BANGKOK – Chinese officials escorted Thai journalists during a tightly controlled visit to Xinjiang this week, insisting on viewing their photos and deleting any they didn’t approve of before they could be sent back to Thailand, said a journalist, who was a part of delegation invited by Beijing to showcase the well-being of Uyghurs from deported from Thailand.
Thailand put 40 Uyghur men on a plane to Xinjiang on Feb. 27, saying China had given assurances that they would not be mistreated and no third country had committed to take them. Officials later admitted the U.S. and other countries had offered to give the Uyghurs a home. They were part of more than 300 Uyghurs who fled persecution in Xinjiang but were caught and jailed in Thailand for more than a decade.
The move was heavily criticized by Western governments and human rights organizations, with the United States restricting visas for unnamed Thai officials involved in the deportation process.
Amid criticism, China invited Thai Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai along with a group of journalists on a three-day trip to Kashgar, Xinjiang, from Tuesday aimed at showcasing the well-being of the deportees and others who were deported in 2015.
But a Thai journalist, who was part of the delegation, said they were watched closely by Chinese security officials during their visit.
“Thai journalists were escorted by security personnel, who also requested to vet the images before allowing them to be sent back to Thailand,” said Pranot Vilapasuwan, news director at Thai-language daily Thairath on Facebook.
Pranot added that journalists were asked to blur the faces of Uyghurs and their families as well as Chinese officials or to avoid taking pictures of Chinese officials at all.
He also said journalists were vetted before the trip in interviews with Thai authorities.
“This means security agencies were filtering the media,” said Pranot during a program on Thairath online.
Sunai Phasuk, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch said everything about the Thai government’s Xinjiang visit was “staged” and “managed” by China.
“Thailand is parroting China’s propaganda and collaborating in the crimes against Uyghurs,” Sunai lamented.
‘Living a normal life’
Thairath cited Phumtham as saying that he had video calls with six Uyghurs who had returned from Thailand, one of whom was deported in 2015.
“He explained that after returning 10 years ago, he had been living a normal life, got married, and now has a one-month-old baby,” Phumtham said. “Upon his return, the authorities helped build a house for him.”
“I came to visit and wanted answers. We know that Xinjiang has changed a lot, which should be good for them, and good for both countries that made this decision,” he said.
Qi Yanjun, China’s vice minister for public security, called the cooperation between Thailand and China “normal.”
“Some countries criticize the cooperation between Thailand and China, even though it’s just normal law enforcement, saying it’s not good that both countries are taking such intensive action,” said Qi.
“Therefore, both countries, Thailand and China, must strongly oppose this criticism,” he added.
“What the U.S. and European Union claimed about inappropriate treatment of Uyghurs is not true. Truth is truth, and everyone will see it.”
RELATED STORIES
Vietnamese in Thailand hope stern US response on Uyghurs might deter deportations
Thai delegation heads to China to check on deported Uyghurs
US sanctions Thai officials for deporting Uyghurs to China
Qi’s view was echoed by Tawee Sodsong, Thailand’s justice minister, who said the decision to deport Uyghurs was made on Beijing’s promise they would not be tortured.
“Today, those third countries, which are large nations, may say whatever they want, but we prefer to rely on the truth. We believe both governments are sincere,” he said. “We saw that he is living with his family. He expressed gratitude to both governments for taking care of him.”
Edited by Taejun Kang and Mike Firn.
BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization.