In a letter addressed to Thai Ambassador to the United States, Suriya Chindawongse, the lawmakers expressed deep concern over the planned deportation…reports Asian Lite News
US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast and East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee Chairwoman Young Kim have called on the Thai government to reconsider its decision to deport 48 Uyghur refugees currently held in Thai detention.
In a letter addressed to Thai Ambassador to the United States, Suriya Chindawongse, the lawmakers expressed deep concern over the planned deportation, warning that repatriating the Uyghurs to China would expose them to severe persecution, torture, and possibly even death.
According to a post shared by human rights activist Phil Robertson on X, the 48 Uyghurs fled China more than a decade ago seeking refuge from what the letter described as the Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing genocide against Uyghurs. The lawmakers highlighted that the refugees were persecuted for their political beliefs, cultural traditions, and religious practices.
Mast and Kim underscored China’s oppressive policies in Xinjiang, citing mass surveillance, forced labour, arbitrary detention in so-called “re-education” camps, and systematic destruction of Uyghur cultural heritage. The letter pointed out that these conditions have left many Uyghurs unable to live freely.
The 48 refugees have remained in Thai detention for over 11 years, with no legal resolution or clarity regarding their future. The US legislators condemned their prolonged confinement as a violation of international norms and a betrayal of Thailand’s long-standing humanitarian commitments.
They also referenced the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, a US law that holds China accountable for forced labour practices involving Uyghur detainees. The lawmakers warned that deporting the 48 Uyghurs to China would violate this legislation and expose them to further mistreatment.
Mast and Kim urged Thailand to halt the deportation and instead facilitate the resettlement of the Uyghur refugees to a third country where they could live safely. They stressed that such a move would not only safeguard the refugees but also strengthen US-Thailand relations.
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