Asean must stand up to China over Uighurs

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
Asean must stand up to China over Uighurs
The Nation

Our region has a duty to protect the rights of migrants who face persecution by authorities back home

BANGKOK: -- This is not the first such group to have arrived in this region in recent years. But our neighbours in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have always dealt with these migrants harshly, deporting them to face prosecution in China. Beijing is no doubt pleased by this policy, but it damages Asean's reputation.

Some 220 Uighurs were found hiding on a rubber plantation in Songkhla province last Thursday. The speculation is that they come from western China's Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, where an ethno-religious conflict is raging.

They appeared in Thailand only a couple of weeks after a brutal attack in China's southwestern city of Kunming, which Beijing blamed on ethnic Uighur terrorists. Whether it was Uighurs who carried out the mass stabbing, which killed 29 people and injured 130 others, remains unclear. What is certain is that the Muslim ethnic Uighurs are being stereotyped by Beijing as separatist terrorists. Longstanding tension between the Uighurs and Chinese authorities is worsening, exacerbated by Beijing's policy of encouraging mass immigration of Han Chinese to Xinjiang.

Why the 220 Uighurs would come to Songkhla remains unclear. There are many women and children among them. As such, they may have lacked a clear idea about Xinjiang's autonomy or could be involved in anti-government activities or conflicts with Chinese Han at home. Perhaps they are just ordinary people seeking economic opportunities and better lives. They could also be victims of human trafficking.

Whatever their background, they likely face harsh punishment if they are forced to return to China. At the very least they will be punished for leaving the country without permission.

Of course, from Thailand's point of view, they entered the Kingdom without permission and thus, like many others, can be sentenced, fined and deported in accordance with our immigration laws.

However, the law should always have a human face. The government and law-enforcement officials have leeway to judge the issue according to humanitarian criteria. International norms and good practice suggest we should not to send back anyone to face persecution for political crimes they have not committed.

Recent years have seen other Asean members - Cambodia in 2009 and Malaysia in 2012 - forcibly return Uighurs to China. Cambodia and Malaysia might have been motivated by a wish to maintain good relations with Beijing and keep its economic assistance coming in.

Thailand might be under the same pressure, but the desire to maintain good foreign relations should not override the need to protect basic human rights.

The Yingluck administration also wants Chinese backing for its domestic battle with anti-government protesters. But the caretaker government should remember that the international community - in particular the United Nations, whose secretary general Ban Ki-moon has been invited to mediate in Thailand's political crisis - places a high value on human rights.

A good initial solution to Thailand's Uighur dilemma would be to allow the UN High Commission for Refugees to intervene and grant the group protection, removing them from detention at Thai Immigration. All Asean members should then seek a permanent solution to the regional issue of Uighur immigrants.

-- The Nation 2014-03-18

[chainarong]

China will do what it wants when it wants and will castigate anybody who interferes , very similar to Russia, Asean has no place in China's internal management and will be told in no uncertain terms what the game is all about and that game is China , China couldn't care less about Asean.

[noitom]

The audacity of Thailand twisting this and turning it away from the issue of Thai human trafficking. Everyone know about the massive Thai human trafficking trade. They sound like pompous fools pontificating about human rights.

[tim armstrong]

UNHCR could speedily send them to Turkey if Thailand would release them, but unless there is a change of heart they will probably be sent back to China. Sad that people are so expendable.

[Publicus]

As the Nation well knows, valid issues of human trafficking in Thailand and more narrowly the fate of the unfortunate refugees recede in the face of Beijing's firm determination to manipulate Asean and its ten member countries back into their "proper" historical role as tributary states of China. The Nation is but one voice among many others in Asean member countries to know Asean must resist this Chinese arrogance and neocolonialism. The Nation speaks for the many of the Asean governments, economic elites, civil society groups and the like to see the present refugee issue as an important way to send a clear message to Beijing that Asean and its ten member countries are not an extension of or the submissive servants to Beijing.

[arjunadawn]

The multicultural ethic to open borders has proven a disaster for every country That's tried it. Uighurs coming to Thailand would not represent a grateful, assimilating people. They would invariably bring to Thailand the very same strife, intransigence, and conflict the editorial asserts they are fleeing. In each country where such liberal upsidedown policies have been implemented, the host nation suffers.

