Attack on Thai consulate in Turkey: Prayut blames repatriated Uighurs

[webfact]

ATTACK ON THAI CONSULATE IN TURKEY
Prayut blames repatriated Uighurs
THE NATION, AGENCIES



BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday blamed the Uighur Muslims that Thailand returned to Turkey for the attack on the Thai honorary consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday night.

They are from the group that we sent back. And they united with the people who are already in Turkey," he said.

It appeared the Uighurs wanted to draw Thailand into a conflict with Turkey and China, although "we are not a party in the conflict", he said.

The Thai Embassy in Ankara posted on its Facebook page yesterday that a group of protesters had gathered outside and advised Thai nationals against visiting the mission.

Those requiring consular services have been advised to call (+90) 312 437 4318 or, in cases of emergency, to call (+90) 533 641 5698.

It also advised Thai tourists to take precautions after 200 Turks stormed the mission in protest at Thailand's deportation to China of 100 Uighur Muslims detained in the Kingdom since last year.

They are Turkic-speaking Uighurs from China's Xinjiang region seeking asylum from what they described as maltreatment by China. More than 170 other Uighurs were also sent to Turkey last week, said Werachon Sukondhapatipak, a deputy government spokesman.

The repatriation of the Uighurs to Turkey and China had been agreed upon by authorities from Thailand and the two countries, he said.

The Thai Embassy in Turkey also issued a warning on its website, advising Thai visitors to avoid public demonstrations or show Thai symbols, such as the national flag, while in Turkey for the sake of their safety.

"Thai tourists in Turkey should take extra precautions during this time. Tour guides should avoid using the Thai flag for their group tours. You should avoid places where there are demonstrations," the embassy said.

It also mentioned reports that Asian tourists were attacked in Turkey in the belief they were Chinese.

Prayut has instructed the Foreign Ministry to ensure the safety of Thais in Turkey, Werachon said. The PM expressed concern for Thais and officials at the Thai missions in Turkey and has instructed agencies to seek cooperation from the Turkish authorities.

More than 1,300 Thais live in Turkey. In Istanbul, the protesters broke down the doors to the consulate, pulled down the sign outside and damaged the furnishings inside. The Thai flag was pulled down as the building was pelted with stones. Files and documents were flung outside and littered the street.

Nine people were arrested after the action, which was organised by a group calling itself East Turkestan Education Association, the Dogan news agency reported. No Thais were hurt, the Thai Embassy reported.

The consular section was closed, it said on its website.

In Bangkok, police have increased security for the embassies of Turkey and China following the uprising in Istanbul.

Round-the-clock security is being provided for the two mission compounds, senior police sources said.

Turkey last week summoned the Chinese ambassador to convey its "deep concerns" over alleged restrictions on the Uighur community during Ramadan, which Beijing has denied.

Protests have taken place across Turkey, dealing a blow to relations between China and Turkey, which have noticeably improved over the last few years.

On Saturday, Turkish nationalists attacked a group of South Korean tourists in the heart of Istanbul's old city, thinking they were Chinese.

Meanwhile, Charamporn Jotika-sthira, president of Thai Airways International, said he was worried about problems mounting outside. However, the problems have not yet disrupted the airline's operation.

"Many problems exist that we have to be concerned about, but see no reflection at the moment," he said.

The airline is making crisis management plans, including international routing adjustments, in case the situation deteriorates, he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Prayut-blames-repatriated-Uighurs-30264144.html

-- The Nation 2015-07-10

[webfact]

Gov’t defends Uighur deportation proceeded appropriately

BANGKOK, 10 July 2015 (NNT) – The Thai government has defended its deportation of Uighur refugees to China, assuring that all measures have been carried out appropriately in compliance to international principles, with cooperation from various countries' governments and international organizations, says a spokesman.

The Deputy Spokesman of the Prime Minister’s Office Col Weerachon Sukondhapatipak stated regarding the deportation of Uighur refugees to China today, that the Thai government has been working in cooperation with other countries and international organizations to find the best solution for this long running issue that corresponds to international humanitarian principles.

