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More Than 200 Detained in Raid on Thai Jungle Camp More Than 200 Detained in Raid on Thai Jungle Camp
(about 4 hours later)
BEIJING — Thai police officers raiding a jungle camp in the hills of southern Thailand have detained more than 200 people suspected of being ethnic Uighurs fleeing China, many of them women and children, according to a Thai police officer and reports in the Thai news media on Friday.BEIJING — Thai police officers raiding a jungle camp in the hills of southern Thailand have detained more than 200 people suspected of being ethnic Uighurs fleeing China, many of them women and children, according to a Thai police officer and reports in the Thai news media on Friday.
The nighttime raid took place on Wednesday at a rubber plantation in Songkhla Province, which is a common transit point for ethnic Rohingya boat people fleeing violence and discrimination in Myanmar. The police thought they were entering a Rohingya camp, but came across people insisting they were from Turkey. Uighurs are a Turkic-speaking, mostly Muslim people in the western region of Xinjiang in China, and they often complain about discrimination by the ethnic Han, who rule China. The nighttime raid took place on Wednesday at a rubber plantation in Songkhla Province, which is a common transit point for ethnic Muslim Rohingya boat people fleeing violence and discrimination in Myanmar. The police thought they were entering a Rohingya camp, but came across people insisting that they were from Turkey. Uighurs are a Turkic-speaking, mostly Muslim people in the western region of Xinjiang in China, and they often complain about discrimination by the ethnic Han, who rule China.
It would be by far the largest group of Uighurs that officials in a Southeast Asian country have detained in recent years. Since 2009, Cambodia and Malaysia have detained small groups of Uighurs in separate episodes and sent them back to China, against the strong urgings of human rights organizatons.It would be by far the largest group of Uighurs that officials in a Southeast Asian country have detained in recent years. Since 2009, Cambodia and Malaysia have detained small groups of Uighurs in separate episodes and sent them back to China, against the strong urgings of human rights organizatons.
In recent years, ethnic conflict has increasingly boiled over into violence in Xinjiang, and the Chinese government has tightened security measures in Urumqi, the regional capital, and in a belt of oasis towns in southern Xinjiang that have heavy Uighur populations, as well as in areas along the western border. Many Uighurs and human rights advocates say the measures are repressive, but Chinese officials say they are battling separatists.In recent years, ethnic conflict has increasingly boiled over into violence in Xinjiang, and the Chinese government has tightened security measures in Urumqi, the regional capital, and in a belt of oasis towns in southern Xinjiang that have heavy Uighur populations, as well as in areas along the western border. Many Uighurs and human rights advocates say the measures are repressive, but Chinese officials say they are battling separatists.
On March 1, attackers with knives went on a rampage in and around a train station in Kunming, Yunnan Province, killing 29 people and injuring nearly 150. Xinhua, the state news agency, said evidence indicated the attackers were “terrorists from Xinjiang.” The governor of Xinjiang, Nur Bekri, said at a news conference in Beijing days later that security forces would “rigidly crack down” on separatist groups in the region and that “foreign forces” were behind the separatist activities. On March 1, attackers with knives went on a rampage in and around a train station in Kunming, 900 miles from Xinjiang, killing 29 people and injuring nearly 150. Xinhua, the state news agency, said evidence indicated the attackers were “terrorists from Xinjiang.” The governor of Xinjiang, Nur Bekri, said at a news conference in Beijing days later that security forces would “rigidly crack down” on separatist groups in the region and that “foreign forces” were behind the separatist activities.
The people found at the camp in Thailand have not spoken much to Thai officials, perhaps out of fear of giving away any sign that they are from China, which could lead to their deportation back there.The people found at the camp in Thailand have not spoken much to Thai officials, perhaps out of fear of giving away any sign that they are from China, which could lead to their deportation back there.
“They won’t give us any answers at all,” an assistant to Police Maj. Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, who has been leading a campaign against human trafficking in southern Thailand, where camps with people illegally moving among countries are common, said on Friday. “They won’t give us any answers at all,” said an assistant to Police Maj. Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, who has been leading a campaign against human trafficking in southern Thailand, where camps with people illegally moving among countries are common.
