By SOPHENG CHEANG
AP
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — A group of Muslims who fled China after deadly ethnic rioting and sought asylum in Cambodia were sent back home Saturday, even though rights groups fear they face persecution there.
Interior Ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Khieu Sopheak said the 20 members of the Uighur minority had been put on a special plane sent from China that left Phnom Penh International Airport Saturday night.
"They are going back to China," he said.
Cambodia has been under intense pressure from China to deport the Uighurs, whom Beijing has called criminals after they fled the country with the help of a secret network of missionaries. The expulsion came a day before Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visits Cambodia as part of a four-country tour.
The United States, the United Nations and human rights groups had urged Cambodia to stop the deportation. A spokeswoman for the U.N. refugee agency said it had not finished evaluating the Uighurs, including two children, for refugee status.
The Uighurs were being deported because it was determined they entered the country illegally, Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said earlier. He said two other Uighurs who had been with the group are missing.
Some countries have refused to send Uighurs — such as those released from U.S. detention at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba — back to China over concerns about retribution and abuse.
"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 late Saturday before the group left.
"This group will be particularly vulnerable to torture. Because of those concerns, Cambodia shouldn't send them back."
Uighurs say Beijing has long restricted their rights, particularly clamping down on their practice of Islam.
Tensions between majority Han Chinese and the Turkic Uighurs in their traditional homeland in far western China exploded into rioting in July, the country's worst communal violence in decades. The Chinese government says nearly 200 people, mostly majority Han Chinese, died.
Exile groups say Uighurs have been rounded up in mass detentions since the rioting. China has handed down at least 17 death sentences — mostly to Uighurs — over the violence.
The Uighurs arrived in Cambodia in recent weeks and had initially been in joint custody of the U.N. refugee agency and Cambodian authorities. Khieu Sopheak said they had been shifted to the "sole protection" of the Cambodian government.
An evaluation of the Uighurs for possible refugee status had not yet been completed, said Kitty McKinsey, spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Bangkok. She said the agency had asked Cambodia not to deport the group.
The United States also urged Cambodia not to send the Uighurs back to China.
"We are deeply disturbed by the reports that the Cambodian government might forcibly return this group of Uighurs without the benefit of a credible refugee status determination process," U.S. Embassy spokesman John Johnson in Phnom Penh said earlier. There was no immediate U.S. reaction to the actual expulsion.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said last week the Uighurs were "involved in crimes." She did not elaborate.
China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday.
Wang Lixiong, a China-based writer on Uighur and Tibetan issues, said the deportation reflected China's powerful influence in the region. China says it is the top foreign investor in Cambodia.
"When I learned the Uighurs landed in Cambodia, I was pessimistic because Cambodia is a small country that will not be able to stand against China's pressure," said Wang.
Associated Press writers Cara Anna and Isolda Morillo in Beijing and Grant Peck in Bangkok contributed to this report.
Interior Ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Khieu Sopheak said the 20 members of the Uighur minority had been put on a special plane sent from China that left Phnom Penh International Airport Saturday night.
"They are going back to China," he said.
Cambodia has been under intense pressure from China to deport the Uighurs, whom Beijing has called criminals after they fled the country with the help of a secret network of missionaries. The expulsion came a day before Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visits Cambodia as part of a four-country tour.
The United States, the United Nations and human rights groups had urged Cambodia to stop the deportation. A spokeswoman for the U.N. refugee agency said it had not finished evaluating the Uighurs, including two children, for refugee status.
The Uighurs were being deported because it was determined they entered the country illegally, Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said earlier. He said two other Uighurs who had been with the group are missing.
Some countries have refused to send Uighurs — such as those released from U.S. detention at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba — back to China over concerns about retribution and abuse.
"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 late Saturday before the group left.
"This group will be particularly vulnerable to torture. Because of those concerns, Cambodia shouldn't send them back."
Uighurs say Beijing has long restricted their rights, particularly clamping down on their practice of Islam.