He said all the refugees have undergone nationality verification, which has identified about 100 refugees as Turkish. Those identified will be sent back according to the relevant procedures, while other refugees will be sent back to China if they were proven to be Chinese nationals.

Some refugees verified as Chinese nationals had been sent back to China on 8 July 2015, while other unverified refugees are now receiving humanitarian aid and assistance from the Thai government, asserted the deputy spokesman.

On the safety of the refugees, the deputy spokesman has affirmed that the Chinese government will act according to its principles in taking all the refugees through the process of judgement. Refugees will be granted residency in keep with humanitarian principles, if they were proven to be uninvolved in any criminal activities.

The PMO’s Deputy Spokesman also stressed that the Thai government has always been proceeding along international guidelines on this matter, in cooperation with other agencies in a systematic manner. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is now working to clarify this issue with the international community, to create accurate understanding on the issue.

On the dispute with Turkish citizens, the Thai Honorary Consulate-General has announced a warning to approximately 1,000 Thai nationals residing in Turkey to take care of their safety.

The PMO’s Deputy Spokesman said that Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha is concerned about this issue, and has urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate with Turkish officials regarding the safety of Thai people, and to elaborate the issue further to relay accurate information on this matter.


-- NNT 2015-07-10

[Somtamnication]

Thai tourists? In Turkey?

[noitom]

On one hand, Thai news states repeatedly that they were repatriated to China. On the other hand, Thai news repeatedly states that they were returned to Turkey. Even in the same article, as above, this conflict is present.

[webfact]

UN slams deportation of Uighurs
THE NATION



PM SAYS REPATRIATION TO CHINA WAS IN KEEPING WITH INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS

BANGKOK: -- THE UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the broader international community yesterday expressed alarm after the government deported some 100 Uighur Muslims to China, a move that prompted an attack on the Thai embassy in Istanbul.

It is believed that the Turkic-speaking deportees were taken to China on two flights early yesterday, despite having indicated that they did not wish to be deported to China. The group may have included women and children, according to a UN statement.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Thailand, as an illegal migrant transit country, repatriated the Uighurs in accordance with its international obligations and national procedures.

"We repatriated them in accordance with the processes and evidence [of their nationality]," he said, noting that the illegal migrant problem would be solved at the government level.

The government's Deputy Spokesman Major-General Werachon Sukondhapatipak said the Uighurs were deported after it was determined they were Chinese nationals.

The group entered the Kingdom in March last year, expressing their desire to be settled in third countries. Thailand treated them as illegal migrants, detained them and began the deportation process.

The authorities deported 170 Uighurs to Turkey late last month, according to Werachon.

Werachon said the government understood that the Uighurs had political difficulties with the Chinese government.

But the deportation was conducted in accordance with Thai and international laws as well as justice and humanitarian processes, he said. Uighurs identified as Turkish were repatriated to Turkey while Uighurs who are Chinese nationals are sent to China, he said.

"Indeed, China disagreed with us over the repatriation of 170 of them to Turkey but as long as they can prove Turkish nationality, we have to send them to their place of origin," he said.

"For the group repatriated to China, the Chinese government said it had guaranteed their safety and will bring them into the Chinese justice system," Werachon said. "Security officials of the two countries reached an agreement on the conditions [of the repatriations] before the repatriations," he said.

Thailand provided sufficient humanitarian assistance to all illegal migrants, he said, noting that there were some 50 Uighurs in the process of being repatriated.

Prayut said he could explain to Muslims that his government had no intention of harming them. "Or do you want us to feed them and all their offspring?" he furiously asked reporters yesterday.

The UNHCR has been aware of this case for several months, and made numerous interventions on the Uighurs' behalf to the government. In response, the agency was given assurances that the matter would be handled in accordance with international legal standards, and that the group would continue to receive protection, the UN said.

"While we are seeking further clarifications on what happened exactly, we are shocked by this deportation of some 100 people and consider it a flagrant violation of international law," said Volker Turk, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, who is currently in the region.

