Decision to send Uighurs back lacked human empathy

Lite Beer · July 11, 2015

EDITORIAL
Decision to send Uighurs back lacked human empathy
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- In its desire to please China, the military government has brought the country international condemnation, and risked the lives of those returned

In their quest to get recognition from major countries around the world, in particular China, the current junta has placed Thailand at loggerheads with the international community and Uighur people in Turkey.

The recent decision to deport more than 100 Uighurs back to China comes with a heavy price.

Not only did a gang of Uighurs ransack the Thai consulate in Istanbul, another group also protested outside the Thai consulate in Berlin.

The forced deportation also drew condemnation from countries around the world, as well as human rights groups.

The European Union said the deportation was a breach of the refoulement principle, the core tenet of international humanitarian law that aims to stop forced repatriation of asylum seekers.

"Thailand has obligations under the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The remaining people of Turkic origin should be allowed to depart voluntarily to a country of their choice that is willing to receive them," the EU said in a statement that pretty much reflected the sentiment in the international community.

The UN refugee agency, meanwhile, called Thailand's action "a flagrant violation of international law, while the United States voiced concern about the decision. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said that the Muslim Uighurs forcibly returned could face detention or torture in China.

"Thailand has cravenly caved in to pressure from Beijing and robbed these people of their only protection," said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch.

Turkey, the country that has been taking the Uighur refugees, also condemned Bangkok's decision.

But the government's deputy spokesman, Maj-General Verachon Sukhonthapatipak, had the audacity to tell the world that the Thai government had assurances from Chinese authorities that the 109 Uighurs would not be mistreated.

Verachon would have done better to tell the world that Thailand has no regard for international conventions that it has signed over the years or that the government couldn't care less as to what will happen to the Uighur refugees when they are sent back to China.

Maybe he should have told the world in all honesty that the current regime places ties with China above the humanitarian principle because the generals who launched a coup in May last year desperately need moral support from world powers.

Isn't it enough that the junta is planning to buy three submarines from China? Do we have to go the extra mile and send the Uighurs back just to show Beijing how good a friend we are?

If the military leaders open their eyes and ears and do some reading - just a little, not much - of the various reports by world think tanks they would understand why the Uighurs are taking up arms against the Chinese government; they would know why they are fleeing Xinjiang by the thousands.

More importantly, they would know why the decision to deport the Uighurs was a bad move.

They would know that permitting the UN refugee agency to get involved in the matter would serve Thailand's interest as well.

The reaction from Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was another embarrassment and his choice of words were really unfit for the leader of a national government, regardless how one came to power.

Prayut said if Thailand won't send them back now, they will soon have three "three litters of offspring". The Thai word for litters is 'krok', which is reserved for animals like dogs.

Bangkok knows that damage has been done and so somebody came up with an idea to send Thai officials to China, and international organisations later, to monitor the well being of the Uighurs.

And while they are at it, the Thai officials can take selfies with the Uighur detainees so we can take pride in what we have done to these people whose oppression and discrimination has been well documented - but sadly went unnoticed by this military government.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Decision-to-send-Uighurs-back-lacked-human-empathy-30264277.html

-- The Nation 2015-07-12

trogers · July 12, 2015

Those who claim to have human empathy, please raise your hand to show your willingness to adopt them...

An act is worth more than a thousand words!

rametindallas · July 12, 2015

Surely the Uighors had to pass through one or more counties to get from China to Thailand. Once they crossed out of China, they were safe and there was no legitimate reason for them to continue on to Thailand. Why didn't they seek sanctuary in the first country outside of China? There are lots of Muslim countries on China's border. Why did they come to Thailand? Uighurs have their own autonomous region in Northwestern China. They are not even close to Thailand either geographically or culturally. There is no legitimate reason for them coming to Thailand. Turkey is accepting them with open arms. They should go to Turkey. Uighors are responsible for a lot of terrorism in China. I'm still not convinced these are not a criminal or terroristic groups fleeing justice in China. The Muslims in southern Thailand are responsible for most terrorism in Thailand and Thailand doesn't need more terroristic Muslims. Uighurs are violent as witnessed by their attack on the Thai embassy in Turkey. Send them all back or Thailand will get a reputation as a country that allows terrorists a refuge. Hopefully the word will spread that Thailand will arrest and deport illegal aliens and the practice will stop.

