Rangers in the Deep South visited the family of a local human rights activist one day after he organised a seminar on torture.

According to Wartani News, four rangers from a Special Task Force in Itimung Village, Mamong Subdistrict, Sukhirin District of the Deep Southern province of Narathiwat, at 1 am on Wednesday, 2 March 2016 visited the house belonging to the mother of Isama-ae Tae, president of HAP, a civil society human rights group in the region.

The rangers told his brother that they wanted to discuss with Isama-ae a programme called ‘Bring People Home’, a state-led policy to foster reconciliation between Deep South dissidents with the state, and other issues.

The activist implied that the timing of the visit was dubious because it happened only one day after HAP organised a seminar to collect information on allegations of torture and ill treatment in the region in cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) of the UN.

‘The rangers claimed that they only did it with good will for the development of the region, but as I was affected, I want them to clarify this because it affected my life to a certain extent’, said Isama-ae.   

He added that he is not calling for special privileges or refusing to cooperate with the authorities, but simply wants his rights to work on human rights issues protected and free from intimidation.

Isama-ae was once arrested under Martial Law, which has been imposed in the region for more than a decade, while he was a student, but was later released without charge.

He filed a lawsuit against the authorities in the Administrative Court, alleging that he was tortured in custody and was detained for more than seven days, the maximum period of pre-charge detention allowed under Martial Law.

He founded HAP with other Deep South activists to campaign against torture and ill treatment.

Isama-ae Tae