Tensions between majority Han Chinese and the Turkic Uighurs in their traditional homeland in far western China exploded into rioting in July, the country's worst communal violence in decades. The Chinese government says nearly 200 people, mostly majority Han Chinese, died.
Exile groups say Uighurs have been rounded up in mass detentions since the rioting. China has handed down at least 17 death sentences — mostly to Uighurs — over the violence.
The Uighurs arrived in Cambodia in recent weeks and had initially been in joint custody of the U.N. refugee agency and Cambodian authorities. Khieu Sopheak said they had been shifted to the "sole protection" of the Cambodian government.
An evaluation of the Uighurs for possible refugee status had not yet been completed, said Kitty McKinsey, spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Bangkok. She said the agency had asked Cambodia not to deport the group.
The United States also urged Cambodia not to send the Uighurs back to China.
"We are deeply disturbed by the reports that the Cambodian government might forcibly return this group of Uighurs without the benefit of a credible refugee status determination process," U.S. Embassy spokesman John Johnson in Phnom Penh said earlier. There was no immediate U.S. reaction to the actual expulsion.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said last week the Uighurs were "involved in crimes." She did not elaborate.
China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday.
Wang Lixiong, a China-based writer on Uighur and Tibetan issues, said the deportation reflected China's powerful influence in the region. China says it is the top foreign investor in Cambodia.
"When I learned the Uighurs landed in Cambodia, I was pessimistic because Cambodia is a small country that will not be able to stand against China's pressure," said Wang.
Associated Press writers Cara Anna and Isolda Morillo in Beijing and Grant Peck in Bangkok contributed to this report.
26 comments:
And what are doing the UNCHR in there?
No humanity. Only self-interest.
Know that I am not a muslum. But life is what God gives to each of us.
withdraw life from a human being is an act against God will, desire plan and law
Only God will do it according to his sovereign plan and desire.
Cambodia government violates Geneva Refugee Convention agreement.
It shall facilitate and assist UNHCR to help Uyghur refugees.
Whoever bring those poor Chinese refugee to Cambodia and let the whole world know about it is an idiot. They don't do their home work properly before this operation.
Cambodia receive millions of loan and financial assistance from China, and thus is not in any position to resist China's demand to return those refugee.
Just use common sense.
I agree with you 11:05
This heartless regime don't give a damn about anyone. They were in Cambodia to seek political asylum and this stupid gov't sent them back to get executed. Where is Human Rights? Somebody will have to be punish for this. Nevertheless, karma will come back to hit this idiotic regime.
11:20pm
One way to look at it, but business is business.
The humanitarian act is not a business related to loans. It's a private and moral affair that has nothing to do with business deal.
Twenty something refugees can't harm the atheist powerful China government. Refugee experience once is synonymous to Hun Sen private life.
Cambodian government under Hun Sen's rule never honor International laws and even their own constitution. The constitution stipulates about Welfare Being of Cambodian Citizens but look what happened right now - land grabbing from the poor, forced eviction etc... I'm worried that this will happen to our own KK when they rise up against the Viet and escape to Cambodia then their fate will be the samething as Uiyghur.
This is clearly the most immoral and cruel affairs that the dictator Hun Sen regime does to humankind by sending the Uiyghurs back to the repressive communist China to face "kangaroo court" trials.
Dictator Hun Sen has committed great crime against humanity: by killing defenseless, innocent and poor Khmer, sending Khmer Kroms and Montagnards back to the repressive Hanoi regime, and now sending the Ugyghurs back to the repressive Beijing regime.
Khmer must put dictator Hun Sen on trial even if he is in his grave.
Khmer Angkor
it is very sad...may our god buddha be with them...and keep them under his wing.....you know...hun's took money from both side...oh! my god....however...all of the courage of those 20...will remain in our heart....and hope all brave cambodian young people stand up for our beloved cambodia...fight for their freedom and kill all those who corrupted...and sold our natural treasure for power.....
