AP
BEIJING — China's foreign ministry on Monday defended the repatriation of 20 Uighurs who had fled to Cambodia, saying the move was in line with immigration law and usual practice.
The ethnic Uighurs sought asylum in Cambodia following deadly ethnic riots this summer in China's far western region of Xinjiang. China says they are suspected criminals.
They were deported back to China on Saturday despite protests from the U.S. and the U.N. There are fears the Uighurs, a Muslim ethnic minority, may be mistreated in China.
"In line with immigration law, Cambodia has in recent days deported 20 Chinese citizens who illegally entered their country," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a faxed statement. "The Chinese side received the above-mentioned people according to usual practice."
Jiang added that China is strongly opposed to and cracks down on illegal immigration and hopes the international community can work together to jointly fight such crimes. She did not say where the Uighurs were or whether they had been charged with any crime upon their return to China.
The U.S. State Department said Sunday it was "deeply disturbed" by the move, which may have violated Cambodia's international obligations to asylum-seekers. The U.S. also says it is concerned about the welfare of the Uighurs.
State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said the incident would affect Cambodia's relationship with the United States and its international standing.
The ethnic rioting in July between Uighurs and the majority Han Chinese was China's worst communal violence in decades. The Chinese government says the violence left nearly 200 people, mostly Han, dead.
Overseas Uighur groups say Uighurs have been rounded up in mass detentions since the violence. China has handed down at least 17 death sentences over the rioting.
The ethnic Uighurs sought asylum in Cambodia following deadly ethnic riots this summer in China's far western region of Xinjiang. China says they are suspected criminals.
They were deported back to China on Saturday despite protests from the U.S. and the U.N. There are fears the Uighurs, a Muslim ethnic minority, may be mistreated in China.
"In line with immigration law, Cambodia has in recent days deported 20 Chinese citizens who illegally entered their country," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a faxed statement. "The Chinese side received the above-mentioned people according to usual practice."
Jiang added that China is strongly opposed to and cracks down on illegal immigration and hopes the international community can work together to jointly fight such crimes. She did not say where the Uighurs were or whether they had been charged with any crime upon their return to China.
The U.S. State Department said Sunday it was "deeply disturbed" by the move, which may have violated Cambodia's international obligations to asylum-seekers. The U.S. also says it is concerned about the welfare of the Uighurs.
State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said the incident would affect Cambodia's relationship with the United States and its international standing.
The ethnic rioting in July between Uighurs and the majority Han Chinese was China's worst communal violence in decades. The Chinese government says the violence left nearly 200 people, mostly Han, dead.
Overseas Uighur groups say Uighurs have been rounded up in mass detentions since the violence. China has handed down at least 17 death sentences over the rioting.
22 comments:
That the Royal Cambodian Government has its hands tied with Beijing and has no other
political solution to its best interests in this case against the will of China to recover these Uighurs will be understood without difficulty.
But the violation of Human Rights of the Uighurs by the Royal Government of Cambodia is happening in virtual indifference (the absence of responses, initiatives and some very warm reactions) of all players claiming the cause of Human Rights in Cambodia (opposition political parties, other NGOs, trade unions, journalists and boasting all ships to be ardent defenders of human rights and never missed opportunity to denounce always vociferously and vehemently protest against violations of human rights in Cambodia by the Government of Mr. Hun Sen), make people amazed.
The human rights of the Uighur Muslims are less interesting than the activist monk Tim Sakhorn?
Human Rights in Cambodia are an polical annex of the PSR ?
In this case of Uighurs, the Cambodian government has not fulfilled its international commitment on asylum rights and opposition political parties and other NGOs and activists defending human rights in Cambodia have not brought honor to the cause of human rights.
The khmer political world lost here its courage and pride in the face of Beijing and its honor in the face of the international community.
Are you talking about human right in Cambodia?? Give me a break, Mr. Kwak doesn't give a shit about it as long as he keep getting money from China.
អាល្ងើពកថ្នាស ហ៊ុន សែន និងបក្សពួករបស់វានេះ មិនដែលខ្វល់ពីមុខមាត់ជាតិឡើយ ឲតែអំណាច និងក្រុមគ្រួសាររបស់វា និងបក្សពួកប៉ុន្មាននាក់របស់វា នៅបានយូរ ដើម្បីបន្តអនុវត្តនយោបាយរបស់យួនហាណូយវាទីលេបទឹកដី!
ពីខែ្មរម្នាក់
I am a US citizen, I live in the US, but I disagree with the US government on this point. These people enter Cambodia illegally, and thus it is lawfully to return them back to the country of origin. Even the US return thousands of Mexican who illegally enter the US.
Another question is, why are these people came all the way from China and stay in Cambodia. Why don't they stop in Vietnam, Lao, Thailand or even go to Muslim country like Malaysia or Indonesia, why stop in Cambodia!
So now Cambodia is to blame for this. This is unfair.
Why don't the US protest with China, why blame Cambodia. May be the US dare not challenge China because they are borrowing billions from China!!
As for refugee treaty, what treaty!?
When Thai dump Cambodian refugee into mine field at Phnom Dangrek, where are the International, where the UN, and the Human right group?!