.

Edited July 12, 2015 by rametindallas

Barin · July 12, 2015

I totally agree with you!

Thailand is more wise than Europe and doesn't want the same Islamic chaos as France is having today.

Europe has more than enough examples of consequences of this "human empathy".

Oziex1 · July 12, 2015

Here we go the non empathetic racists against the enlightened moderates.

sprq · July 12, 2015

You don't seem to have enough brainpower to tell the difference between millions of economic immigrants encouraged to come because the work force needed them, as was the case with immigrants to France, and a few hundred refugees fleeing persecution and needing help.

Alwyn · July 12, 2015

which race are you talking about? Islam isn't a race but a religion so you must mean Uighurs? I don't know if they are a 'race' or just Chinese Muslims from the region of Uighur? While not many countries in the World would expatriate anybody back to China there is another point to consider - and I'm not talking insurgents/Jihadist etc. These people are not real refugees are they? International law is pretty clear about this. A refugee should stop at the first safe country he reaches by land (theory is that if they can get exit visas etc to fly, they're not refugees). They would have had to pass through at least one 'safe' country to reach Thailand which would make some think they're just calling the refugee card to be able to stay in Thailand?

Alwyn · July 12, 2015

If the behaviour of their mates in Turkey is anything to go by, good riddance.

sawadee1947 · July 12, 2015

you are a bloody racist...sorry.

rametindallas · July 12, 2015

What has 'race' got to do with this? Thailand doesn't let me 'immigrate' to Thailand without showing large, outside income and even then, I'm not allowed to work. If they allowed those Uighurs, who entered illegally, to stay, now that would be racist.

you are a bloody racist...sorry

When you resort to name-calling, you show you don't have any real argument. Then you compound your name-calling by lying and saying you are 'sorry'. Oh, you meant sorry as in 'pitiful'. I have to agree with that part of your post.

Please grow up; learn to express yourself without resorting to name-calling. We're not in the third grade anymore.

.

Edited July 12, 2015 by rametindallas

h90 · July 12, 2015

Being Muslim is not a race.

Thailand all the time deport Swedish, British, Germans for not having a proper visa....RACISTS against Farangs!!!!

And if you know Swedish winter, it is complete against humanitarian laws to send them back into the cold......

deckape · July 12, 2015

Knew the first part would be there. The second part is a pleasant surprise.

sharpjwe · July 12, 2015

As most said Muslim is not a race

Islam is a murderous doctrine that doe not command respect .

Kill adulterers gays ,"honor killings ",apostates ,all non muslims and YOU dumb ass too.

there are 5 muslim counties bordering china

it only right to send them back to their lands ,

actually we should all agree to let them have their caliphate.on the original muslim lands = mecca.

all other lands where colonized by terror murder intimidation.

if you say i am racist . then i am proud to be so ,

rather the submit to this religion of hate

( the muslim people are the first victims of Islam the religion of hate .)

it is time that the world speaks up before the murder us all.

tell me of one successful muslim countries as there are 56 majority Muslim states

h90 · July 12, 2015

In Thailand in China you can change your religion. In Malaysia there is the death penalty on changing religion away from Muslim. So any time I would take Muslim refuges from there who changed their mind.

Successful Muslim countries: well Malaysia.....

sharpjwe · July 12, 2015

Srikcir · July 12, 2015

Uighurs are not Thai citizens and so have no rights under the Constitution.

Which means they are the same as Thais who have no rights under Article 44 of the Provisional Charter.

sawadee1947 · July 12, 2015

No my dear, that's not the point: There are people fleeing their country, coming to Thailand, probably seeking asylum....and are sent back to China having an uncertain future, maybe tortured or thrown into prison or killed somehow.

Why deny asylum (and opposing human rights): because they are moslems? Or because becoming friends with China?