"I strongly urge the Thai authorities to investigate this matter and appeal to Thailand to honour its fundamental international obligations, notably the principle of non-refoulement, and to refrain from such deportations in the future," he added.

The UNHCR also urged the government in the strongest possible terms to allow the remaining Uighurs in the country to depart voluntarily as soon as a country of their choice was willing to receive them.

A Thailand researcher at Human Rights Watch, Sunai Phasuk, said the organisation was shocked over the deportations.

By forcing them to face danger, the government had violated the non-refoulement principle, he said.

The Nation received no official comment from the Chinese embassy in Thailand while the Turkish embassy said it was waiting for official instructions from Ankara.

Human rights lawyer Surapong Kongchantuk, chairman of the Lawyers Council of Thailand's human rights subcommittee on ethnic minorities, said that states should be careful when determining Uighurs' legal status. Upon their arrival in Thailand, they were considered illegal migrants but the authorities should examine why they decided to leave their homes to come to Thailand and where they wished to go, said the human rights lawyer.

The treatment of the deported Uighurs was a hot topic in the inner circle of the concerned agencies, including the National Security Council, the Defence Ministry and the Foreign Ministry, as they had different approaches to the issue.

The security agencies wanted to repatriate them to China while the Foreign Ministry wanted more support from the international community.

There was no basis for the UN to get involved in the case, as the group did not seek asylum.

A source close to the case said all of the Uighurs identified themselves as Turks and wanted to go to Turkey.

The UN consistently communicated with Thai authorities that they must not be sent to a place where their lives and freedoms could be in danger, and they should have been free to go to a place that had agreed to receive them.

The Thai embassy in Ankara posted on its Facebook page that a group of protesters had gathered outside and advised Thai nationals against visiting the mission.

Those requiring consular services have been advised to call (+90) 312 437 4318 or, in cases of emergency, to call (+90) 533 641 5698.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/UN-slams-deportation-of-Uighurs-30264142.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-10

[JAG]

If only Thailand had some submarines , they could use them to blockade the Dardanelles!

[RustBucket]

All allowed to happen by the absolute supra-islamist nutcase Erdogan.

Turkey will be another Islamic warzone within a year.

The man is a complete maniac who is declaring himself a caliphe and even threatened to turn tens of thousands of jihadists onto the EU.

Cameron wants this Turkey to join the EU?..... says it all really.

Thailand should close the Turkish embassy.

Edited July 9, 2015 by RustBucket

[NongKhaiKid]

Years back the EU set up a commission, chaired by Valery Giscard d'Estaing a former French President, to look at Turkey's possible membership.

The report produced was scathing and pulled no punches, d'Estaing was very clear that the findings were not PC but were what many people thought and wouldn't openly say.

It was concluded that Europe was essentially a ' Christian Club ' and Turkey wouldn't fit in. It's been seen to be accurate on many occasions.

[geriatrickid]

All allowed to happen by the absolute supra-islamist nutcase Erdogan.

Turkey will be another Islamic warzone within a year.

The man is a complete maniac who is declaring himself a caliphe and even threatened to turn tens of thousands of jihadists onto the EU.

Cameron wants this Turkey to join the EU?..... says it all really.

Thailand should close the Turkish embassy.

Erdogan doesn't represent all of Turkey. There are still some Turks left who believe in the concept of separation of mosque and state and secularism.

These are the Turks who modernized the country, who acted as mediators in the middle east and who had the respect of world leaders,.

One should not be distracted by the small mob. Rather one should ask why Thailand deported legitimate refugees when it had an obligation to offer refuge. I appreciate that muslims are not popular at TVF, but these people are refugees.

[Mavrix]

Maybe Thai authorities will retaliate by removing the Turkish Ice Cream Sellers on Walking St, Pattaya !

[Eric Loh]

He got to do something to ward of the daily deluge of bad news. Even the weather don't spare him. Perhaps consult Sondhi who know a thing or two in deflecting bad karma.

