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　　The military commander overseeing Thailand's largely Muslim southern provinces says security is improving as the army steps up efforts to "win hearts and minds" and end insurgent² attacks. But as political analysts³ say the drop in violence may be temporary.
负责监视泰国南部穆斯林省份的军方将领说，随着部队加紧努力赢得人心，同时结束叛军攻击，当地的治安已经有明显改善。但是政治分析家说，暴力活动的减少可能只是暂时性的。
Lieutenant⁴ General Pichet Wisaijorn says the violence has fallen significantly in four provinces that have seen the most bloodshed over the past five years.
突最严重的4个省份里，暴力活动已经有明显的减少。
Since 2004, more than 3,500 people have died in an Islamic insurgency⁵ in the provinces of Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani and Songkhla. While Thailand's population is predominately Buddhist⁶, the residents of those provinces are mostly ethnic⁷ Malay Muslims.
自从2004年以来，在惹拉、那拉提瓦、北大年和宋卡省，已经有超过3千5百人死于伊斯兰叛军的暴力活动中。尽管泰国主要以佛教人口为主，这几个省份的居民大多是马来穆斯林。
Pichet says improved security operations and intelligence gathering⁸ have eased tension in communities that once feared night-time attacks.
皮歇说，获得改善的维安以及情报搜集工作，缓解了当地民众对夜间袭击的担忧。
In a recent interview with reporters at the Sirindhorn Army camp in Pattani, Pichet said that people live more openly than in the past.
皮歇最近在北大年的诗林通陆军营地接受记者访问时表示，民众的生活要比过去开放自由了。
People, he says, would go home by seven o'clock at night but now feel secure enough to stay out later in the evening. Children also are less suspicious and more welcoming to the military. He says regional festivals are again becoming popular.
他说，过去民众大多在傍晚7点就回家，现在他们觉得安全多了，可以在外面停留久一些。孩子们对部队比较不害怕，比较欢迎他们。地方上的庆典也重新受到欢迎。
The military's strategy in the southern border provinces, Pichet says, is based on "winning the hearts and minds" of residents.
皮歇表示，军方对这些南部边境省份的战略，主要是靠着“赢得民心”。
The Thai government is pressing for political solutions instead of military action to curb⁹ the insurgency.
泰国政府努力通过政治方案而不是军队武力来平息叛乱。
Pichet blames a lack of trust between the armed forces and local communities for the problems but says the military now is in regular dialogue with local people.
皮歇表示，过去的问题是因为军队与当地社区缺乏互信，但是现在军方经常与当地民众保持对话。
And the general discounts views the insurgents¹⁰ are linked with international terror groups such as al Qaida or the Southeast Asian group Jemaah Islamiyah.
皮歇中将并不完全赞同外界所说，叛军与国际恐怖组织例如基地组织或东南亚的“伊斯兰祈祷团”有联系。
But there are doubts about the current policy.
不过外界对泰国军方的政策也有一些质疑。
Professor Surachart Bamrungsuk, a political scientist at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, says it is not certain the policy will contain the violence for long.
曼谷朱拉隆功大学教授苏查特说，军方的政策未必能长期抑制暴力的发生。
"When we talk about the situation in the south, I think it looks like a curve. It goes up and down," said Surachart. "In a certain period it looks better but in a certain period it's getting worse. At this time everything seems to be a little better than what we have seen last year - [but] when we have seen this kind of situation how long will it stay with us?"
他说：“我们看到在南部省份局势的发展，就如同波浪有高低起伏。在一段时间内看来有所好转，但一段时期后又开始恶化。目前看来情况比去年要稍微好转，但是这样的良好状况又能持续多久?”
The army has faced criticism over rights abuses in the south. Groups such as Human Rights Watch want the government to take action against army abuses and discrimination against southern Muslims.
泰国军方在南部省份的行动也遭到人权团体的批评。人权观察要求泰国政府采取行动，防止军方对南部穆斯林的歧视与武力攻击。
Human Rights Watch says anger within the ethnic Malay community has been fueled by laws giving the army wide powers and blanket immunity¹¹ for misconduct and human rights violations¹².
This week the government approved creating a new body to oversee¹ development projects in the south, which the prime minister's office will control. The move marks a shift from military control over development efforts.
这个星期泰国政府通过设立一个由总理办公室主管的新机构，来监督南部省份的开发项目。这项举措标志着政府政策从军方控制转移到努力开发。