Now, the commie Chinese will execute them and sell their organs to the US.
These poor people ran to the wrong country.
Very sad, indeed.
When the CPP regime gets toppled, i hope no one gives them refugee status and sends them back to Cambodia for the slaughter, they deserve it anyway, most of them are vietnamese disguised as khmer.
Perhaps, these Uighur Muslims are
extremist kind of breed. They kill
and destroy if they don't get their
way in a society. Aren't most of those dead are Hans Chinese whom they consider infidels?
Let them pay life for life for the
crimes they committed. Muslims are
far from being a peaceful religion.
But rather, they are piece fowling
hated spirit religion. They put to
the sword those who opposes them,
Or converted to another faith.
I think the Cambodian gov'did the
right thing by sending them back.
Now watch out--they might retaliate
by blowing up some buildings in
Phnom Penh.
These noisy posters still don't see the reality why these Uighurs sent bgack to China.
Hun Sen has no such intelligence to make the decision to send those Uighrs back to China if the superpowers China and US ddin't give him a signal.
Since Hanoi is working for China-US for its own interest so everything Hun Sen does must be from Hanoi, and Hanoi took order from China-US.
The US let the black Muslim and Communist OBama to sit in their White House, because of the Muslims and the money the US owed China for trllion of dollars, and why do you all think the US would interfer China?
and what are about youniligal in our homeland?What dictator Hun Xe do about the youn people?Send dictator Hun Xen youn people back to Hanoi?
4;55am.
How dumb you can be? Don't you know Hun Sen has no intelligence to make such decisions, but a puppet only? How can a puppet send Yuon back to Vietanm if Hun Sen is Vietnam's puppet?
The americans have sent khmers back to their "homeland" , does any sons of the bitch have raised their concern on the US action ?
What Hun Sen should do is to SEND Thaksin BACK to THAILAND, not send Uigur people to China.
Come on people, use your common sense. Do you know self preservation and national interest! Cambodia don't give a dam, because Cambodia cannot and would not offend China. Those who bring those Chinese refugee to Cambodia should know this ahead of time. If they don't, they are fools.
So shut up, those who self righteous and think that Cambodia should die or lose millions of loan and financial help from China because of these refugee.
If you kids are starving, are you giving your rice to the strangers? Come on, you are not Buddha who cut his own flesh to feed hungry animals.
Self preservation come first.
What are you talking about 6:07AM?Let get real about those who sent back to Cambodia and those poor Uyghurs who are hungry for Freedom like the one you have enjoying it.
I am talking about the khmers who have been deported back to Cambodia by the US. They are seperated from their family and sent to live in the country they never have known.That is real inhuman mesure. What have you do for them ?
Unbelievable HEARTLESS Cambodia! Dang it! If anyone wants Cambodia to look your way, all you have to do is to throw a whole bunch of money in its face then it will be your dog forever.
What do you expect from ah Kwack Hun Xen motherfucker!
What do you expect from ah Kwack Hun Xen motherfucker!
Send them all back. Why don't they go stay in Vietnam, Lao or Thailand. Why bring trouble to Cambodia. I don't think Cambodia should risk our own neck to save these people. Who know, may be they are Islamic terrorist. Even the USA are chasing terrorist in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
if you're in a western country you have the shame and blame for the torture of these people. Your government, British, American, Germany etc. fund the fail-nation state of Cambodia each year to have it function, so that mean your tax dollar is being spent towards the violation and trampling of human rights.
Are you going to let that happen and stand by as your hardworking money is being cheated and spent on non-humanitarian reason while you remain jobless and suffering at home?
Demand your government that if they are going to spend your money, they better spend it on the promotion of human diginity!
Who are you guys who want Cambodia to do to serve your colonialism. Fuck off ,keep your money and leave Cambodia free.
Cambodia should prosecute those who traffic these people into Cambodia ! Even a UN staff !
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