February 27 has become another unforgettable dark day in our history. After 11 years of pressure and deception, China has forcibly repatriated the Uyghurs in Thailand. Forty of our brothers who had hoped for humanitarian assistance from the world, have fallen victim to the China-Thailand partnership.
I have witnessed how Uyghur activists worldwide and international organizations made every possible effort to save these Uyghurs. However, they were ultimately powerless in the face of the China-Thailand alliance, specially the economic incentives offered to Thailand was huge. Some government officials who care about the Uyghur situation issued warnings to China and Thailand, but they failed to deter China’s actions. As a result, we have once again become victims of injustice in international relations.
This time, China took a different approach in its propaganda. It claimed that those who were repatriated were victims of human trafficking or illegal immigrants and that they were returned based on the requests of their relatives back home. Thailand, on the other hand, stated that China had promised not to punish them and to reunite them with their families. Clearly, both sides are colluding to cover up their crime.
The facts are evident: these Uyghurs left China without permission, sought asylum from the UN, and reached out to Uyghur activists abroad for help. It is impossible for them to be spared punishment. Even if one or two of them are returned to their families for now for show, there is no guarantee that they will not be detained again.
Knowing this, those asylum seekers preferred to remain imprisoned in Thailand rather than be sent back to China. However, even this plea was cruelly and shamelessly ignored.
I strongly condemn the Chinese government, which still lacks basic human decency, and the Thai government, which has become complicit in this crime for financial gain.
The world must not forget that not only are the repatriated individuals in danger, but also all their relatives and acquaintances who interacted with them before and during their journey abroad. China is now boasting about its “victory” in forcibly repatriating these Uyghurs. Its goal is to crush the spirit of our people and completely destroy any hope for international justice.
China’s ongoing policies and propaganda make it clear that it has no intention of making any progress on human rights, has no plans to stop the Uyghur genocide, and feels no guilt for its crimes against humanity. On the contrary, it takes pride in them.
Just as the COVID pandemic, which spread globally due to China’s authoritarian regime, claimed the lives of 7 million people, China’s cruelty today is taking Uyghur lives. Tomorrow, it could bring immense suffering to other nations as well.
Therefore, I call on the global community, human rights defenders, and those who strive for world peace not to remain silent in the face of China’s brutality. I urge them to hold China and Thailand accountable for their violations against asylum seekers and to take action to bring them to justice.