September 11, Crisis Resolution

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"A Coup For Peace"

Dennis Sandole
Prof. of Conflict Resolution and International Relations and Fulbright Visiting Professor of International Studies, Diplomatic Academy of Vienna

Sunday, October 22, 2006

The article "New hopes in Thailand's restive south" (Oct. 17) makes a compelling, counterintuitive case that the recent Thai coup has positive implications for peace between Thailand's new military government and the Malay Muslims in the five provinces of the south. The article suggests that in just a short time the process has gone far beyond where the ousted prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, had ever gone.

There is an important lesson here that deserves to be known far beyond Bangkok: Punishment alone rarely does the trick; it only reinforces the sense of marginalization, oppression, frustration and rage that gave rise to the original attacks against government forces and innocent civilians.

Who would have thought that a military coup would trump the peacemaking of a civilian government? Food for thought.

Dennis J.D. Sandole Arlington, Virginia

-- DENNIS J.D. SANDOLE
Professor of Conflict Resolution and International Relations
Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution
George Mason University

© 2006 The International Herald Tribune