Torn By Terror

Country: Singapore
Runtime: 23 Mins
Language: English
Year of Production: 2006

A wave of attacks in southern Thailand forced the government to stop blaming "bandits" and acknowledge, for the first time in decades, that Islamic separatist militants were operating in the country. On 05 January 2004 Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra declared martial law in the region, consisting of the provinces of Satun, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. The south of Thailand has historically served as a dumping ground for corrupt and/or incompetent civilian and military officials. This has been further aggravated by the population's ethnic make-up, predominantly Thai Muslims, which has produced a major degree of alienation intensified by government misadministration.

Since 2004, more than 1,300 people have been killed. As militants fight for independence from the central government, villagers in Yala, Patani and Narathiwat have started to arm themselves, learn how to shoot and patrol the streets. Even monks are hiring bodyguards. Unravel the reasons behind the violence in this documentary film.