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» 06.10.09 Phuket road blockade over Islamic cemetery |
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06.10.09 Phuket road blockade over Islamic cemetery
The protest outside Thalang Police Station in Phuket.
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The scene on Phuket's Thepkrasattri Road during the protest yesterday.
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THALANG,
PHUKET: Around 500 angry villagers blockaded Phuket’s Thepkrasattri
Road for two hours yesterday after forestry officials arrested about 30
Muslims for trying to clear protected forest land.
Those
arrested wanted to use 30 rai of Pa Bang Khanun Reserved Forest to
build a new cemetery for Muslims from Tambon Thepkrasattri villages 6,
8 and 9.
One of those was the imam of Prusompan Mosque, Sukhum Waree.
Mr
Sukhum said the Phuket Forest Office had promised Phuket Islamic Office
the land two years ago, though the transfer had yet to be made official.
After
armed Phuket Royal Forest Department officers made the arrests about
8am, a huge crowd of protesters closed the road in front of Thalang
Police Station around midday, demanding the immediate release of all
the arrested Muslims.
Long traffic jams built up on either side
of the blockade, causing tourists to miss their flights from Phuket
International Airport.
A crisis meeting at Thalang Police
Station was held, attended by Mr Sukhum, Phuket MP Rewat Areerob,
senior police officers, local politicians and community leaders.
By 2pm it was agreed to release the 30 arrested people and allow them to continue to clear the land as planned.
The protesters immediately disbanded.
Mr Sukhum said he never panicked throughout the trouble “because I did this for my people and not for myself.”
“I knew God would protect me,” he added.
Mr
Sukhum explained that the old cemetery used by the villagers was set on
just 7 rai and was too small to serve the more than 1,000 residents of
the three nearby villages.
Source: Phuketgazette, 06.10.09
http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.asp?id=7853
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