by Weena Kowitwanij

Areca Nut Group wants to “heal emotional wounds” in those who needlessly lost loved ones. Group leader explains that “only helping those who are suffering not to indulge in hatred and vengeance can we hope for peace one day.”

Bangkok (AsiaNews) – The Areca Nut Group is a young association that is trying to cope with the tie of violence in southern Thailand by encouraging solidarity among its victims. Set up in 2004 the group is increasingly finding consensus among the relatives of those who were needlessly killed in this tormented part of the country. For the past three years Thailand’s southern-most provinces have in fact been rocked by violent clashes between so-called ‘rebels’ and the army.

The founder and leader of the group is known by her nickname, Miss Pau. At 28, she has already lost her father, a village leader shot dead for no apparent reason, and her three older brothers, all employed by rubber plantation. She, her mother and three younger brothers are the only survivors in her immediate family.

“I got the idea for the Areca Nut Group when I visited a woman who was found herself alone with her children after her husband was killed,” she said in an interview that broadcast on state-run Channel 7.

“The children had wounds on the head from the violence they experienced. At that moment I thought that since children are a community’s future, there is no hope for peace if we do not take care of them, healing their wounds and educating them to respect others,” she said.

However, “the situation in the south is increasingly dangerous. They might come to your door late at night, knock and then kill you. We are scared,” she added.

Initially the group had only four members; now there are 14, including Miss Bee, 21, who recalled what made her act.

“Suddenly, they killed my father. I was depressed and could not continue my studies. I wanted vengeance. But Pau invited me to join Areca Nut where I made many friends and realised that I was not alone suffering such a great loss.”

“For now we treat emotional wounds through art like painting or drawing,” the group’s leader said. “We already have 54 drawings and are organising meetings in the southern provinces for some of our members who through their work can talk about their experience.”

The idea is to raise awareness among students and create “a desire for peace and solidarity among fellow Thais rather than hatred.”

• thailand
• south
• violence
• areca
• nut
• group
• violence
• effects
• pau
• solidarity
• victims
• families