Malaysia has made a bold move in the continuing conundrum over the fate of refugees and illegal migrants. Last week, the Kuala Lumpur government spurned both the soft requests of Thailand and the harsh demands of China and sent 11 Chinese Uighur refugees to Turkey. The decision to free the 11 was unexpected. The new Malaysian government under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was caught between a diplomatic rock and humanitarian hard place and took the more popular way out.
There could be unpleasant consequences for Malaysia over this intrepid decision. Literally within hours of the release of the Uighur men to Turkey, Beijing was issuing a strong condemnation. China had demanded that Malaysia turn over the 11 to its embassy in Kuala Lumpur. On Friday, when the release of the Uighurs was confirmed, China's Foreign Ministry issued a fast and angry statement, saying Beijing "resolutely opposes" Malaysia's action.
There can be no doubt by anyone outside the Chinese government that Malaysia acted humanely. The Uighurs were originally part of a group of about 200 who reached Thailand safely in 2014. In November last year, they were the survivors of a 20-man breakout from the prison-like refugee camp for Uighur and Rohingya migrants in Sadao district of Songkhla province. The other nine were recaptured before they could get across the Thai-Malaysian border to try to claim asylum in that third country.
The Malaysian decision to release the 11 Uighurs to a willing Turkey may have additional repercussions for Thai authorities. The military regime is holding around 50 or so Uighurs -- the numbers are inexplicably a secret -- along with about 150 Rohingya. On humanitarian grounds, it is unthinkable to send them back to the undoubted cruel fates that await them, respectively, in China and in Myanmar. Third countries have not stepped up to provide legal asylum. Their day-to-day existence is undoubtedly lamentable in jail-like confinement, but the alternative is murky.
Thailand first became universally aware of the Uighurs when human traffickers began using Thailand as a transit country nearly five years ago. Called refugees, asylum seekers and illegal migrants, they have been fleeing undoubted Chinese discrimination and persecution, as well as proven cruelty that continues to escalate. After trying to deny their inhumane treatment of the Uighur minority, and provincial Muslims in general, China last month simply legalised the "re-education camps" where it has locked up at least one million Muslims, while seizing their children and placing them in state-run orphanages.
Some Uighurs have become violent because of this and there is a separatist movement in Xinjiang province. After the military government forced more than 100 resisting, hobbled and blindfolded Uighurs onto a flight to China in 2015, Uighur extremists struck.
In the worst single terrorist attack in the nation's history, a bomb at the Erawan Shrine killed 20 people -- mostly Chinese visitors -- and wounded more than 100. Two alleged minor players in that terrorist plot were apprehended and are currently on trial.
China has put strong pressure on the military regime to turn over all Uighurs in the Songkhla camps. Beijing's position is twofold. "We resolutely oppose them being deported to a third country," says the Chinese Foreign Ministry, referring to a willing Turkey. Plus, to justify demands for their forced return, it considers the Uighurs to be Chinese nationals and lawbreakers.
While the Uighurs and Rohingya detainees both represent tough decisions by the military regime, Malaysia deserves full support for making the right decision. Dr Mahathir had already created strained relations with China. He came up against tough Chinese diplomacy after taking over reins of government. During a recent visit to China he cancelled more than US$20 billion worth of major projects that the previous government had approved for Chinese companies. But he is to be commended for giving the 11 Uighur men a chance at a new life in a welcoming country.