Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (L) meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh, Dec. 21, 2009. (AFP)2009-12-21
Radio Free Asia
Cambodia's deportation to China of Uyghur asylum-seekers will harm U.S. ties, Washington says.
HONG KONG—China is defending its deportation of 20 ethnic minority Uyghurs who had fled to Cambodia in the wake of deadly ethnic rioting, as the United States voices “deep concern” over the move.
The ethnic Uyghurs 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 international protests and fears that they could face trial, torture, and execution 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 didn’t indicate where the Uyghurs were or whether they had been charged with any crime upon their return to China.
U.S. protest
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.
Washington “is deeply concerned about the welfare of these individuals, who had sought protection under international law," State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said.
“The United States strongly opposed Cambodia’s involuntary return of these asylum seekers before their claims have been heard. This incident will affect Cambodia’s relationship with the U.S. and its international standing,” Duguid said in a statement.
He urged Beijing “to uphold international norms and to ensure transparency, due process and proper treatment of persons in its territory.”
Ethnic rioting in July between Uyghurs 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.
China has handed down at least 17 death sentences over the rioting. Police have meanwhile detained more than 700 people in connection with the unrest, according to earlier state news reports.
The United States, the United Nations, and human rights groups had urged Cambodia to stop the deportation. And in statements given to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and seen by the Associated Press, several of the Uyghur asylum-seekers voiced fears they would be imprisoned or executed upon their return.
The Chinese government has detained hundreds of Uyghurs, and at least 43 Uyghur men have disappeared in the wake of ethnic violence that erupted in Urumqi on July 5, according to Human Rights Watch, which says the actual number of disappearances is likely far higher.
Uyghurs, a distinct and mostly Muslim ethnic group, have long complained of religious, political, and cultural oppression by Chinese authorities, and tensions have simmered in the Xinjiang region for years.
Kadeer speaks out
Rebiya Kadeer, president of the World Uyghur Congress and the Uyghur American Association, said in a commentary Monday that the deportations signify “China’s increasing ability to resist international pressure regarding its human-rights violations.”
“Governments of countries neighboring China are reluctant to take any action that would displease Chinese authorities, leaving Uyghurs nowhere to flee,” Kadeer wrote in The Wall Street Journal.
Kadeer, a former political prisoner in China, called on governments “committed to the preservation of human rights” to press Beijing over the case.
“During my time in a Chinese prison, my jailers often told me the world did not care about me or the Uyghurs’ struggle for freedom, but my treatment did improve when officials from the U.S. and other democratic countries campaigned for my release,” she wrote.
“If there is to be any hope for the safety and well-being of these Uyghur asylum-seekers, it is vital that world powers continue to press China regarding their welfare.”
Original reporting by RFA's Khmer and Uyghur services and by news agencies. Khmer service director: Sos Kem. Uyghur service director: Dolkun Kamberi. Executive producer: Susan Lavery. Written and produced in English by Sarah Jackson-Han.
HONG KONG—China is defending its deportation of 20 ethnic minority Uyghurs who had fled to Cambodia in the wake of deadly ethnic rioting, as the United States voices “deep concern” over the move.
The ethnic Uyghurs 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 international protests and fears that they could face trial, torture, and execution 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 didn’t indicate where the Uyghurs were or whether they had been charged with any crime upon their return to China.
U.S. protest
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.
Washington “is deeply concerned about the welfare of these individuals, who had sought protection under international law," State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said.
“The United States strongly opposed Cambodia’s involuntary return of these asylum seekers before their claims have been heard. This incident will affect Cambodia’s relationship with the U.S. and its international standing,” Duguid said in a statement.
He urged Beijing “to uphold international norms and to ensure transparency, due process and proper treatment of persons in its territory.”
Ethnic rioting in July between Uyghurs 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.
China has handed down at least 17 death sentences over the rioting. Police have meanwhile detained more than 700 people in connection with the unrest, according to earlier state news reports.
The United States, the United Nations, and human rights groups had urged Cambodia to stop the deportation. And in statements given to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and seen by the Associated Press, several of the Uyghur asylum-seekers voiced fears they would be imprisoned or executed upon their return.
