HOW do you teach when there is violence all around you? How do you bring hope, discipline and order into young people’s lives – high school students, in this case?
Thirty-four-year-old Che-Ruhanee Asma-ae is a Bahasa Melayu (“Malay”) teacher in Thailand’s troubled southern Yala Province, at Srinagarindra the Princess Mother School. Born in the neighbouring province of Pattani Cikgu (“teacher”) Che, as she is known by her students, has a calm but determined demeanour.
“Language is who we are. Language is not a religion: it transcends beliefs and that’s the beauty of it. Even a Buddhist can speak Malay, there is nothing wrong with that. So if the Muslims can speak Thai, others can speak Malay, no?”
In marked contrast to the predominantly Buddhist and Thai-speaking centre, the Kingdom’s three southern-most provinces (Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat) are all majority Malay and Muslim. They have also been ravaged by Southeast Asia’s longest running insurgency (it started in the early 1960’s), sparked off by insensitive and harshly applied assimilation policies emanating from the capital, Bangkok.
As Myanmar, the Philippines and other ASEAN nations continue to grapple with minority rights, it’s important to be learn from Thailand’s complex and often bitter experience. Language, religion and culture are prickly issues at the best of time. Here in the Muslim South they’ve been incendiary.
Still, the death toll has ebbed and flowed over the decades. Despite countless efforts, peace has been elusive. Indeed, in 2007 the number of deaths peaked at 892 – a direct response to the extraordinary violence and callousness of the 2004 Tak Bai massacre that left at least 85 dead. Thankfully, since then the violence has dropped, considerably and so far in 2018 there have been record lows of 61 deaths and 130 wounded.
While one wants to be optimistic, it’s extremely unlikely that a renewed Malaysian commitment launched by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will make much difference. Indeed, with over seven thousand lives lost since 2004, its worth remembering that much of the conflict boils down to identity – to religion and language. And inevitably teachers – especially Malay language teachers – are on the front line.
The neatly dressed Cikgu Che is implacable: “I’m a very proud teacher. I’ve been teaching at the school for over two years. I’m also a welfare officer for the faculty. I have 100 students in Mathayom 5 and 6 (equivalent to Grades 11 and 12). They speak Bahasa Melayu Patani (“Patani Malay”) at home. But at school they learn formal Malay, pretty much the language spoken in Malaysia. Although it’s an optional class, I take it very seriously as do my students.”
For those who aren’t familiar, Patani Malay is the local dialect spoken by the vast majority of the region’s 2.03 million population. Indeed, its soft lyrical tones are very similar to the spoken Malay in the neighbouring Malaysian state of Kelantan.
The current openness to the local language is in marked contrast to the situation during her youth. Back then students were fined for using the Malay language. It’s arguable that small dispensations such as this have helped ease, but not halt, the tension.
The second eldest of four siblings – and only daughter – Cikgu Che doesn’t look like a firebrand. But she isn’t one to stay silent.
“I was an activist throughout my university years (she studied at the nearby Prince of Songkla University). I wrote a letter to the rector when he banned dialogue sessions on campus. I led my friends and fellow students to protest the army’s disproportionate conduct against the militants, like the attack on Pattani’s Krue Se mosque and the Tak Bai massacre. I’m not afraid to speak up against the government.”
Indeed, many in the South and the international community have criticised the Thai government’s superficial approach to addressing the bloodshed.
In March 2005, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s administration established the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC), chaired by widely-respected former Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun.
The body’s focus was to make recommendations on peace-building efforts through a series of proposed reforms, including making Patani Malay the region’s official working language and creating an unarmed government unit to engage with militants in dialogue.
Regrettably, but perhaps unsurprisingly, former Prime Minister General Prem Tinsulanonda and President of the monarch’s Privy Council responded: "We cannot accept that proposal as we are Thai. The country is Thai and the language is Thai.”
Cikgu Che is blunt: “The government is afraid of the Malay language, it’s a threat. Thai is important, but this is a country of many peoples.”
*Follow Karim Raslan on Twitter @fromKMR / Instagram @fromkmr
** The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Astro AWANI.
Karim Raslan
Sun Nov 11 2018
The question which remains is, can a person be Malay-Muslim and yet also be from Thailand? - Photo Jack Kurtz 2013
Sistem PADU selamat - Fahmi
Antara pihak yang terlibat dalam menguruskan keselamatan siber negara termasuklah Agensi Keselamatan Siber Negara (NACSA) dan Cybersecurity Malaysia.
Tumpuan Sabtu - 30 Mac 2024
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan di Astro AWANI.
KPM pertimbang perjawatan warden bukan dalam kalangan guru
Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia (KPM) sedia mempertimbangkan untuk mewujudkan perjawatan warden bukan dalam kalangan guru di sekolah berasrama, dalam menangani pelbagai isu termasuk kes buli.
