By Sok Khemara and Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer
Washington
18 December 2009
Cambodia decided on Friday to deport Uighur asylum seekers out of its country despite of concerns from human rights groups for their safety if they are sent back to China.
The announcement was made just days before Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping is expected to arrive in Cambodia for a two-day visit.
The Chinese Muslims from China’s restive Xinjiang province, the site of violent anti-Chinese protests in July, entered Cambodia last month and were given a “people of concern” status by the UN refugee agency before they and were taken to police custody for violating immigration law.
“They are not real refugees,” interior ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak told VOA Khmer by phone late Friday night. “They will have to leave Cambodia in no later than one week.”
Earlier reports said that twenty-two Uighurs, including three children, arrived in Cambodia overland, but in an interview with VOA on Friday spokesman for ministry of foreign affairs, Koy Kuong, said authorities are now taking control of only 20 and have no knowledge of two others.
Human rights groups fear that they will be mistreated if returned to China.
“We are concerned because there were earlier assurances given at the highest level to UNHCR that asylum seekers would be allowed to have their status determined through a fair procedure and that during that period they will be protected, but it seems that now this decision has been rescinded,” Christophe Pescoux, Cambodia’s representative of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, told VOA Khmer by phone late Friday.
Pescoux said the UN is working to persuade Cambodia to “reconsider their decision”.
At least nine Uighurs have been executed for their role in violent demonstrations, which left as many as 200 people dead, China’s state media reported in November.
The announcement was made just days before Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping is expected to arrive in Cambodia for a two-day visit.
The Chinese Muslims from China’s restive Xinjiang province, the site of violent anti-Chinese protests in July, entered Cambodia last month and were given a “people of concern” status by the UN refugee agency before they and were taken to police custody for violating immigration law.
“They are not real refugees,” interior ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak told VOA Khmer by phone late Friday night. “They will have to leave Cambodia in no later than one week.”
Earlier reports said that twenty-two Uighurs, including three children, arrived in Cambodia overland, but in an interview with VOA on Friday spokesman for ministry of foreign affairs, Koy Kuong, said authorities are now taking control of only 20 and have no knowledge of two others.
Human rights groups fear that they will be mistreated if returned to China.
“We are concerned because there were earlier assurances given at the highest level to UNHCR that asylum seekers would be allowed to have their status determined through a fair procedure and that during that period they will be protected, but it seems that now this decision has been rescinded,” Christophe Pescoux, Cambodia’s representative of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, told VOA Khmer by phone late Friday.
Pescoux said the UN is working to persuade Cambodia to “reconsider their decision”.
At least nine Uighurs have been executed for their role in violent demonstrations, which left as many as 200 people dead, China’s state media reported in November.
21 comments:
Cambodian government begged for financial support from the Chinese government, therefore they are obligated to return these helpless refugees. We also know that Hun Sen has no balls to stand up for what's right for the shake of humanity. I not he said to the Thai PM that, Cambodian maybe poor, but we have dignity...What's wrong now, why can't he stands by his words. There is a phrase for this type of people, COWARD.
Someday when Cambodia cease to exist as nation on Earth and Cambodian people will be like the Uighur minority in China! These Uighur will face persecution and no where to run and no country to run to!
The fate of the Khmer Krom people in Vietnam is no different from the Uighur people!
Cambodia is a dying country!
If those people will be execute in China, UN must press on Cambodia Govt but if UN sleep then UN is paper tiger. Nothing to help the life of people on the earth.
How come the Chinese have to put the Cambodian government in a such a hard position like this. Dang it! Protect those refugees NOW! Aren't we used to be in their shoes not too long ago? Hun Sen should know because he used be say that he was very happy that Vietnam did not deport him back to Cambodia during Maoist Pol Pot era because he would have been slaughtered or persecuted already. Hun Sen needs to use his personal story to help these Uighurs NOW! God help these people, there are also children involved. When the Thais refused to accept the Cambodian refugees, how many were killed once back in Cambodia? Think about it. Protect those Uighurs NOW! Don't send them back to the Chinese hands.
only gods can help them....oh well.