There are quarrels in the South with moslems over years already. The solution was using military power, not any political as limited independance. There is a discrepancy between Thai's belief (tolerance) and reality in disregarding moslems, at least in the South.

Nobody should be mistreated because of his belief..........in this case grant asylum and let them go where they want.

Christs e.g are prosecuted by Al Shabab or IS. In 9 islamic countries Christs have massive problems (wikipedia). Would you judge same and want them to be sent back into their original countries?? E.g all farangs out off Saudi Arabia, Jemen, North Korea, Somalia Maldives?

And YES you are e racist, a caucasian (are the Chinese Moslems caucasians??? They are not of course)

"Sorry" meant I pity you, and I did not want to use stronger words.

I think you should try to put yourself into their shoes.....if you can. How you would feel then?

rametindallas · July 12, 2015

Why deny asylum (and opposing human rights): because they are moslems?

They are being denied asylum because they passed up a half dozen 'asylum' countries to reach Thailand and not because they are Muslims.You just assign motives to people without any possible proof. That's dishonest. They are in Thailand illegally so are being repatriated to their home country the same as you or I would be.

Millions of Uighurs live peaceful, productive live in their autonomous region of China. The ones that are leaving are malcontents and lawbreakers (they broke the law when they entered Thailand without a visa); how many other country's borders did they illegally cross to get to Thailand. The Uighur refugees are also violent as they proved when they physically attacked the Thai Embassy in Turkey; they are also on video slashing dozens of innocent people with long knives at two different Chinese train stations. Who wants those kind of people in their country. Thailand already has enough violent Muslims in the Deep South.

They had to pass through several Muslim countries (I thought I made that clear in my post) to come to Buddhist Thailand. Why? As soon as they left China, there was no need for them to continue on to Thailand. Neither you, nor I, have any idea of what circumstances they left in China so all your suppositions are just that; suppositions.

You have not bothered to refute even one claim I made or answer even one question I posed regarding the Uighurs and yet you want to make up scenarios you can't prove to justify their illegal entry into Thailand. I want you to illegally enter Thailand and see if the same doesn't happen to you. Are you a Muslim? If not, what form of racism would you assign to the Thai government for deporting you back to your home country for illegal entry?

And YES you are e racist, a caucasian (are the Chinese Moslems caucasians??? They are not of course)

Stop playing the race card as if I don't have permission to discuss any group that doesn't come from my own race; that's racist. BTW, how do you know I'm Caucasian?

If Thailand doesn't send them back, Thailand will get a reputation that they have open borders. Do you think Thailand can afford to be an open-border country? Already that policy is bankrupting the health-care, education, and welfare systems in the US.

You strike me as a head-in-the-clouds idealist. Unless Thailand is your country, you have no business telling the Thais who and who not to accept across their sovereign border.

You just operate on 'feelings' don't you? Practicality never enters the equation. I really must stop responding to people who think with their heart instead of using their brains.

.

Edited July 12, 2015 by rametindallas

Thai at Heart · July 12, 2015

Hundreds of daily judgements of Thais show a complete lack of compassion, so why is anyone surprised.

What about Uncle SMS, or the mushroom pensioners?

sawadee1947 · July 13, 2015

I really don't know if you are not able to follow me. You said the Uighurs passed already many countries before they came to Thailand. Well, that's the same situation in Europe. Let's say Syrians passed many countries before they enter their desired country (e.g. Germany) Do we have the right to condemn they because they could have asked asylum in Turkey, Greece, Albania, Serbia, Italy...aso. Actually they would have to go back to the first entry country in EU, in this case Greece, but in reality they would not sent back there. And definetely they would not send back to Syria. Or take the Jesides...Many examples you'll find. That has nothing to do with brain or not actually. And that the Uighurs are prosecuted or displaced by Han-Chinese is a fact. So why you try to picture them living peaceful there in Eastern China? Out of humanitarian reasons it was Thailand's duty to keep them and not to send them back to China.

I try to open your eyes but maybe not very successful.

DM07 · July 13, 2015

All those, who (again and expected) let the islamophobe- flag fly high: ever heard of place called Uganda?