The Chinese government has detained hundreds of Uyghurs, and at least 43 Uyghur men have disappeared in the wake of ethnic violence that erupted in Urumqi on July 5, according to Human Rights Watch, which says the actual number of disappearances is likely far higher.
Uyghurs, a distinct and mostly Muslim ethnic group, have long complained of religious, political, and cultural oppression by Chinese authorities, and tensions have simmered in the Xinjiang region for years.
Kadeer speaks out
Rebiya Kadeer, president of the World Uyghur Congress and the Uyghur American Association, said in a commentary Monday that the deportations signify “China’s increasing ability to resist international pressure regarding its human-rights violations.”
“Governments of countries neighboring China are reluctant to take any action that would displease Chinese authorities, leaving Uyghurs nowhere to flee,” Kadeer wrote in The Wall Street Journal.
Kadeer, a former political prisoner in China, called on governments “committed to the preservation of human rights” to press Beijing over the case.
“During my time in a Chinese prison, my jailers often told me the world did not care about me or the Uyghurs’ struggle for freedom, but my treatment did improve when officials from the U.S. and other democratic countries campaigned for my release,” she wrote.
“If there is to be any hope for the safety and well-being of these Uyghur asylum-seekers, it is vital that world powers continue to press China regarding their welfare.”
Original reporting by RFA's Khmer and Uyghur services and by news agencies. Khmer service director: Sos Kem. Uyghur service director: Dolkun Kamberi. Executive producer: Susan Lavery. Written and produced in English by Sarah Jackson-Han.
10 comments:
CHINA and the USA do not now how to rescue Cambodia from Vietnamese jaws?
In relation to Cambodia, CHINA is Zero achievement, every time Chinese start to move their men or policies to influence Cambodia, the Vietcong/NVA punch in the Chinese nose first all the times.
Now the ECCC in Cambodia is indirectly control by Vietnamese government through their puppet Mr. Hun Sen/CPP government. The ECCC is charging former CHINA clients Mr. Khieu Samphan, Mr. Nuon Chea, Mr. Ieng Sary and his wife Mrs. Ieng Thirith as GENOCIDE crimes against the ethnic Vietnamese and the Cham in Cambodia. What is CHINA GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT?
BESIDE BRING MORE MONEY TO BUY Mr. Hun Sen/CPP government and perhaps to robe the whole of Cambodia through land development, ripping for Vietnam to take over again and again CHINA can not do anything to save Cambodia from Vietnam colonization.
CHINA WAS THE MAIN SUPPORTER OF KHMER ROUGE who is their clients now charging as genocide. Whereas the Vietnamese clients such as Hun Sen, Chea Sim, Heng Samrin, Hor Nam Hoang, Keat Chhon, Sam Kar, Sar Kheng, Men Sam An and much more who also GENOCIDED millions of Khmers are laughing at CHINA, USA, UN, EU, ECCC all the way to their own individual’s banks.
At this stage USA do not want to save Cambodia from Vietnam swallowing, so what CHINA must do is to wake up quickly by allying themselves with USA the same way as Mr. Deng Xao Ping did with Mr. Ronald Reagan in 1980’s and rearmed the ex- Khmer Rouge soldiers again to save Cambodia from extinction.
The condition must be attached onto those ex-Khmer Rouge troops, that those troops must be control and lead by ex-anti Vietnamese guerrilla’s leaders similar to the recipient of American Silver Cross Medal, Major Sergeant SARUN SAR of the American Special Force and many more of that types are waiting around the world and inside Cambodia to bring Vietnam and Hun Sen/CPP government to respect the 23rd October 1991 Paris Peace Agreement once more time.
Vietnamese government through their puppet HUN SEN had cheated the CHINESE GOVERNMENT, the UNTAC, the USA administrative and the whole Khmer Rouge organization by urging the Khmer Rouge to lay down their arm before 1993 and now control them like slave and master.
Now a day what CHINA hoping is to buy out HUN SEN and the whole CPP government with their money, so CHINA can have influence in Cambodia.
Vietnamese will not let HUN SEN go off their hooks so easily like CHINA wanted, if HUN SEN do want to escape from Vietnamese jaws, he will receive the same fate as his in-law former police crook-murderer Gen. HOK LUNDY.