[Chicken George]

Maybe Thai authorities will retaliate by removing the Turkish Ice Cream Sellers on Walking St, Pattaya !

How do they get a work permit to sell ice cream should be the question? Can Thais not do this job?

[Marknreston]

Read the full story that has been posted by others regarding the hundred of political asylum seekers that the Thai Junta returned to China in spite of international requests to grant asylum. This is not a story about Turkey or Islam. It is a story of a misguided, amateurish, and troubling government in Thailand that continues to show the world that they are not interested in becoming part of an international community of nations. They are only interested in aligning themselves with China who will gladly stroke the Generals egos. that is until the Chinese have no more use with them and then ????

It is a travesty what Prayuth and the Junta did to these asylum seekers. They know full well that these people will be seriously dealt with when they return to China. I doubt we will ever hear of their fate....they will just disappear....men, women and children.

[AlQaholic]

This will be remembered in Thai history as the Turkey Uighur incident.

[Srikcir]

If nothing else I hope the Junta's repatriation quashes its hopes of membership on the UN Human Rights Council.

[Old Croc]

Thai tourists? In Turkey?

Pretty well the only European country that is visa free for Thais.

[NextStationBangkok]

Attacking any embassy any part of the world does not look nice for your country's reputation. Peaceful mass protest would bring the message to the world. At least Thailand is not Burma, attacking and killing minorities and making them refugees forcefully.

[Old Croc]

One should not be distracted by the small mob. Rather one should ask why Thailand deported legitimate refugees when it had an obligation to offer refuge. I appreciate that muslims are not popular at TVF, but these people are refugees.

Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention nor its 1967 Protocol and does not have a formal national asylum framework.

Refugee claimants using Thailand as a transit point should be aware they risk being sent back to the country of their citizenship despite fears of persecution there. Thailand cares little for human rights and just wants to clear these people from their borders.

The reason some of this group were sent to Turkey and others back to China had to do with their citizenship and if they had any claims to Turkish residency.

[sammygood]

does thailand do a lot of business with turkey? selling them 3rd grade rice & stuff ?

if not, just close the embassy and forbid any of them to come "all a muslim cannot do in his own country" do in thailand ?

[xavierr]

The nose of the camel is in the tent.

[NoshowJones]

All allowed to happen by the absolute supra-islamist nutcase Erdogan.

Turkey will be another Islamic warzone within a year.

The man is a complete maniac who is declaring himself a caliphe and even threatened to turn tens of thousands of jihadists onto the EU.

Cameron wants this Turkey to join the EU?..... says it all really.

Thailand should close the Turkish embassy.

All normal countries should close their Embassies in Muslim countries and tell their country people that

they go to these countries at their own risk.

[tonysilly]

I don't undestrbd Turkish language, but I think the fat guy was explains that he was upset about the spicy PadThai he ate. Too dam spicy! Dam Thais.

[Poindexter]

There is a lot more to this story than meets the eye.

The Turkish government has been facilitating the flow of Salafist fighters in Syria for years, and Erdogan even admits it. Those fighting against the Syrian Govt come from multiple regions across the world, one of these being Xinjiang province in China. Back in January Turkey was embarrassed when China arrested Turks in Xinjiang (probably secret service) making fake Turk passports for Uighur fighters to travel to Turkey and then on to Syria. The story can easily be found with a quick google search. Using the veneer of 'Asylum seekers' is a common tactic by state sponsors of terrorism to get their fighters across state borders.

These people deported via Thailand, are most likely either Salafist fighters themselves or the families of Salafist fighters, who've been causing carnage in Syria, butchering everyone and anyone they deem to be an apostate.

Looks like Thailand just got itself dragged into the Western and Gulf sponsored war on Syria.

[Jimlove]

This will be remembered in Thai history as the Turkey Uighur incident.

Thai history ... no truth to read there ... Thais always claim that they have never been invaded by a foreign country ...

Sorry but what were the Japs doing in Thailand during WW2 - e.g. Bridge over River Kwai ... If Loose face then take out of history, no wonder nobody knows anything here ...

