ABSTRACT

This article examines the roles of religion in the contemporary separatist movement in southern Thailand, whose violent campaigns have dramatically surged since 2004. It locates Islam in the region’s own political and historical context rather than viewing it as an expression of transnational terrorism or casting Islam as of secondary importance in what is seen as primarily an ethno-nationalist struggle, as some scholars have done. I argue that Islam served as a powerful motivational frame that drove thousands of Malay Muslims to take part in the violent struggle led by the Patani Malay National Revolutionary Front (BRN), as a sacred justification for their violent actions and as a blueprint of a new socio-political order. The conflict was elevated into a cosmological battle and the fighters’ actions were fundamentally framed within Islamic theology. Islamic law was employed as a primary reference for the justification and regulation of violent attacks. This article also demonstrates that Islam is part of the BRN’s political agenda and fighters have turned their perceived Islamic beliefs and norms into military actions. However, its ideological orientation is at variance with that of the transnational jihadists. This article offers a more nuanced approach to understanding the religious dimensions of this conflict.

摘要

本文考察了宗教在泰国南部当代分离主义运动中的作用，泰国南部的暴力运动自 2004 年以来急剧上升。它将伊斯兰教置于该地区自己的政治和历史背景中，而不是将其视为跨国恐怖主义的表达或将伊斯兰教塑造为正如一些学者所做的那样，在被视为主要是种族民族主义斗争的事情中，它的重要性是次要的。我认为伊斯兰教是一个强大的动机框架，驱使成千上万的马来穆斯林参加由北大年马来民族革命阵线 (BRN) 领导的暴力斗争，作为他们暴力行为的神圣理由和新的蓝图社会政治秩序。这场冲突被提升为一场宇宙论的战斗，而战士的行动基本上是在伊斯兰神学的框架内进行的。伊斯兰教法被用作暴力袭击的正当理由和监管的主要参考。本文还表明，伊斯兰教是 BRN 政治议程的一部分，战士们已将他们感知到的伊斯兰信仰和规范转变为军事行动。然而，它的意识形态取向与跨国圣战分子的意识形态存在分歧。本文提供了一种更细致入微的方法来理解这场冲突的宗教层面。本文还表明，伊斯兰教是 BRN 政治议程的一部分，战士们已将他们感知到的伊斯兰信仰和规范转变为军事行动。然而，它的意识形态取向与跨国圣战分子的意识形态存在分歧。本文提供了一种更细致入微的方法来理解这场冲突的宗教层面。本文还表明，伊斯兰教是 BRN 政治议程的一部分，战士们已将他们感知到的伊斯兰信仰和规范转变为军事行动。然而，它的意识形态取向与跨国圣战分子的意识形态存在分歧。本文提供了一种更细致入微的方法来理解这场冲突的宗教层面。