Without a required assimilation plan I'd never support emotional refugees. The Uighurs flee their own violence.

[aaacorp]

funny to read such thing from a thai editor with all the mess in the south and the thai authorities who doesn t give a sh't.

[Ragzilb]

ASEAN was doomed from day one. Countried with that different cultures and politics is a dangerous mix.

Edited March 18, 2014 by Ragzilb

[Bkungbank]

UN security council only Russia and China against any used of force US, UK and EU invation of others countries by the name liberate behind hidden agenda of the oil reserved.

Chinese Han didn't intention to eradicate any races, Chinese more then developement then fighting but many Muslim countries have this so called Muslim stated like Southern Thailand,Southern Phillipines, Paskitan with India,Afican countries even China.

Cannot blame the China as knife welding killing many innocent people in train station. Not create hatred on religion but try to explain the thinking to seperate stated which impossiable in any leader of any country to allow their country to be splitted into two.

Edited March 18, 2014 by Bkungbank

[samran]

The multicultural ethic to open borders has proven a disaster for every country That's tried it. Uighurs coming to Thailand would not represent a grateful, assimilating people. They would invariably bring to Thailand the very same strife, intransigence, and conflict the editorial asserts they are fleeing. In each country where such liberal upsidedown policies have been implemented, the host nation suffers.

Without a required assimilation plan I'd never support emotional refugees. The Uighurs flee their own violence.

I presume that you are writing this from Thailand, live here, speak read and write Thai and are perfectly assimilated

I mean, you are a beneficiary if liberal border control here:

- western passport: come and go as much as you want via border running

- want to retire? Stick a miserly amount of cash in the bank and you can stay..

Pot, kettle and black come to mind...

Edited March 18, 2014 by samran

[winstonc]

the spineless thais will bend to the wind for china.much as the west has over tibet..they will be forgotten about in 3 weeks til the next lot from another country come tumbling in to view..

[arjunadawn]

 

The multicultural ethic to open borders has proven a disaster for every country That's tried it. Uighurs coming to Thailand would not represent a grateful, assimilating people. They would invariably bring to Thailand the very same strife, intransigence, and conflict the editorial asserts they are fleeing. In each country where such liberal upsidedown policies have been implemented, the host nation suffers.
Without a required assimilation plan I'd never support emotional refugees. The Uighurs flee their own violence.

I presume that you are writing this from Thailand, live here, speak read and write Thai and are perfectly assimilated

I mean, you are a beneficiary if liberal border control here:
- western passport: come and go as much as you want via border running

- want to retire? Stick a miserly amount of cash in the bank and you can stay..

Pot, kettle and black come to mind...

 


Wow, such non sequitur- no? I'll assume you are not beneficiary of the type of liberal multiculturalism open borders that I note and fear, the article addresses, and you seem unable to grasp by virtue of equating visa holders with refugees. The problem with Western countries, open borders, unlimited refugees, and integration is assimilation. A number of EU Leaders have gone on record (Merkel et al) to publicly declare Multiculturalism has failed- A blind person could see this. Indeed, most posts here recognize this. Why?

It is simply impossible to transplant people from disparate corners of the world, into alien cultures, without assimilation programs, and expect peace and tranquility. What happens in every case are islands of... THE VERY PLACE THEY LEFT! This results in, for example, Paris, Denmark, London, Berlin, Spain, Sweden, Michigan, Norway... entire islands of ethnic minorities living their own world, demanding their own cultural mores, and using the Western legal system to impose thru cover of inclusion, special accommodations ("Lawfare"). The end result is imposition and a cancer on the host culture, decreased cohesion, and resentment. It is a failed policy and it has ZERO to do with bias. A fool can read the tea leaves. Thailand and other countries are pressured to adopt similar policies as a means to actually lessen the very glue that binds them as nation-states- intentionally. It is undeniably a policy from the same people who bring you the color revolutions. It is not conjecture that mandates for multicultural open borders sprang up intentionally; do you think this was the natural progression of the nation state? Lets open our borders and dissolve our Nation? No. This is an intended global policy. By this virtue alone its subject to critique.

