China lodges protests against UNHCR for blocking deportations

By Fan Lingzhi Source:Global Times Published: 2015-11-26 0:43:02

Thai police deported two illegal aliens to China on November 13 after Beijing lodged a protest against the Bangkok office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for interfering, public security authorities told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The two suspects admitted to being illegal aliens in Thailand, and continue to be detained and investigated by Chinese police.

One of the suspects, Jiang Yefei, entered Thailand in January 2008 and began to take up illegal residence. Jiang was deported in 2012 after he was released from prison for "illegal immigration, illegal residence, disturbing social order" and "vandalizing public property." Jiang helped the other suspect, Dong Guangping, to illegally enter Bangkok via Laos in September.

The UNHCR had pressured its Thai office not to allow the two to be deported, and immediately granted a refugee certificate to Dong and his relatives, as well as to Jiang's relatives, on November 6.

The office arranged for them to be sent to Canada on November 18.

The UNHCR did not approve Dong's repeated applications for a refugee certificate until China and Thai police started to cooperate on November 6, said the authorities.

It generally takes some time to find a third country to accept refugees after refugee status is granted, said the authorities.

China summoned representatives of the UNHCR's office in China on November 18 for its office in Thai violating China's judicial sovereignty, urging them to immediately report China's concerns to UNHCR headquarters and take effective measures to constrain the Thai office from doing anything unreasonable so as not to affect relations between China and the UNHCR. UNHCR's office in China said it has promised to do so, according to the authorities.

On July 9, Thailand repatriated to China a total of 109 illegal immigrants who had been on their way to Turkey, Syria or Iraq to wage holy war, the Xinhua News Agency reported.



Posted in: Politics, Diplomacy

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