The chairman of the world's largest Muslim organization on Monday warned the Thai government that relying on military force to end a Muslim insurgency in the country's south will instead strengthen the extremists assumed to be behind the violence. Hasyim Muzadi, the chairman of Indonesia's Nahdlatul Ulama, an influential moderate Muslim group with more than 40 million members, said Thailand's government must change its approach in the restive Muslim-majority provinces. "We have to enlighten all the religious faiths and believe that the differences are conflicts of power and not conflicts of religion," Muzadi said after a one-hour meeting with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon. Thaksin has deployed more than 35,000 soldiers and police and imposed martial law in the troubled area. "The military approach must change ... the military approach will make the fundamentalists stronger and stronger," said Hasyim. Hasyim told reporters that he agreed with Thaksin and Kantathi that the problem in southern Thailand should be solved through education and economic development. Hasyim is scheduled to meet Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej before traveling south to meet with Muslim leaders. Kantathi told reporters that Hasyim agreed to help foster understanding between the southern Thai Muslim leaders and Thai authorities.