[Benmart]

If only Thailand had some submarines , they could use them to blockade the Dardanelles!

Thanks for making me laugh! The thought of a submarine flotilla from the LOS is indeed humourous.

[webfact]

PM defends Uighur repatriation to China



BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has defended his government’s decision to repatriate over 100 Uighurs to China.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Gen Prayut said his government has fully adhered to “laws and international obligations” by identifying the nationalities of the Uighur immigrants before sending them back to their respective countries.

According to Khaosod, he said as Thailand is an intermediary country, “we have to inspect and screen them clearly.”

But he said, “if we didn’t do this, there would be problems.”

Gen Prayut went on saying that “We are neutral and not in conflict with any party, so do not imply that we are otherwise! Our relations, no matter with whatever nation, is fair and impartial and we treat everyone in accordance with international standards and laws..”

He also noted that there is an established procedure for nationality verification as well as legality checks which Thailand must adhere to.

He admitted that in accordance with such procedures Thailand had sent back two groups, one to China and one back to Turkey.

He said the problem is an intra-government concern and as such must be resolved between the foreign ministries of the involved countries.

“Don’t be overly concerned because we are closely monitoring the situation! Also I would like to take this opportunity to make it clear to Muslim residents in the country that we do not want to harm anyone. Our intention is to preserve peace and harmony as much as possible. If any conflict or disagreements arises with regards to this issue then the first thing we have to look at is our commitments in accordance with international laws. We cannot just do what we wish or side with this or that party! There are rules and guidelines that we must follow! In this instance, we have adhered to every protocol and evidence has established the nationality of the migrants and we have acted accordingly.”

When he was asked whether he was confident that the Uighurs sent back to China would be safe, Gen Prayut replied,

“China has guaranteed their safety to us. They insist they will be processed in justice system. If they are not involved [in any wrongdoings] they will be freed. They will be given jobs. If evidence clearly establishes [their guilt], they will face legal action, and the severity will depend on their offence.”

Meanwhile Maj Gen Weerachon Sukhondhapatipak, deputy spokesperson said yesterday that Chinese authorities have assured Thailand that the deported Uighurs would be provided with jobs, welfare, and “assistance consistent with human rights principles.”

He told reporters that China expressed concern that Thailand previously deported 170 Uighurs to Turkey, because Chinese authorities suspected that the deportees may have been involved in a “[political] movement” in China.

However, he said Thai authorities established that the 170 were Turkish nationals, and were not clearly implicated in any illegal behavior in China.

“The Chinese government has contested the deportation and asked for inspection, but there was no clear evidence, so we sent them to Turkey,” the spokesman said.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-defends-uighur-repatriation-to-china


-- Thai PBS 2015-07-10

[than]

If only Thailand had some submarines , they could use them to blockade the Dardanelles!

Very amazing your obsession for submarines

[Lee4Life]

Mooslum scumbags waving the ISIs flag are not worth having on the planet....and neither are the ones fighting for ISIS. Criminals and terrorists. The things going on in Sandland (ME) are despicable.

Right.

Don't you ever think the west ghas a huge share in the blame of the mess the middle east is In now? Continually meddling, stealing and bombing in the region helps create the conditions for these terrorists to thrive. Wholy condemning some nations but then selling them their weapons on the side.

It's a mess the west had a huge hand In creating.

Dream on....these people have adopted a belief based on hate and fear, if it wasn't focused on western countries it would be focused on others, and this has been proven to be a fact.

[Tchooptip]

In Turkey if offenders shout Allahu Akbar, reassured the police do not intervene...even when foreign consulates are assaulted

[Kerryd]

Thai tourists? In Turkey?

Pretty well the only European country that is visa free for Thais.

As well as being a (secular) Muslim country (for now) where you can drink beer and is fanatical about football (soccer). Sounds like a place a lot of Thais would pick for a vacation, especially if they were Muslim themselves. I'm an atheist but I still toured the Blue Mosque while I had a short layover in Istanbul one time. (Holy flying elephant crap batman - the taxi drivers in Istanbul make Thai drivers look positively slow and gentle by comparison ! Crazy nut jobs, especially if they are listening to a football match on the radio while driving through rush hour traffic !)