Thousands of Cambodian refugees were massacred, machine gun by Thai soliders, thousands more died in mine field, and thousand more die of starvation in Phnom Dangrek. So one come to help us, none.
Later UN estimate 30,000 Cambodian refugee died at Phnom Dangrek alone, and that not counting Thai Shelling Cambodian refugee camps a long the border, Thai rape and murder thousands more who try to enter Khao I Dang camp.
7:57 PM, Good points, well said.
I strongly agree with your claim. Though, please put yourself in the shoes of those asylum seekers. Just a friendly question, if you were in this situation, do you want to return to China for punishment?
7:57PM
I am agree with you 100%, I have mention that all countries around the world have deported the refugees back to their country why only Cambodia have to be blamed.
It is good human nature that we want to help our fellow man, however, it is also human nature that we want to help ourselves first. In this case, Cambodia is in a very tight spot.
Even if the Cambodian government want to help these people, they are not in the position to do so. They cannot risk anger China, They cannot risk losing millions in financial assistance, loan, and investment from China. Not even the US dare to offend China, let alone a small poor country like Cambodia.
So be realistic. It is easy to be an idealist when you don't have responsibility. It is easy to point finger and lay blame, but if you are in position of Cambodia, sending those people back is the best thing for Cambodia. Yes we have pity for those Chinese refugee, but in this case, nothing much we can do for them. Cambodia is also under the mercy of China.
Years 1970 comes again..
Cambodia sends Chineses Muslims back to China, USA is angry against Cambodia.
If Cambodia doesn't, China will be angry against Cambodia.
Prepare wars Cambodians.
Friend, you are absolutely right. Cambodia should not be blamed for deporting the refugees. But, a country with its own independent, Cambodia should have a jurisdiction whether or not to send those refugees. In this case, Cambodia should not send those 20 refugees back to China in exchange of dollars without due consideration. Such decision making on a dollar base makes Cambodia lost its credibility in the international settings.
Cambodia has received billions of dollars from international communities, but it remains poor. Why? One may often say, "the country has just emerged from the war," or "because of the Khmer Rouge." But to be realistic, the poverty exists and will continue to exist because of poor governance and lack of accountability. Do you have a similar observation?
Hi folks, you know, the government of Cambodia now is like a drug addicted person who normally can do anything (good or bad) in exchange for drugs to calm the nerve for a while. Dollars is everything in this situation.
However, regardless of how much donation will be poured into this country, as long as the leaders remain turning blind eyes and deft ears to constructive criticism, Cambodia will continue to be poor.
I am not with the idiots who run actually our country.
But there is only 1 law in this world, if you are strong you are right.
Suppose that tomorow, China sends 300000 soldiers to Cambodia.
Americans will help us ?
Good luck.
Hun Sen always said China gives foreign aid wihtout any conditions. I wonder if he staill have the same perspective.
Hun Sen also said "It is impossible for me to be friend with USA".
What it would be when Vietnam becomes friend of USA ?
That is Sok An time.
Sure, Hun Sen cannot be a friend of the U.S. because the U.S. is a democratic country, while Cambodia is communism wearing democratic plate to cheat its people.
Why do I say Cambodia is a communist country when it has three branches? The answer is, what is the use of having three branches in the government once each branch is under the control of the executive branch?
Cambodia is run by a group of power and money hungers. They don't care what others said or complaint as long as the CPP got money so they can do whatever they like or be drunk every night. What can the world do about it, nothing. And what can we do about it, yes keep barking ourselves until no one want to listen.
It is a delicate situation, but I think PM Hun Sen did the right thing by returning those folks back to China.
As an ex-refugee, I am very symphatic with those asylum seekers, but at the same time we must not alienate China and we must put the interest of the nation beyond our personal/ humanitarian feeling.
Cambodia is just a tiny country in a very big and unjust world. We have already suffered enough.
In response to 7:57
Don't under estimate the U.S.! Although you live in the U.S. maybe for a long period of time but the U.S. can still pull a lot of strings! come push to shove just a little pressure to China and Vietnam about the current regime in Cambodia and I guarantee you that China & Vietnam combine, will bow to U.S. pressure to remove Hun Sen from power & put someone in charge, someone that is acceptable to the U.S.A and it's a fact as all these countries need to sell their goods in the U.S. and the free world who happen to be under the U.S.????? Gabish!but maybe it's not the time yet!
3:53AM,
I am not 7:57. I think you over-estimate US power. Yes US is a super power, but not to a point where it can remove a leader of a a communist or undemocratic country through diplomatic pressure. It has to engage in military offensives, something which demands a lot justification and resources.
What make you think US would spend their times and resources to replace Hun Sen? What US got in return?
3:31 AM
You cocksucker. So you benefitted by (I'm guessing) America giving you asylum from the oppressie khmer rouge regime, yet you deny the same opportunity to those feeing the opprossive beijing regime.
Cambodia signed a UN agreement on asylum, which is why those people came here. hun sen has acted illegally, flouring this international law, in returning these people, at chinas request.
As said above, hun sen has prostrated his countrymen to china, and shamed them in the eyes of the world. I hope his, and his cronies' kickback from the $850 "aid" package is worth it.
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