Seluruh Perlis, 30 kawasan lain catat suhu panas tahap berjaga-jaga - MetMalaysia
Suhu panas tahap satu atau berjaga-jaga merujuk kepada suhu maksimum harian 35-37 darjah Celsius bagi tempoh sekurang-kurangnya tiga hari berturut-turut.
Louis Gossett Jr meninggal dunia pada usia 87 tahun
Louis Gossett Jr., lelaki kulit hitam pertama memenangi Anugerah Akademi sebagai pelakon pembantu terbaik, meninggal dunia pada usia 87 tahun.
Anggota polis maut dalam perjalanan bertugas
Seorang anggota polis maut selepas motosikal yang ditunggangnya terbabit dalam kemalangan dengan sebuah treler di Kilometer 6, Jalan Bahau-Kemayan tengah hari tadi.
Wanita Malaysia perlu peka terhadap golongan memerlukan - Dr Wan Azizah
Wanita di Malaysia perlu sentiasa peka dan membuat kebaikan kepada golongan yang memerlukan lebih-lebih lagi pada Ramadan ini, kata isteri Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Reka bentuk PADU terbaik, selamat dan berkesan, bukan guna kaedah lapuk - DOSM
Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia (DOSM) menegaskan bahawa reka bentuk dan pembangunan Sistem Pangkalan Data Utama (PADU) adalah yang terbaik, selamat serta berkesan.
It’s About YOUth: Fostering inclusion for autism
Millions worldwide live with Autism Spectrum Disorder, but misunderstanding and stigma persist. Autism Behavioural Centre’s Charlene Marie Samuel and Consultant Psychologist Katyana Azman discuss overcoming these challenges to promote greater inclusion.
35 laluan bas Rapid KL terlibat penyelarasan operasi bermula hari ini
Sebanyak 35 laluan atau 13 peratus daripada keseluruhan 264 laluan bas Rapid KL di Lembah Klang termasuk bas perantara Laluan Transit Aliran Massa (MRT) terlibat dalam penyelarasan operasi.
Ceritalah: Sejarah berulang dengan gunung berapi Taal
Pemandangan ketika Taal meletup dan imej-imej semarak debu yang besar dan menakutkan naik ke arah langit diiringi dengan kilatan guruh dan petir yang disebarkan ke seluruh dunia oleh media sosial.
Ceritalah: Tuntutan China atas Laut China Selatan - ASEAN harus bersatu
Pada tahun 2016, pemimpin-pemimpin dunia memandang Beijing dan beliau sebagai suatu hab alternatif - bagi suatu pendekatan terhadap ekonomi dan politik global yang berprinsip dan seimbang.
Ceritalah ASEAN - Joko Anwar: Cemerlang atas usaha sendiri
Tarikannya dan citra jenakanya menyembunyikan suatu minda yang amat bekerja keras dan berfokus.
Ceritalah - Perang dadah Duterte: Rakyat suram sambut Krismas
Kerana enggan kekal diam dan menerima takdir berdarah anaknya, Normita terpaksa meninggalkan rumahnya dan sekarang tinggal bersama seorang sanak saudaranya di bahagian lain bandar itu.
Ceritalah ASEAN - Aung San Suu Kyi: Lannister atau Stark?
Aung San Suu Kyi dari Myanmar - anak seorang jeneral, mengetuai sebuah negara amat rapuh telah menjadi musuh Tatmadaw (tentera) untuk menjadi apologis atau, lebih teruk lagi, pemudah mereka.
Ceritalah ASEAN - Plastik: Patut dikekalkan atau dihapuskan?
Gabungan pendapatan dari 50 firma petrokimia teratas dalam tahun 2018 adalah ASD926.8 bilion, jauh melebihi industri penapisan berjumlah ASD400 bilion.
Ceritalah Indonesia - Jawa: Mengenai bahasa dan perpaduan
Secara berasingan, kesemua tujuh presiden Indonesia mempunyai darah Jawa - termasuk BJ Habibie kelahiran Sulawesi yang baru meninggal. BJ Habibie adalah separuh Jawa.
Ceritalah - Enam hari di laut: Suatu pelayaran di atas Nggapulu
Dari saat para penumpang menaiki feri lapan tingkat itu, Nggapulu menjadi suatu mikrokosmo republik itu sendiri.
Ceritalah Indonesia - Anak muda memberontak: Apa mereka mahu?
Antara 23 dan 30 September, Hamzah adalah salah seorang daripada ribuan pelajar yang membuat bantahan di luar Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) menghidupkan semula ingatan pada waktu Reformasi.
Ceritalah: Gelombang kemasukan pelancong India ke Asia Tenggara
Sementara ekonomi India mungkin menghadapi kemerosotannya sendiri, pelancong dari gergasi Asia Selatan itu menjadi kuasa yang semakin perlu diiktiraf di rantau Asia Tenggara.