October 11, 200619 yr Separatists ready to drop demand for independence : Malaysia Separatist movements in the three southern provinces in Thailand have agreed to drop their demand for independence in exchange for amnesty, better economy development, more fund and usage of Malay language in schools, Malaysia's state-run news agency said on Wednesday. The Thai Government, however, wanted cease-fire and militants to hand over weapons in the restive provinces where more than 1,700 had died since separatists launched a campaign of bombings and shootings in January, 2004. Bernama said the agreements were included in a draft of the Joint Peace and Development Plan for South Thailand which was made following months of talks in Langkawi and Putrajaya between the separatists and Thai Government representatives. Putrajaya-based Perdana Global Peace Organisation (PGPO), which is headed by former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, brokered the talks between the two sides following his visit to Bangkok late last year. The Nation
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