About 200 people were killed in riots involving ethnic Uighurs and Han Chinese in July [Reuters]Saturday, December 19, 2009
Al Jazeera
At least 20 Uighurs who fled China after deadly ethnic violence earlier this year have been deported from Cambodia, a government official has said.
Khieu Sopheak, a Cambodian interior ministry spokesman, said the group had been put on a plane, sent from China, that left Phnom Penh International Airport at about 9pm (14:00 GMT) on Saturday.
"They are going back to China," he said.
Koy Kuong, a foreign ministry spokesman, said the Uighurs had entered the country illegally.
"The Cambodian government is implementing its immigration law. They came to Cambodia illegally without any passports or visas, so we consider them illegal immigrants," he said.
Torture fears
The Uighurs had applied for asylum at the United Nations refugee office, after fleeing riots that killed about 200 people in southern China in July.
Human rights groups say they fear for the lives of Uighurs deported to China.
"It is hugely concerning that Cambodian authorities are not giving this group an opportunity to seek asylum, or for authorities to assess their asylum case," Brittis Edman, a Cambodia researcher with Amnesty International, said, before the expulsion.
"This group will be particularly vulnerable to torture. Because of those concerns, Cambodia shouldn't send them back."
The deportation comes a day before Xi Jinping, the Chinese vice-president, visits Cambodia as part of a four-country tour.
Cambodia has been under pressure from China, which has called the Uighurs "criminals" after they fled the country.
Deadly clashes
Uighurs say Beijing has long restricted their rights, particularly clamping down on their practise of Islam.
Tensions between majority Han Chinese and the Turkic Uighurs in their traditional homeland in western China exploded into rioting in July.
The violence started with protests against attacks on Uighur workers.
The Chinese government have said that nearly 200 people, mostly Han Chinese, died in the unrest.
At least eight people have been sentenced to death for murder and other crimes during the rioting, and nine other people have been executed, Chinese state media has reported.
Khieu Sopheak, a Cambodian interior ministry spokesman, said the group had been put on a plane, sent from China, that left Phnom Penh International Airport at about 9pm (14:00 GMT) on Saturday.
"They are going back to China," he said.
Koy Kuong, a foreign ministry spokesman, said the Uighurs had entered the country illegally.
"The Cambodian government is implementing its immigration law. They came to Cambodia illegally without any passports or visas, so we consider them illegal immigrants," he said.
Torture fears
The Uighurs had applied for asylum at the United Nations refugee office, after fleeing riots that killed about 200 people in southern China in July.
"This group will be particularly vulnerable to torture. Because of those concerns, Cambodia shouldn't send them back" - Brittis Edman, Amnesty InternationalThe UN had urged Cambodia to stop the deportation. A spokeswoman for the UN refugee agency said it had not finished evaluating the Uighurs, including two children, for refugee status.
Human rights groups say they fear for the lives of Uighurs deported to China.
"It is hugely concerning that Cambodian authorities are not giving this group an opportunity to seek asylum, or for authorities to assess their asylum case," Brittis Edman, a Cambodia researcher with Amnesty International, said, before the expulsion.
"This group will be particularly vulnerable to torture. Because of those concerns, Cambodia shouldn't send them back."
The deportation comes a day before Xi Jinping, the Chinese vice-president, visits Cambodia as part of a four-country tour.
Cambodia has been under pressure from China, which has called the Uighurs "criminals" after they fled the country.
Deadly clashes
Uighurs say Beijing has long restricted their rights, particularly clamping down on their practise of Islam.
Tensions between majority Han Chinese and the Turkic Uighurs in their traditional homeland in western China exploded into rioting in July.
The violence started with protests against attacks on Uighur workers.
The Chinese government have said that nearly 200 people, mostly Han Chinese, died in the unrest.
At least eight people have been sentenced to death for murder and other crimes during the rioting, and nine other people have been executed, Chinese state media has reported.
6 comments:
The Mumbai gunman should take notice : Cambodia will not be a refuge for terrorists,killers or criminals .
These people are not terrorist, they are victims! Communist China will negatively label anyone whom challenges their dictatorship. These people have been discriminated against and they have been oppressed socially, economically for years and years! They are just trying to live, just like the Tibetans! What China and Cambodia have in common is that they don't give a damn about human rights!
But they are Muslim and Muslims are trouble maker all over the world.
Omg, how can you stereotype people into groups like that? The Cham people in Cambodia are Muslims, they are not creating problems for anyone. These people are victims of the oppressive Communist Chinese government! They just want to live a normal life with their family line you and I, but the Chinese Government makes it impossible for them to do so! You and I would not be able to live under the conditions that the Chinese government make them live under. The Chinese are so ruthless to their own people, you don't think they would treat this minority ethic group ten times worst? Look at what they did to the Chinese students who marched in Tiennemen Square back in the late 80's, they used their tanks to run over University students and it was all caught on the media. What levels would they resort to when no one is looking?
In England,France,Danemark for instance if thing did not go their way they(the muslim) resorted to violence.They prefered to built their mosques in those countries but they never allow others religious to flourish in their own countries.
These Chineses trouble maker are minority,they should obey the law and order of that country and try to coexist with their neigbors but they revolted .
Cambodia sends 20 muslim chineses to China.
Thailand had sent 100000 Khmers to mined lands.
Be patient muslim chineses, you will have your refugees camps.
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