Meanwhile, despite the claims of Thailand trying to cozy up to China, note in those news articles that China isn't happy about the 170 Uighurs they sent back to Turkey (because they were able to prove Turkish citizenship).

""Indeed, China disagreed with us over the repatriation of 170 of them to Turkey but as long as they can prove Turkish nationality, we have to send them to their place of origin," he said."

Which of course leads to the question of how Turkish Uighurs are in Thailand claiming to be from China ? (Surely there's no chance of anything fishy going on because that kind of thing never happens when people are trying to avoid going through normal channels to get from one place to another. )

Thailand considers them to be illegal migrants, not refugees and even the UNHCR "urged the government in the strongest possible terms to allow the remaining Uighurs in the country to depart voluntarily as soon as a country of their choice was willing to receive them." Sounds more like people trying to go somewhere else (at someone else's expense) than refugees. "The group entered the Kingdom in March last year, expressing their desire to be settled in third countries." Uh huh - not refugees, illegal immigrants.

There is a big difference between "refugee" and "illegal immigrant". Not liking the place you come from doesn't mean every other country in the world is obligated to feed, clothe, house and then pay for you to go to a place you decide you'd rather live in just because you don't want to go through the normal channels to immigrate there.

Could you imagine if that was the case ? 90% of England would be living in Spain and Thailand right now at the expense of those governments ! Add in all the other Euros/Americans/Australians/Indians/Chinese/Koreans and suddenly you wouldn't be able find a native Thai person in the whole country !

Not to mention that half of America would have suddenly landed in Australia and Canada because they don't like the fact that gay marriage is now legal in the US ! (The laugh being that gay marriage has been legal in Canada for over a decade.)

And yes (sigh) I am well aware of who the Uighurs are, where they come from and their recent history. Like their desire to separate and become their own country (gee, where have we heard that before, over and over and over again).

Like the riots they started in a certain city not long ago because a Han Chinese butcher shop put up a sign offering "Muslim Pork" for sale. The bombings at various train stations (blamed on Uighur militants).

The murder of the (Uighur) head of China's largest mosque, by fellow Uighurs who were upset over his criticism of attacks carried out by other Uighurs ! The attacks on police stations by Uighur militants (and so on and so on).

Various other clashes between the (Muslim) Uighur and the (Taoist/Confucius/Atheist) Han Chinese going back centuries.

Another surprise ! Despite the literacy rates and lifespans of the Uighurs skyrocketing ever since the (Communist) Chinese took over in 1949, the Uighurs aren't happy because they don't feel they are getting a "big enough slice of the pie" (Gee - where have we heard that before ?)

Al Jazeera makes no attempt to downplay the Uighur violence or blame the Chinese for everything, unlike the various Uyghur groups who, unsurprisingly, seem to think everything is the fault of the government (gee, where have we heard that before, over and over - you get the picture).

Here is part of a statement by a leader of an Uighur Separatist movement in 2009: "“We have to conquer our own country and purify it of all infidels. Then, we should conquer the infidels’ countries and spread Islam. "

(Sound familiar ?)

(ps: the region inhabited by the Uighurs now was first recorded as being settled by the Chinese in 200 BC, so they were probably there long before being "first recorded". The Uighur in that region apparently came from Mongolia after the collapse of the Uyghur Khaganate (646 - 840 AD). Genetics suggest that the Uighur are a mix of Mongolian and "Tocharian" from a region stretching from the Tarim Basin along the Silk Road as far as northern Iran. Historians suggest that the Mongolian Uyghurs conquered the Tocharians after the collapse of the Khaganate and the inter-mingling since has resulted in the "modern" Uighur. They were Buddhist (like their Tocharian and Mongol predecessors) until, between 900-1,600 AD, they started being conquered by various Islamic factions.)