Indonesian press furious over detainees' deaths in Thailand

JAKARTA (AFP) - Indonesia's press has expressed fury over the deaths of 78 Muslim protestors in southern Thailand and warned that the incident would increase tension in the predominantly-Muslim region.
The English-language Jakarta Post blasted the Thai government's early attempts at explaining the cause of the death of the protestors on Tuesday.
"Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's remarks blaming the high death toll on detainees conducting the obligatory Ramadan fasting, drug use among protesters or that there were too few trucks due to a public holiday, is simply unacceptable," the Post said.
The Post warned that the incident would only further inflame unrest in southern Thailand "to a critical boiling point."
Thaksin promised an official investigation Wednesday after initially blaming the effects of fasting and drug use for the high death toll.
Most of the detainees suffocated while packed inside trucks transporting them to an army camp in Pattani province after being arrested in the wake of clashes Monday with security forces.
The Muslim-oriented Republika daily called Thai security forces' treatment of the detainees "savage, condemnable and a crime against humanity."
"The international community should condemn (the actions of Thai security forces) and demand accountability from the Thai government," the paper said.
Republika pointed out that unrest in southern Thailand stemmed from discrimination suffered by the minority Muslim community there.
The leading Kompas daily blamed security forces' "recklessness and foolishness" for the deaths, which it described as scandalous.
"The death of dozens of people on Tuesday will only further escalate tension in a dramatic way," Kompas said.
Islamic and human rights groups in Asia have expressed outrage at the deaths.
Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said Wednesday Jakarta was concerned by the escalating tension in southern Thailand "but we are confident that the government of Thailand will conduct an appropriate inquiry."

10/28/2004 - 03:20 GMT - AFP