Guantanamo Uighurs go shopping to celebrate freedom

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Palau resettlement 'major step' toward closing Gitmo: US
The Obama administration said Monday it has taken a "major step" toward closing the Guantanamo Bay prison now that the Pacific island nation of Palau has resettled six Chinese Muslim Uighurs. The six, who had been held for more than seven years at the US naval base in Cuba despite being cleared of all charges, arrived in Palau on Sunday as part of President Barack Obama's efforts to close the controversial prison. "We would like to reiterate our gratitude to the government of Palau for its generous offer to receive these Uighurs," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters.

"This resettlement is a major step in implementing the president's directive to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and the continued assistance of our friends and allies is extremely important and much appreciated," he added. Palau has agreed to take up to 12 Uighurs. Seven remain at Guantanamo, where 215 "war on terror" suspects are still held. Obama is seeking to close the prison in the coming months, though his administration has acknowledged it may not meet a self-imposed deadline of January 2010 for shutting the facility. Palau President Johnson Toribiong, who met the Uighurs on their arrival, said they would be put through a program to assist their transition. The six had been cleared by the previous George W. Bush administration after it decided to no longer treat them as "enemy combatants," the Justice Department said. It identified the men as Ahmad Tourson, Abdul Ghappar Abdul Rahman, Edham Mamet, Anwar Hassan, Dawut Abdurehim and Adel Noori.

China opposed to release of Uighurs by US
Beijing expressed anger Monday over the US release of six Chinese Muslim Uighurs to the Pacific island nation of Palau, saying they were terrorist suspects who should be repatriated to China. "We are strongly dissatisfied and staunchly opposed to the US side handing over these suspected terrorists to a third country against the insistence of the Chinese side," foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said in a statement. "These people should have been handed to China to be dealt with in accordance with the law....

We have raised solemn representations with the US side." The six Uighurs, who arrived in Palau on Sunday, were released after seven years at Guantanamo Bay in the latest step in US President Barack Obama's struggle to close the controversial prison. The men had been cleared by the previous George W. Bush administration after it decided to no longer treat them as "enemy combatants," the Justice Department said. The former prisoners were among 22 Uighurs -- a Turkic-speaking Muslim minority from China's remote Xinjiang region -- living at a self-contained camp in Afghanistan when the US-led invasion of the country began in October 2001. Amid US fears that they could face torture if returned to China, five were released to Albania in 2006, and four were resettled in Bermuda this year. The others have remained in legal limbo.

Palau, one of a handful of countries that recognises Taiwan over Beijing, has agreed to take up to 12 Uighurs. Seven remain at Guantanamo, where 215 "war on terror" suspects are still held. "China urges the US to implement the UN Security Council's relevant resolutions and its international obligations on counter-terrorism," spokesman Ma said in the statement on his ministry's website. "China also opposes any third country taking these terrorist suspects."

by Staff Writers
Koror (AFP) Nov 2, 2009
Six Chinese Muslim Uighurs, released on the weekend after nearly eight years locked up at Guantanamo Bay, spent their first day of freedom on Monday shopping in the Palau capital Koror.

They have also pencilled in a day's swimming at the spectacular Rock Islands in this Pacific island nation after revealing that was one of life's treats they missed most while detained at the US naval base in Cuba.

The six have been treated as heroes since arriving in Palau on Sunday and being greeted by President Johnson Toribiong who will also accompany them on their swim.

"They have not touched the water for eight years," said George Clark, an American lawyer travelling with the Uighurs.

"They are happy that the Palauan people have accepted them and relieved that they have finally been released from jail."

Mampimin Ala, an Australian flown to Palau to act as a translator for the Uighurs, escorted the men as they left their temporary residence to walk around the shops and shake hands with locals.

"They are happy to enjoy the beautiful environment of Palau," Ala said, adding that their main shopping targets were basic necessities.

As there is no mosque in Palau, Ala said the Uighurs started the day with prayers at their home and will meet members of the small local Muslim community later in the week.

Gitanjali Gutierrez, another lawyer travelling with the men, said it was important for them to meet as many locals as possible in the next few days as the former prisoners rebuild their lives in freedom.

The men were among 22 Uighurs -- a Turkic-speaking Muslim minority from China's remote Xinjiang region -- living at a self-contained camp in Afghanistan when the US-led invasion of the country began in October 2001.

They were held at Guantanamo Bay for more than seven years despite being cleared of all charges.

They said they had fled to Afghanistan to escape persecution from China, which wants the men returned home to be tried, saying they belong to an Islamic separatist movement.

Amid US fears that they could face torture if returned to China, five were released to Albania in 2006, and four were resettled in Bermuda this year. The others have remained in legal limbo.

The decision to transfer the six Uighurs to Palau, one of only 23 nations to recognise Taiwan over Beijing, is likely to rile China.

However, President Toribiong said the Uighurs were in his country temporarily and as Palau has a close relationship with the United States he was not worried about China's reaction.

The Uighurs now in Palau and those still at Guantanamo contend they should be released in the United States and the US Supreme Court has agreed to hear their case early next year.

In the meantime, Toribiong said the six would be taught "conversational and written English, educated about the culture and laws of Palau, and instructed in skills that will enable them to find a job and earn a living in Palau."

The Uighurs -- Ahmad Tourson, Abdul Ghappar Abdul Rahman, Edham Mamet, Anwar Hassan, Dawut Abdurehim and Adel Noori -- "want nothing more than to live peaceful, productive lives in a free, democratic nation safe from oppression by the Chinese," said Eric Tirschwell, of Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, which represented the former detainees along with the Centre for Constitutional Rights.

Palau, with a population of about 21,000, lies about 500 miles (800 kilometres) east of the Philippines and was administered by the United States until independence in 1994.

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