General Thatchai did a telephone interview with a Thai television network on Friday in which he said local residents had told the police that the migrants in the camp had been around for one week. He said a Turkic-speaking interpreter had been brought in to talk to them. “From our investigation, their aim was to travel to a neighboring country,” he said, adding that the trafficker who had brought them to the area, where Rohingya camps are common, had fled. In a telephone interview with a Thai television network on Friday, General Thatchai said local residents had told the police that the migrants in the camp had been around for one week. He said a Turkic-speaking interpreter had been brought in to talk to them. “From our investigation, their aim was to travel to a neighboring country,” he said, adding that the trafficker who had brought them to the area, where Rohingya camps are common, had fled.
The trafficker also abandoned some Rohingya migrants in the area of the rubber plantation, and they appeared weak and dehydrated, according to Channel 3, a Thai network, which had a reporter accompanying the police. After coming across the Rohingya, the police then found the migrants suspected of being Uighurs at the top of a hill. The plantation was near the city of Hat Yai.The trafficker also abandoned some Rohingya migrants in the area of the rubber plantation, and they appeared weak and dehydrated, according to Channel 3, a Thai network, which had a reporter accompanying the police. After coming across the Rohingya, the police then found the migrants suspected of being Uighurs at the top of a hill. The plantation was near the city of Hat Yai.
Nighttime video of the raid broadcast by Channel 3 on Thursday showed women in black robes and headscarves, with only their eyes showing, caring for babies and other children in a forested area.Nighttime video of the raid broadcast by Channel 3 on Thursday showed women in black robes and headscarves, with only their eyes showing, caring for babies and other children in a forested area.
They might have been trying to cross the border into Malaysia, a predominantly Muslim nation that has become a huge transit point for human trafficking and people seeking asylum in other parts of the world. The early investigation of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 found that two young Iranians had traveled from Thailand to Malaysia and boarded the Beijing-bound plane with onward tickets for Europe, using stolen European passports.They might have been trying to cross the border into Malaysia, a predominantly Muslim nation that has become a huge transit point for human trafficking and people seeking asylum in other parts of the world. The early investigation of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 found that two young Iranians had traveled from Thailand to Malaysia and boarded the Beijing-bound plane with onward tickets for Europe, using stolen European passports.
It is unclear what will be done with the detainees. General Thatchai said on Friday that “if we find they entered the country illegally, we will take legal action against them.” Once that is complete, he said, the migrants will be sent back to their country of origin. It is unclear what will be done with the detainees. General Thatchai said on Friday, “If we find they entered the country illegally, we will take legal action against them.” Once that is complete, he said, the migrants will be sent back to their country of origin.
Nicholas Bequelin, an Asia researcher for Human Rights Watch, said in an email that his organization was strongly recommending that “Thailand should under no circumstances hand this group over to China, where they would be at severe risk of torture and ill-treatment.” Nicholas Bequelin, an Asia researcher for Human Rights Watch, said in an email that his organization was strongly recommending that “Thailand should under no circumstances hand this group over to China, where they would be at severe risk of torture and ill treatment.”
“China’s record of torture, disappearance, and arbitrary detention of Uighurs, its failure to extend due process for prosecutions in Xinjiang, and its systematic conflation between peaceful dissent and violent opposition are cause for high concern about the risk this group would incur if forcibly repatriated to China,” he added. “China’s record of torture, disappearance and arbitrary detention of Uighurs, its failure to extend due process for prosecutions in Xinjiang, and its systematic conflation between peaceful dissent and violent opposition are cause for high concern about the risk this group would incur if forcibly repatriated to China,” he added.
In 2009, Cambodia deported 20 Uighurs to China over the objections of prominent international organizations, including the United Nations. The Uighurs had arrived in Cambodia during a particularly tense moment in Xinjiang, when the Chinese government was cracking down in the aftermath of bloody ethnic rioting carried out mostly by Uighur men that summer. And Malaysia was similarly criticized for deporting six Uighurs in December 2012. In both cases, Human Rights Watch said the countries had violated international law.In 2009, Cambodia deported 20 Uighurs to China over the objections of prominent international organizations, including the United Nations. The Uighurs had arrived in Cambodia during a particularly tense moment in Xinjiang, when the Chinese government was cracking down in the aftermath of bloody ethnic rioting carried out mostly by Uighur men that summer. And Malaysia was similarly criticized for deporting six Uighurs in December 2012. In both cases, Human Rights Watch said the countries had violated international law.