Decision to send Uighurs back lacked human empathy

In their quest to get recognition from major countries around the world, in particular China, the current junta has placed Thailand at loggerheads with the international community and Uighur people in Turkey.

The recent decision to deport more than 100 Uighurs back to China comes with a heavy price. 

Not only did a gang of Uighurs ransack the Thai consulate in Istanbul, another group also protested outside the Thai consulate in Berlin.

The forced deportation also drew condemnation from countries around the world, as well as human rights groups. 

The European Union said the deportation was a breach of the refoulement principle, the core tenet of international humanitarian law that aims to stop forced repatriation of asylum seekers. 

“Thailand has obligations under the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The remaining people of Turkic origin should be allowed to depart voluntarily to a country of their choice that is willing to receive them,” the EU said in a statement that pretty much reflected the sentiment in the international community. 

The UN refugee agency, meanwhile, called Thailand’s action “a flagrant violation of international law, while the United States voiced concern about the decision. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said that the Muslim Uighurs forcibly returned could face detention or torture in China.

“Thailand has cravenly caved in to pressure from Beijing and robbed these people of their only protection,” said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch.

Turkey, the country that has been taking the Uighur refugees, also condemned Bangkok’s decision. 

But the government’s deputy spokesman, Maj-General Verachon Sukhonthapatipak, had the audacity to tell the world that the Thai government had assurances from Chinese authorities that the 109 Uighurs would not be mistreated.

Verachon would have done better to tell the world that Thailand has no regard for international conventions that it has signed over the years or that the government couldn’t care less as to what will happen to the Uighur refugees when they are sent back to China.

Maybe he should have told the world in all honesty that the current regime places ties with China above the humanitarian principle because the generals who launched a coup in May last year desperately need moral support from world powers. 

Isn’t it enough that the junta is planning to buy three submarines from China? Do we have to go the extra mile and send the Uighurs back just to show Beijing how good a friend we are?

If the military leaders open their eyes and ears and do some reading – just a little, not much – of the various reports by world think tanks they would understand why the Uighurs are taking up arms against the Chinese government; they would know why they are fleeing Xinjiang by the thousands. 

More importantly, they would know why the decision to deport the Uighurs was a bad move.

They would know that permitting the UN refugee agency to get involved in the matter would serve Thailand’s interest as well. 

The reaction from Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was another embarrassment and his choice of words were really unfit for the leader of a national government, regardless how one came to power. 

Prayut said if Thailand won’t send them back now, they will soon have three “three litters of offspring”. The Thai word for litters is ‘krok’, which is reserved for animals like dogs. 

Bangkok knows that damage has been done and so somebody came up with an idea to send Thai officials to China, and international organisations later, to monitor the well being of the Uighurs. 

And while they are at it, the Thai officials can take selfies with the Uighur detainees so we can take pride in what we have done to these people whose oppression and discrimination has been well documented – but sadly went unnoticed by this military government.