I follow the rules, am learning Thai, respect the culture, even what I don't like, pay my dues, assimilate insofar as my status as guest permits me, will stay if I can, but will move on if asked to leave, and I don't demand the Thai embrace my beliefs or mores. Got it? Not close! Follow the thread- not about visa holders.

Edited March 18, 2014 by arjunadawn

[samran]

 

The multicultural ethic to open borders has proven a disaster for every country That's tried it. Uighurs coming to Thailand would not represent a grateful, assimilating people. They would invariably bring to Thailand the very same strife, intransigence, and conflict the editorial asserts they are fleeing. In each country where such liberal upsidedown policies have been implemented, the host nation suffers.

Without a required assimilation plan I'd never support emotional refugees. The Uighurs flee their own violence.

I presume that you are writing this from Thailand, live here, speak read and write Thai and are perfectly assimilated

I mean, you are a beneficiary if liberal border control here:

- western passport: come and go as much as you want via border running

- want to retire? Stick a miserly amount of cash in the bank and you can stay..

Pot, kettle and black come to mind...

 

Wow, such non sequitur- no? I'll assume you are not beneficiary of the type of liberal multiculturalism open borders that I note and fear, the article addresses, and you seem unable to grasp by virtue of equating visa holders with refugees. The problem with Western countries, open borders, unlimited refugees, and integration is assimilation. A number of EU Leaders have gone on record (Merkel et al) to publicly declare Multiculturalism has failed- A blind person could see this. Indeed, most posts here recognize this. Why?

It is simply impossible to transplant people from disparate corners of the world, into alien cultures, without assimilation programs, and expect peace and tranquility. What happens in every case are islands of... THE VERY PLACE THEY LEFT! This results in, for example, Paris, Denmark, London, Berlin, Spain, Sweden, Michigan, Norway... entire islands of ethnic minorities living their own world, demanding their own cultural mores, and using the Western legal system to impose thru cover of inclusion, special accommodations ("Lawfare"). The end result is imposition and a cancer on the host culture, decreased cohesion, and resentment. It is a failed policy and it has ZERO to do with bias. A fool can read the tea leaves. Thailand and other countries are pressured to adopt similar policies as a means to actually lessen the very glue that binds them as nation-states- intentionally. It is undeniably a policy from the same people who bring you the color revolutions. It is not conjecture that mandates for multicultural open borders sprang up intentionally; do you think this was the natural progression of the nation state? Lets open our borders and dissolve our Nation? No. This is an intended global policy. By this virtue alone its subject to critique.

I follow the rules, am learning Thai, respect the culture, even what I don't like, pay my dues, assimilate insofar as my status as guest permits me, will stay if I can, but will move on if asked to leave, and I don't demand the Thai embrace my beliefs or mores. Got it? Not close! Follow the thread- not about visa holders.

ah, the hair splitting has began - I'm a VISA holder, not a smelly refugee. I am 'guest'. Really? Who invited you?

"I'm learning to speak Thai" - "I know how to order a beer while down the pub speaking to others in my little white man enclave" (I guess you don't view a British pub on the corner of Silom an 'impostion and cancer' on the host culture).

You're both the same. Migrants in a new land. Struggling to adapt and resorting to what is familiar from time to time. I have no problem with either.

What I do have problems with anti-foriegn foreigners though, who simply by virtue of birth in a 'good country' feel that they are playing on the same level playing field as these poor sods ("I followed the rules etc etc, I'm not an immigrant like these scum").

So to an extent you are right, it isn't about visa holders. It is about offering the same benefit of the doubt for these people that you've clearly offered yourself by moving to Thailand. Quoting a right wing conservative politican running for re-election doesn't cut it in my book.

Ah, yes, and I am a beneficiary of a country which promotes multi-culturalism. And proud of it. God forbid if some little moron told me I wasn't allowed to speak my mothers language at home and out and about with relatives - as it 'wasn't fitting in enough'. Who'd want to be a boring mono-lingual idiot who doesn't know much about the outside world?

Edited March 18, 2014 by samran

[Grindting]

Chinese government are nothing but a bunch of cvnts