US Politics, World Politics
- June 10, 2009
A solution for the Guantanamo Uighurs detainees?
Author: Rosa Maria YoungIn the continuing saga of what to do with the Guantanamo detainees still left in the detention center in Cuba, the resettling of the 17 Uighurs Chinese Muslims now held there has attracted a lot of attention. The U.S. would not send the Uighurs back to China as it is feared that they will be tortured or executed. Beijing says the Uighur insurgents are leading an Islamic separatist movement in China and wants those held at Guantanamo to be returned to China. European countries had been asked about allowing the Uighurs to resettle but without success. The reply more or less was always why if these prisoners are not dangerous, the US does not want them in their land? Quite understandable question and the end of the matter.
Today it has been reported that the remote Pacific island nation of Palau said Wednesday it has agreed to a U.S. request to temporarily resettlement of these detainees. Johnson Toribiong, president of Palau has said they were requested by the US to temporarily resettle the 17 Uighurs and that as a humanitarian gesture his country was “honored and proud” to do so.
Palau is a former U.S. trust territory in the Pacific. Since independence in 1994 it has retained close ties with the United States relying heavily on its aid and dependent for its defense. All this plus the talk that the U.S. was prepared to give Palau up to $200 million in development, budget support and other assistance in return for accepting the Uighurs is making many people think if that is going to be a good solution. How temporarily is the solution? Is it just a quick way of placing the Uighurs somewhere so the promise of closing Guantanamo can be accomplished? And then? Is the US going to keep on paying millions so that Palau keeps the detainees on and on? And are these detainees just moving from one island to another? Sure they will not be in a prison, but what can they do to go on with their lives in such a place? We are hoping the administration in keeping with its transparency ideas let us know what in reality all this is about.
And so far, from China, no comment.


