The Malaysian government has been urged to facilitate the work of United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations that are carrying out an independent investigation into the exodus of Thai Muslims from the troubled southern provinces to Kelantan.

Thai Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs chairperson Kraisak Choonhavan, contacted today, said he is convinced that those concerned had fled their homes because they felt their lives to be at stake after an emergency law took effect in July.

Kraisak, known to be critical of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's harsh policies in dealing with the Muslim-dominated provinces, was referring to the fact that 131 Thai Muslims had crossed the border into Malaysia to seek refuge last week.

"From our earlier investigations, we found out that people are very afraid they will be killed," he said.

"No one would want to leave their home, land, relatives and source of livelihood if this is not absolute necessary."

The emergency declaration gives sweeping power to the authorities and has been condemned by human rights groups.

Since early last year, more than 900 people have been killed at the provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.

'Government to blame'

Thai English daily The Nation reported today that mounting tensions in the south have sparked fears of an exodus of Muslims to Malaysia, as residents in a Narathiwat village yesterday again confronted senior government officials.

It was reported that about 100 women and children blocked the road to Ban Rahan in Sungai Padi district, as provincial governor Pracha Therat headed a delegation to explain the government's position on the flight of the 131 Muslims from that province to Malaysia.

The report quoted a woman who was not named, as saying that the officials were not welcome because the villagers believe security officials killed Sapatoh Yusoh, an imam in the village, last Monday.

"After lengthy negotiations, the governor was allowed to see the imam's family while villagers conducted prayers loudly at a nearby mosque to alert others to be ready in case of emergency," said the report quoting a villager.

Kraisak attributed a series of incidents in the south to "the (Thai) government-sponsored violence".

"We have never had this situation before in Thailand. The south has been very peaceful in the past. There were no religious conflicts," he said.

"This government's violence has destroyed the freedom we have struggled to attain over the past 30 years. Thailand has turned from a democratic state to an authoritarian state...The people suffering the most now are Muslims."

He said the committee, which he heads, as well as the senate committee on social development and human security and the ad-hoc committee on security in the south - will visit the provinces on Thursday to get first-hand understanding of the situation.

In Kuala Lumpur, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said the agency would be sending several officers to Kelantan later this week to meet with the Thai Muslims, with the co-operation of local authorities.

"It is standard practice for UNHCR to have access to, and to interview, any group of people who claim refuge in a particular country," said its representative Volker Turk in a statement to malaysiakini today.

"UNHCR will be working with local authorities to offer our assistance in areas where we have special expertise, such as in the area of protection of women and children and in the welfare of these groups, to gather background information and conduct general needs assessment."