Shockingly, the Thai government remains tight-lipped about the fate of Uyghur refugees who have been held in detention for eight years after the recent deaths of two of them.
After the death of Mattohti Mattursun, a 40-year-old Uyghur refugee, in a Bangkok hospital on April 21, such silence is unacceptable. This is the second case after Aziz Abdullah, 49, died in February at a notoriously overcrowded facility in central Bangkok.
Aziz and Mattohti were among about 50 Uyghur refugees detained for illegal entry as part of a large group of 300 fleeing persecution in China who arrived in Songkhla province in 2014. Their goal was to reach Malaysia and then move on to a third country.
In 2015, the Thai government forcibly sent back to China 109 Uyghur men and boys, who were never heard from again. Another 170 Uyghur women and children were permitted to travel to Turkey.
It's disturbing that the other asylum seekers are still being held in Thailand without information about their future, whereabouts or well-being.
It is reported that international organisations and third countries have tried to take them, but without a clear stance from the Thai government, these attempts petered out.
Remaining mute should not be Thailand's stance on such matters, especially as the country tries to improve its human rights profile.
Thailand is currently vying for a seat at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) for the term 2025-2027, with voting to take place next year. Letting Uyghur refugees wither away in an immigration detention centre for nearly a decade does not bode well for any such campaign.
But last month, the Thai government showed that, with political will, it could manage asylum seekers when 63 members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church flew to the US on April 7 after being arrested by Thai police for overstaying their visas two weeks earlier.
Thirty-one adults and 32 minors fled what they called "intensifying government persecution" in China three years ago. They arrived in Thailand late last year with tourist visas after leaving South Korea when their prospects of having their asylum claim processed there dimmed. In a short period, these asylum seekers were swiftly flown to Texas in the US -- their new home.
It begs the question mark why this compassionate, swift and efficient asylum-granting process has not been extended to the Uyghur refugees. It's an enigma why the government keeps them detained and what will happen to their future.
The Thai government must be steadfast in providing humanitarian assistance and adhering to the non-refoulment policy enshrined In the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, which took effect on Feb 22. Under such legislation, officials must not send people who fear being tortured back to their home country.
As the election approaches, politicians should communicate their human rights policies and show moral courage by spelling out their policies on dealing with political refugees, especially those fleeing countries with close relations with Thailand, such as Myanmar and China.
As prime minister, Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has a last chance to atone for what the government did in 2015 when it sent those Uyghurs back to China.
He must promise to adhere to our non-refoulment obligations and do the right thing for those seeking asylum.
