ON Jan 13 this year, an agreement to form a joint working group to resolve the armed conflict in Southern Thailand was inked by the Thai government and Barisan Revolusi Nasional as the sole representative of the insurgent groups.
Since August 2018, the Malaysian government, led by former police chief Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor, has facilitated the negotiation process between the Thai government and the insurgent groups.
This conflict has prolonged for over a century, making it the oldest dispute in the Asian region.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the negotiation process had been on hold for two years until recently when a meeting was held in Kuala Lumpur.
On May 21, the Thai government expressed gratitude and appreciation to Malaysia for its leading role in facilitating the conflict resolution in Southern Thailand.
Bait Al Amanah published a policy brief outlining five factors to explain the intricacies of this century-long conflict that has affected progress and societal cohesion in Southern Thailand.
First, negotiating with all the insurgent groups in Southern Thailand is crucial as part of the peace talks to craft holistic solutions in forging a path for lasting peace.
By inviting other insurgent groups to the negotiation table, and playing a bigger part in the arrangement and agreement of the peace process, it will act as an antecedent to developing a consensus and harmonising the accord between the insurgent groups.
The slow progress is caused by the Thai government's lack of political will to invite all insurgent groups to the negotiation table, disunity among the insurgent groups, a lack of strategic framework and the government's unwillingness to sign a peace agreement.
As contended by Patani Consultative Council member Dr Abu Hafez Al-Hakim in a webinar organised by Bait Al Amanah, the Thai government's commitment to resolving this conflict is questionable as there is no endorsement from Parliament since 2019 and it has never been part of the national agenda.
Following the Thai government's unwillingness to sign a peace agreement, a framework for building Terms of Reference also failed to materialise.
Dr Abu Hafez also articulated his frustration that the conflict progress was unable to move forward to a "safe zone" to protect civilians from becoming casualties.
Second, the effectiveness of Malaysia's role as a facilitator in the conflict needs to be re-evaluated.
As inclusiveness of the peace talks is paramount, Malaysia must up the ante by inviting all insurgent groups to the negotiation table.
Malaysia must bring together different parties to negotiate vehemently, regardless of time and place.
Considering the geographical location, the facilitator role will continuously become an enormous challenge to Malaysia as a neighbouring country.
Malaysia's impartiality is equally essential as the nation is responsible for ensuring regional security that corresponds directly to domestic politics.
Third, the need for brain trust support as the third party to come in as an independent monitoring investigation body is needed for the peace talks to succeed as the negotiation table has proceeded for more than nine years with inconclusive outcomes.
A brain trust can provide historical context, mirroring other global conflicts and conducting research and holistic mechanisms to guide the negotiations process.
Fourth, the insurgent groups and the Thai government must be consistent and have the political willpower to resolve this conflict. Each must play its role effectively.
The parties involved cannot afford to delay peace-seeking efforts for fear of reprehensible outcomes.
Finding common ground by addressing the root causes and developing viable solutions should remain top priorities.
Lastly, amassing international support will contribute to the success of this negotiation process. Turkey and Qatar are seen as reliable partners in the Muslim world to play substantial roles.
As progressive and modern Muslim nations, they are needed for their expertise in aspects of negotiation to facilitate the peace process and to garner greater support in addition to existing efforts taken by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and other Muslim countries.
Moving forward, the time has come to rethink the strategy in the peace-making process if the peace talks remain underwhelmed.
Dr Abdul Razak Ahmad is the founding director and Nabiela Ismail is foreign affairs analyst at Bait Al Amanah
The views expressed in this article are the authors' own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times