By Max Constant
BANGKOK
Facing a wave of criticism, Thailand announced Friday that it has been invited by China to send a delegation of officials and representatives from international organizations to check on the well-being of some 100 Uighur it forcibly sent back to China on Thursday.
The measure was a clear sign of embarrassment for the military government, whose actions have met with near universal condemnation, including angry demonstrations outside both of its diplomatic missions in Turkey.
A Thai Foreign Ministry statement said that the Chinese government had given its assurance that those who had been deported would “be treated with fairness and their safety will be guaranteed.”
The statement added that the Chinese government had also assured that those who are not found guilty of criminal offenses “would be provided with farmland” to facilitate their return.
The statement underlined that members of the mission would include officials from the country's Council for National Security along with representatives from international organizations, such as the Red Cross.
On Thursday, Thai junta leader-cum-Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha sought to underline that “proper procedures” were followed in the deportation of the Uighur - mostly adults, but also including children.
His defense, however, did nothing to stem criticism.
The U.S. State Department condemned the forced deportation in a statement issued early Friday.
“This action runs counter to Thailand’s international obligations as well as its long-standing practice of providing safe haven to vulnerable persons,” it said. “The Uighur could face harsh treatment and lack of due process in China.”
The State Department also asked Thailand to allow Uighur who remain in detention centers in the country "to depart voluntarily to a country of their choice.”
The Uighur have been at the center of a diplomatic tug-of-war between China and Turkey, with Beijing identifying the Muslims as from its Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, while Turkey has welcomed them as its own.
According to Human Rights Watch, at least 50 Uighur remain in Thai detention.
Sunai Phasuk, Human Rights Watch representative inThailand, told Anadolu Agency on Thursday that of a group of around 350 that were being held in Thai detention centers, 173 were sent to Turkey on July 2, after Bangkok ruled that they either had relatives in Turkey or were Turkish citizens.
Many of the Uighur had entered Thailand in the last year, some through the Thai-Cambodian land border, and have been detained since.
On Thursday, the Turkish foreign ministry criticized the deportation, saying the Thai government had acted without consideration for the Uighur.
"Despite our numerous initiatives to related international organizations, we condemn Thailand’s improper action, which is against international humanitarian law," it said in a statement.
Human Rights Watch stressed Friday that the deported Uighur face the risk of mistreatment in China.
“Uighur who previously have been forcibly returned to China have faced arbitrary arrest and detention, and criminal prosecutions,” it said in a statement.
When news of the deportation broke, a group of Turkish people surrounded the Thai General-Consulate in Istanbul, breaking windows and scattering documents and furniture inside - an act denounced by the Turkish foreign ministry.
“Such impetuous acts do not benefit anyone,” spokesperson Tanju Bilgic told Anadolu Agency.
Thailand's Embassy in Ankara released a statement Friday saying it had shut down its visa and consulate departments from July 8.
"The consulate department will be re-opened and continue to serve when the conditions normalize," it said.
On Friday, German police boosted security around the Thai embassy in Berlin after a group of demonstrators had sought permission to rally near the building in the evening.
Sek Wannamethee, director-general of the information department at the Thai foreign ministry, said that the ministry had told embassies and consulates worldwide to step up security to assure the safety of Thai visitors and residents.
The Uighur – who constitute around 45 percent of the population of Xinjiang – have accused China of carrying out repressive policies that restrain their religious, commercial and cultural activities.
A yearlong “anti-terrorism” campaign – focusing on Xinjiang – was launched by China’s central government on May 23.
*Anadolu Agency correspondent Satuk Bugra Kutlugun contributed to this story from Ankara.
