AN MP posted copies of three letters written by Uyghurs with one addressed to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and not delivered stating that they did not want to return to China after at least 40 Uyghur men were deported yesterday, Naewna newspaper said this afternoon (Feb. 28).
However Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra insisted that they volunteered to return and that she is confident of their safety in China.
Mr. Kanwee Suebsang, party-list MP for Dhamma Party, said the three open letters are voices of the Uyghur refugees who were detained and sent back to China and let us listen to the voices of those who could not speak from detention lasting almost 11 years.
In the end the Thai government spoke out instead, saying that they wanted to return to China very much to see their families, he added.
The three letters are in the same direction, asking for help for the 48 Uyghur refugees detained in Thailand for almost 11 years. They confirmed they did not voluntarily return to China, fearing imprisonment and being killed.
The first letter, dated June 13, 2024, was written by a Uyghur detainee to UNHCR but did not reach the agency as the Immigration Bureau kept it and returned it to the detainee while he was on hunger strike last month. It clearly urged that they not be sent back to China because if so they would either be imprisoned or killed.
One second letter, dated Nov. 15, 2024, was addressed to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra humbly asking to help them resettle in a third country where they could start a new and happy life with their family.
The third letter, dated Jan. 10, 2025, was written by Uyghur detainees at the Bangkok Immigration Detention Centre (Suan Phlu) asking for help from the international community to not be forced back to China due to the danger they face. They announce a 19-day hunger strike during Jan. 10-28, 2025.
Earlier today Prime Minister Paetongtarn said she is confident the deported Uyghur men will be safe in China and is monitoring their well-being.
What happened in the past may be due to mismanagement but from her discussions with Chinese leaders at many levels during her visit to China they confirmed that all those returning would be safe, she said, adding she would not have sent them back without this confirmation.
She insisted that they volunteered to return and no one was dragged away and she is adhering to human rights principles and international law.
She added that no third country had contacted the government to take them while declining to answer questions about the US sending a message condemning the deportation.
Asked by reporters that there is criticism alleging this time the Uyghur men were sent back in exchange for trade with China, Paetongtarn replied that this is completely irrelevant because when talking about trade then it is a matter of trade but when it comes to people this has nothing to do with goods, people are not goods and they were definitely not exchanged for trade.
CAPTION:
Top and Front Page: The three letter Uyghurs wrote asking for help. Photo: Naewna
Insert: Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Photo: Thai Rath
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