Deported Uighurs 'in good conditions' in China
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Deported Uighurs 'in good conditions' in China

Some of the 109 Uighurs deported from Thailand in hoods and handcuffs were shown in a state TV segment being taken off the airplane by police at an unidentified location in China on July 9. (Reuters screenshot)
Some of the 109 Uighurs deported from Thailand in hoods and handcuffs were shown in a state TV segment being taken off the airplane by police at an unidentified location in China on July 9. (Reuters screenshot)

National Security Council secretary-general Anusit Kunakorn said Monday that 109 Uighurs deported to China earlier this month were living in good conditions.

At a press conference to brief reporters on last week's trip by a Thai delegation to check on the 109 deportees detained at a rehabilitation centre in Urumqi, the capital of China's restive Xinjiang province, Mr Anusit said he was satisfied with Beijing's treatment of the returnees.

He described the facility where they're being held as "clean and neat" and praised Chinese officials for being sincere in allowing him to meet all of them.

However, he said Beijing did not allow him to take any photos while there.

Officials also prohibited foreign press and representatives from international organisations to observe the Uighurs, although Chinese media workers were able to visit the centre.

Mr Anusit said before leaving for China that he planned to discuss with Chinese officials arrangements to facilitate representatives from international organisations to visit the Uighurs.

China said Thailand can continue to monitor the refugees, but visitors must be officials in the government, he added.

The NSC secretary-general said some Uighurs wore orange jumpsuits, as they're being treated as criminal suspects. Beijing consistently has said the Muslim minority in the Far West has been trying to link up with the Islamic State group and bring a holy war to China.

Mr Anusit said he talked to detainee Abdullah Mahamad who told him that he had been persuaded to join a "movement in another country" but now regretted it. He cried when telling his story, Mr Anusit added.

During the three-day visit, the NSA secretry-general met several senior Chinese government officials, including Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun, deputy Meng Hongwei, and Xinjiang's Communist Party chief, Zhang Chunxian.

Mr Anusit said the Chinese authorities had reaffirmed they had provided security and taken good care of all members of ethnic groups while trying to stop ethnic Uighurs from leaving China illegally to join terrorist militant groups in the Mideast.

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