province Thailand Andi Firmansah International Relations Department, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesia Email: [email protected] Submitted: 14 November 2019 |Accepted: 22 Desember 2019 Abstract This paper explains how the ethnic conflict process that occurred in the Southern Province of Thailand to the process of resolving conflicts between the Government of Thailand and local residents in the Southern Province of Thailand. The conflict is based on the history of the Southern Thailand region between the Thai Government and the Malay Muslim population. Then, it caused conflicting attitudes and behaviors in responding to this conflict from each of the warring parties. This paper uses the concept of the conflict triangle from Johan Galtung where this conflict comes from perceptions based on historical differences, then followed by differences in conflicting behavior from each party and differences in interests. Then, using the concept of the source of conflict from Bernard Meyer, the source of the conflict that comes from historical differences so that it affects how to communicate, emotional reactions, values and structures owned. Then, using the concept of the stage of conflict resolution from Johan Galtung, this conflict is at the peacekeeping level where Malaysia is the mediator between the two warring parties. In resolving conflicts, both parties need to change attitudes and behavior in transforming different interests. Keywords: Ethnic, Conflict, Resolution, Southern, Thailand. Abstrak Tulisan ini menjelaskan bagaimana proses konflik etnis yang terjadi di Provinsi bagian Selatan Thailand hingga proses penyelesaian konflik antara Pemerintah Thailand dan penduduk setempat di Provinsi bagian Selatan Thailand. Konflik yang terjadi berdasarkan sejarah wilayah Thailand Selatan antara Pemerintah Thailand dan penduduk Muslim Melayu. Kemudian, menyebabkan sikap dan perilaku yang bertentangan dalam merespon konflik ini dari masing-masing pihak yang bertikai. Tulisan ini menggunakan konsep segitiga konflik dari Johan Galtung dimana konflik ini berasal dari persepsi yang didasarkan pada perbedaan sejarah, kemudian dilanjutkan oleh perbedaan perilaku yang bertentangan dari masing-masing pihak dan perbedaan kepentingan. Kemudian, dengan menggunakan konsep sumber konflik dari Bernard Meyer, sumber konflik yang terjadi berasal dari perbedaan sejarah sehingga mempengaruhi cara berkomunikasi, reaksi emosional, nilai dan struktur yang dimiliki. Kemudian, dengan menggunakan konsep tingkatan penyelesaian konflik dari Johan Galtung, konflik ini berada pada tingkatan peacekeeping dimana Malaysia menjadi mediator diantara kedua pihak yang bertikai. Dalam menyelesaikan konflik, kedua pihak perlu untuk mengubah sikap dan perilaku dalam mentransformasikan kepentingan yang berbeda. Kata kunci: Konflik, Etnis, Resolution, Southern, Thailand. PENDAHULUAN The existence of a state cannot be It is coming from their parents who seperated from the interaction of its also belongs to some tribes or ethnics. citizen. Usually, the people within state In some moments, the people will also will belong to some tribes or ethnics. have their own religion or belief as the 210 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 2 No. 2 | Desember 2019 E ISSN 2621-735X _________________________________________________________________________________ citizens. Later, the people will interact they might be treated different from with other people coming from their other majority groups. It may come same or different ethnic and beliefs. with the reason of different of culture, Their interaction will result to their attitude, language and religion; descendants who then they become government policies form, laws and the next citizen live in a state. The total economic system; and the opposite of people who belong to some ethnics group. Those differences raising compared by the whole total of people among the ethnics (between majority in a state may determine that particular and minority) may lead to the conflict. ethnics considered as the majority or It can be the conflict between the minority. For instance, in Indonesia, government and the people or among according to Badan Pusat Statistik the people. (BPS), from hundreds ethnic that exist, According to Surwadono, Javanese put as the majority with the conflict phenomenon exists among percentage 40,05 % from whole total the people that mostly happened in of Indonesia people and Islam also as republic states rather than state with the majority religion in Indonesia with monarchy system. He argued that it the percentage 87, 18 % (Badan Pusat caused by the greater democracy index Statistik, 2015). rate in republic states compared to the As the citizen of a state, the state with monarchy system. people will do their responsibilities and Moreover, in conflict among the also they will get their rights from the people, it is mostly caused with the state represented by the government. dimension of ethnic, religion, race and For example, the citizens have to pay inter-group (SARA/Suku, Agama, Ras tax to the state as one of their dan Antar golongan). responsibilities and the government The writer will discuss the will provide some infrastrcuture as the conflict happened in Southeast Asian fasilities for the right of citizens. countries. In Philippines and Thailand, Beside that, each citizen will also be the position of majority and minority protected by the state like having group contribute to the ongoing of religion. conflict. The case of Mindanou and As what existing in world Patani were considered as the conflict situation nowadays, some ethnic between the regimes dominated by the groups in some countries are majority and group and faced the categorized as the minority and they minority group. Moroever, the have to face difficult condition to be majority group will usualy claimed the minority. As the minority groups, their group as the national identity in 211 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 2 No. 2 | Desember 2019 E ISSN 2621-735X _________________________________________________________________________________ their state. Meanwhile in some of century, ASEAN started to open Indo-China countries, conflicts that themselves and considered that happened represent as the communism did not became the threat disagreement of authoritarian and anymore in the region. The conlflit of repressive state policy towards the political ideology was also happened in citizen. They will only run the program Indonesia in 1960s when unnder from the government because there is Soekarno’s administration. He no other possible alternative reason strongly rejected the role of allies they could choose.(Surwandono & countries such as United Kingdom and Ahmadi, 2011). make it considered as ideology conflict In other countries located in between nationalism versus Southeast Asia, the conflict that based colonialism-imperalism took the place. on religious ideology and political Soekarno argued that the Malaysia and ideology mostly happened. The Singapore were supported by the location of Southeast Asia as the inter- United Kingdom and make those two continent bridge causes the spread and countries become their tool to exchange of religious and political strengthen their power in the area of ideology becomes so rapid. As what Southeast Asia. happened in Indonesia, the debate This paper will focusly discussed between two biggest muslim the conflict taken place in Southern organizations, Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) Thailand. In beginning of 2019, Al and Muhammadiyah had escalated Jazeera reported the assault happened until its climax point in 1970s. In in Wat Rattananupab Temple in Su Malaysia, the rising of al-Arqom Ngai Padi district of Narathiwat organization under the leadership of province.(Quinley, 2019) The assault Ustadz Azhari Muhammad had made resulted the killing of two monks and this organization considered as two others that wounded. Responding prohibited and perverted organization to the attack, the Thailand authorities spreading in Malaysia. suggested all monks in southern For political ideology example, it province to stay inside the temples. had ever been happened among The Prime Minister of Thailand, ASEAN member countries with the General Prayuth Chan-o-cha also spread of communism ideology in condemned that assault and instructed 1960s-1990s as the impact of the Cold their officials to inverstigate the party War led by United States with that played behind this case. liberalism and Soviet Union with Previously, there was also attack in Communism. Later in the end of 20th Thailand’s deep south as it was 212 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 2 No. 2 | Desember 2019 E ISSN 2621-735X _________________________________________________________________________________ happened earlier when two different Malaysian government as the attack happened on the same day. facilitator between the Thailand Those attacks targeted a school and a government and the Separatist hospital which then resulted a 12-year- Groups. The first negotiations was old student and a soldier at the school held first since 2013 between Thailand wounded. The attacks also happened government under the leadership of with a car bomb located in Thepa Yingluck Shinawatra and the Barisan district, Songkhla province that Revolusi Nasional