To Uighur asylum seekers, you are coming to a wrong place. You should go to the country that truly respect human life, truly respect to international law. You should go to Thailand instead. You know China is big brother to Cambodia. Cambodia Hun Sen CPP will do every thing China asks to do or else.
As a human beings, I feel bad that the Cambodian goverment has to deport you back to China even though Cambodia knows that China will execute you all when return.
God Bless you all, Uighur!
As I said early that soon or later Hun Sen would send these people back. Now it comes true. I am sorry to hear this. May the curse on Hun Sen and his family. Hun Sen and his family will have the same luck like these poor Chinese people.
Cambodian government under Hun Sen is practicing double standards as international signatories. Hun Sen cannot extradite Thaksin to Thailand based on political persecution. So why not this reason apply to Uighurian?
Yes - I agree with the above comment that UN is the paper tiger like Chinese used to call US. Can UN do anything to Cambodian government? -No as long as China seating as a Permanent 5 Members.
but milions of illegal yuons are welcome, but not 20 refugees. i feel so ashamed of a khwack policy. did he say cambodia wouldn't send them back just last week ? flip flop king like the siam spy case. ah hunxen is so damned retarded, so confused, i=he has no long term vision and policy. he makes policy on the run.
cambodia is a wrong place to seek asylum. cambodian leaders depend on chinese handouts and they are beggars. shouldn't turn to beggars for help because they can't even help themselves. may god bless them.
Cambodian leaders know only SIGNING, they signed all agreements, internationals or bilateral, but the leaders DO NOT KNOw how to implement them. They interprete base on their mood and feeling. That is the way HUN SEN lead the country.
It is extremely sad to see other people suffering. But perhaps they are the activists in China. It is very bad time for them now. But if Cambodia keep them in the country, they might stir up the movement in later time. If they have good background then the Cambodian government should accept them to stay.
we khmers (including Hun Sen) were once refugees running for our lives.. after Pol Pot, after Vietnam occupation.. now our khmer government is kicking homeless refugees in the head by denying them asylum. i'm deeply ashamed of my government..
Run Run Run Uighurs....run for your life. Ah kwak mother hun sen ONLY care for the Chinese money...and not human life....die die die mother ah kwak hun shit....
Those Chinese Muslim should be deport immediately back to China because allowing them to stay they may find their way to associate with the CHAM and then may become a big headach for khmer in the future.Muslims are with Muslim only.Remember not all Muslims are terrorist but every terrorist are Muslim.
2;39pm.
You said muslims are all terrorists? In case of Cambodia, Vietnamese are the terrorists and Hun Sen and his gangs are domestic terrorists. In Case of China, the HANS are the terrorists.
Stop to write most muslims are terrorists, like in this pictures you convict them as terrorists? They have no land to live freely that is the case why they fled from own contry. If you are very brave with Viet like today no longer your people will be the same like these muslims. You hope and pray the Viet allow you live in your land what you wanted to do? Like back to CHAMPA, KHMER KROM and the next Khmer LEU (=PLEU) ! The Viet plan now to conquere the whole Thailand but wait for the time comming, you know this ??
Why N sleep with this case?
This is such an unfortunate situation, these poor people will be sent back to die in the hands of Evil China! Hun Sen and the CPP do not value humanitarian rights! They don't even care about their own people, they rob, steal, and betray their from their own. They run the country based on what is beneficial to them, this is just another day in Cambodia. The united nation and the rest of the world should already know that the government of Cambodia Would not put the best interest of these people first, they only cooperate with people who can pay favors to them, these countries being Communist Vietnam and Communist
China. The rest of the world needs to stop playing blind and step in and help these people!
Chams in Cambodia is a TIME BOMB.
One day it will expode.
4:40am,
Cham in Cambodia are Khmers, and they are not practicing Osama Bin Laden's radical killers.
You hate Khmer Islams because they are not fake cruel Buddhists like you.
A Khmer who is Proud of his Cham root
May Buddha protect all the returnees from all harms...sama samputor...
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