Upright Christians, the lot of them!

I said it before: this is not about Muslims!

It is about human beings!

And while I agree that SOME people of Muslim- faith are downright @$$holes, I would be very much in favor to work through asylum-seekers, one person at a time, to find out, if they in fact, may have been tortured, stripped of their human- or citizen rights etc., before I send them back to a more than uncertain and unsafe future!

But that is just me, a bleeding heart liberal and leftist...and proud of it!

Linky · July 13, 2015

Wow, i didnt realise cavemen where still alive. Im glad the younger generation are generally more enlightened and educated.

To name a couple of muslim countries that do ok, malaysia, indonesia, turkey.

Have you ever felt your life threatened in those muslim countries by the murderous followers of hate? Surely you must have such personal experience.

Edit: brunei does ok but my favourite musl8m place would have to be maldives.

Edited July 13, 2015 by Linky

rametindallas · July 13, 2015

To name a couple of muslim countries that do ok, malaysia, indonesia, turkey.

I guess you weren't 'educated' about:

the 2002 Bali bombing of nightclubs frequented by tourists: 202 dead, 209 injured https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Bali_bombings or 2005: 20 dead 100 injured https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Bali_bombings I'll give you three guesses as to the religion behind the bombers.

ISLAMIC PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IN MALAYSIA And Muslim denial. http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/97656/islamic-persecution-christians-malaysia-anti-jihadist

Modern Turkey was based on the exclusion of non-Muslims from Turkey. You can understand this by simply looking at the percentages of non-Muslims in the population in Turkey. Before 1915, 25% of Turkey’s population consisted of non-Muslims. With the current population of 70 million citizens, we should have 17 million non-Muslims. But today, all non-Muslims (including Greeks, Jews, Armenians and Assyrians) just barely exceeds 100,000. So the current rate is well below 1%. http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/04/minorities-turkey-discrimination.html#

Have you ever felt your life threatened in those muslim countries by the murderous followers of hate? Surely you must have such personal experience.

I wouldn't go to any of those countries on a bet. I don't like intolerant countries that are ruled by religion. BTW, Buddhism is not a religion but a philosophy. http://www.buddhanet.net/nutshell03.htm

Im glad the younger generation are generally more enlightened and educated

It must be good to be young and believe you know better than your elders. You forget that we, also, were young once but now our opinions are shaped by knowledge gained over many years and wisdom to know how to process that information. We are not caught up in idealism but have learned, some of us the hard way, that pragmatism (taking into account the realities of life) must be considered and also consequences of actions. You may choose to feel more enlightened and better educated but we older folk know that education today is but a shadow of what education was in the past (standards have been drastically lowered). A lot of education today is merely indoctrination. With so little life experience, how can you possible claim to be more 'enlightened' when you are so ignorant of the world?

Well, it's been swell responding to someone who is superior to me. signed, old, unenlightened, uneducated, unrepentant Caveman.

.

sawadee1947 · July 13, 2015

you seemed to me a bit upset, offended? Because you feel bad? It is not my way to be right all time. I gave you something to think about, but when you write: I wouldn't go to any of those countries on a bet. I don't like intolerant countries that are ruled by religion. BTW, Buddhism is not a religion but a philosophy

then I have no words anymore. In my opinion it's good to know how these people are thinking, trying to understand them.

But to be honest....that is not your life. I can feel a bit of hate and intolerance in your writing. It's not good anyway, will shorten your life more. Also you seem to be a rude person. Who made you?

halloween · July 13, 2015

I also have trouble picking the fly shit out of ground pepper. Guess what, every one of them has a sob story to tell, recently converted christians being a biggie, and most have conveniently lost their ID, and will lie until they are blue in the face to get the prize..

Oz has given refuge to Pakistani travelling salesmen turned Afghani, only discovered when their family arrives and have no idea about the area where they are supposed to have lived, hundreds of hours of work and thousands of dollars of assistance wasted. IMHO now there will be huge numbers of Rohingya appearing from west of Burma, and Uighurs from east.

Edited July 13, 2015 by halloween

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