In Ben Brown's report "Ukraine crisis, Thousands demonstrate in rival rallies", he reported that while the political struggle is divided to the Pro-Russian in Crimea peninsula and the Ukrainian nationalist which the first side really want to be a part of Russia, but the latter want to remain the status quo, the Pro-Russian supporters had beaten their opponent's in the rally to celebrate the 200-year birth of Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko in Sevastopol. Despite the persuasions from several public figures such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UK's PM David Cameron, Russia's President Vladimir Putin still strongly tightening Russian military units in order to protect Russian interests and Slavic ethnic in that peninsular, which the referendum to separate Crimea would be held on this Sunday.
What is the root of the crisis? The decision of the former Ukrainian's President Viktor Yanukovych, which he disagree to join the European Union (EU), can be inferred that the ethnicity issue (there are Slavic people in Ukraine, mostly in Crimea) and the Russia's influence are the main causes. The Ukrainian nationalist, therefore, would also disagree with the referendum because it will let another part of country which has Russian will follow this initiative instead. Historically, the Crimea peninsula belongs to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), and it was transferred to Ukraine in 1954 while the peninsula is influenced by Russia to reserve her economic and security interest for several decades.
Comparing with Thailand, however, there is no such external factor that related with Thailand's political crisis like Russia in the Crimea peninsula. To compare Thailand with Ukraine in order to explain the recent anti-government protesters and situations in Thailand is not fit with this context. On the other hand, the political struggle in Thailand is about the divided sides between two different political ideologies which their is no conventional norms and values for the resolutions and the legitimacy of judiciary institutions such as legal system and the courts are decreasing recently.
However, an ethnic issue could be a significant factor in the political analysis when we compare with the Thailand's southern insurgency. There are some local (?) separatists in four southern provinces who want to govern by themselves. The cultural diversity, the modern borderland concept in the reign of King Rama V and misunderstood governing style of the local officials who were sent from the central government for a century are matters the separatists' drive. Nowadays, someone suggests that the central government should think about the "self-governed province model" by the local people and the extreme idea to have a referendum in these provinces to end the violence and bring peace to the people once again.
Some could said that we should not let the southern do have the referendum as what will happen in the Crimea peninsula for the sake of national interest. The question is what does national interest mean? For example, if the referendum to separate the southern part of Thailand can bring peace and prosperity to the area again, can it be counted as the national interest? If some defines that the national interest is something that good for the most of people, so the referendum will be bad and doesn't fit with the national interest. Why do we need to care about the (majority) national interest rather than the minority interest? In this case, the people safety should be the first priority to deal with because people lives are more important than imagined borderline.
If something I've said in the last paragraph is true, how about the plan to take the North and Northeast region to be an independent state? I think that kind of idea is just a word rather than the initiative from the organized separatist. It just the political instrument to blame the opposition for a purpose even there are some people that have thought for that. Also, maybe we have forgotten the people in the deep south which still struggling with their self-preservation. There is no one in the "Game of Bangkok" suggests or raise the southern insurgency issue to seriously solve it. We hope that this would be ended soon to breakthrough the hard time for the southern's resolutions in the near future.
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Reference
Brown, B. (2014, March 10). Ukraine crisis: Thousands demonstrate in rival rallies. BBC News. Retrieved March 10, 2014 from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26503478
Thank you Book.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I thought of on reading this post was how very little I know either of what's happening in the Crimea now or of its history. But I like the way that Book not only tells us this, but also relates it to the situation in Thailand, effectively comparing and contrasting.
I think it's worth another comment or two later.
This is a difficult question about Should we take the North and Northeast region to be an independent state? Personally, I was always afraid with this idea, but who knows it might be a good idea (However, I hope that would be the last option that we are going to do!). Our lives will be changed a lot and normally i fear of change!
ReplyDeleteI think you suggestion about letting North and Northeast region to be separate state is a bit too extreme (but in deep southern region, i think this idea is quite appropriate method to cool down the insurgency due to considerable differences among people such as language, religion and ethnicity)
ReplyDeleteWhat about decentralization? - decentralize power of decision-making to the locals and to archive this, of course, we need to reconsider the role of the ministry of interior - how can it support this process in stead of maintain its status quo by claiming that people are not and always not ready yet because they are uneducated. Since 1997 Thailand had started promoting decentralization, however, now it's not fully decentralize yet in terms of budget, agent transfer.
I agree with your idea about decentralization and wondering why this process is not finished yet. There may be conflicts between many actors from the central officials, local officials and officials the government sent to each districts.
DeleteI support your method rather than letting each parts of Thailand become independent states.
After yesterday referendum, this is a briefly update as follow;
ReplyDelete1) There are 97% majority voted that favor to be a part of Russia. The Crimea local government will file this issue today (Monday).
2) Although Russia is going to finish the deal, the White House and EU say that the referendum was illegal. The so-called "Crimea self-defensed army" still be in that peninsula.
3) The EU are considering a visa ban and an asset freeze against a number of Russian officials.
Reference
Morris, C. (2014, March 17). Ukraine crisis: EU ponders Russia sanctions over Crimea vote. BBC News. Retrieved March 17, 2014 from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26607466