Relatives of dead imam demand explanation

Imam Yapa Kaseng, 56 from Ban Koto village of the district was arrested on Wednesday together with other five villagers, including his son Anant Kaseng after troops of the 39th Special Task Force raided the village in search of militants who flared up the unrest region.

Relatives learned Imam Yapa died only when as they visited the detainees Friday morning. They sought clear explanation from the task force commander since the Imam was apparently in a good health before he was taken into custody.

The relatives alleged that the Imam might be tortured to death.     

Meanwhile Narathiwat deputy governor Niphon Narapitakkul dispatched a team of forensic experts from Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Hospital to conduct autopsy to prove cause of the death.

As of Friday the result of the autopsy has not yet been known.

Colonel Somphon Palkul, deputy commander of the task force said he did not know the cause of the death but the military would compensate his relatives if it was clearly proved he died of torture.

"The imam might die of natural cause as he was apparently weak when we took him," Somphon told reporters. 

A spate of violence erupted in the deep south since the beginning of 2004 and killed more than 3,000 people so far.

Fresh violence took place Friday as a clash in Yala's Raman district killed two police and one militant while injured one other police.

It happened when a group of combined policemilitary forces raided a village in the district. Militants opened fires to three police who were approaching a house.

Pol Corporal Supit Onin and Police Corporal Don Liman were shot dead while Police Sergeant Surasak Bounna was injured.

 Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej called Friday a meeting of Special Southern Development Zone Committee to wrap up economic development plan for the deep south.

Samak suggested the military to join with private sector setting up a staterun enterprise to invest in sectors which pure private sector is not interested in.