Vietnam only allow Hun Sen as a bait to attract investment funds from China, so Vietnam who is Hun Sen master, can spare their own fund to buy 6 Sub-Marines and 12 Russian Airplanes to defeat CHINA once more time like in February 1979 from future China attack.
Vietnam at this moment will never let Chinese put a hand on Cambodia cake again, for inside Cambodia they had 100,000 NVA plus 5 million of Vietnamese illegal immigrants, and for augment sake who know how many Vietnamese militia in disguise among those 5 million illegal Vietnamese in Cambodia?
Therefore, the USA and the CHINA were manipulated by Vietnamese government again and again until they took all the South East Asian markets. Recently they took Laos, Cambodia and perhaps Thailand soon when the opportunity arises.
Vietnam smartly took Laos, Cambodia from CHINA and from the USA, and CHINA never dares to challenge Vietnam for CHINA and USA are always incapable to defeat Vietnamese hypocrisy in war or in politics, so CHINA and USA have no choice, but to unite like in 1980’s to stop Vietnam from swallowing Cambodia and to stop Vietnam expansionist strategy toward Thailand too.
CHINA CAN NOT BUY VIETNAMESE OR HUN SEN/CPP GOVERNMENT OUTRIGHT. CHINA and USA ARE THE LOOSERS TO VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST’S GOVERNMENT WITHOUT KNOWING IT, WHAT IS A SHAME!!!
Dear Khmer Kandal and Khmer Krom fighters,
On 16th December, 2009 Mr. Hun Sen said in Cambodian public that Mr. Sam Rainsy will not be tolerated again this time, he must come in Cambodia and go to Prey Sar prison (sic), or he should ask Thai government to let him form a Khmer Exile Government at the Khmer-Thai territory along the Western border.
What Mr. Sam Rainsy ought to do is neither goes to Prey Sar prison nor goes to Vietnamese court in Hanoi. If, I were him I would negotiate with Mr. Abbhisit the Thai prime minister to follow Mr., Hun Sen suggestion in forming a Khmer Exile Government at the Thai-Cambodia border. I can assure you there will 100 of thousands Khmer inside Cambodia will come to join the new Khmer Exile Government like in 1979’s.
Khmer king Norodom Sihamoni appointed Thacksin Shinawatra as Hun Sen adviser. Therefore, Mr. Sam Rainsy can form a Khmer Exile Government along Khmer-Thai border too. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY WHICH CAN brings Vietnam and their slave Mr. Hun Sen/CPP to respect the 23rd October, 1991 Paris Peace Agreement by convent another international conference on Cambodia.
Mr. Sam Rainsy and his party non-violence policy towards Hun Sen/CPP will not and never be work and Vietnam does not want to understand what is democracy, what is human right and what is occupied Cambodia who was once upon the time feed, sheltered, supported Crocodile’s Vietnam to win over United States Arm forces in Vietnam War.
Regards,
Kulen Monorom
(The rice farmer’s son)
Ohg my big boss can I try the killing fileds again, but this time may be more.
If we (Khmers) wanted to be slave for ever in own land. It is better to be slave of USA or China but not VIET.
Please remember, Khmers Lon Nol would suck American penis from 1970 to 1975. USA refused, said fuck Cambodians and quit. Stop do that again Cambodians.
I love what you said 9:33PM. They expand the vietnam war into our country and walk away without paying anything. They do not even repair the bomb craters.
Remembered US is the one that destroy cambodia, they fucked everything up in our country and left us in the dark, it's all American faults, Kissenger and Nixon's policy, so far, US didn't help re- built anything or repair anything yet in cambodia, all B-52 scars still there....
Chantrea,
They did donated 15 old GMC trucks, piece of craps from ww2...that's the best they can do?
Civil war was belong to Sihanouk not American (1970-1975)so Sihanouk have to pay not American.
China had help built alot of bridges, DAMs, and National roads, now China pouring more Aids, and they plans to build rail road system throughout cambodia, this is good news for our country, more jobs for our poor people....
Thanks, King Sihanouk...
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