Welcome to the second edition of Aurunico News!
Thailand deports Uighurs to China despite appeals from international organizations
At the end of February, 40 members of the Uighur minority, who had been in Thailand since 2014, were deported to China. Uighurs are an officially recognized Muslim minority in China, residing in Xinjiang, a region in the western part of the country.
In China, Uighurs face systemic discrimination, persecution, and forced assimilation. Fearing repression, around 300 people fled Xinjiang over a decade ago, including several dozen who were forced to return at the end of last month.
Amnesty International and the United Nations have called on the Thai government to comply with international law, emphasizing that even individuals without official refugee status cannot be deported to a country where they are at risk of persecution – as is the case with this group of Uighurs.
International Mother Language Day – Silver Jubilee
Language is a fundamental element of identity and one of the most important carriers of culture. It enables the transmission of traditions, history, and values within a community. Efforts to protect native languages play a crucial role in preserving the world's cultural diversity.
On February 21, 2025, International Mother Language Day was celebrated for the 25th time. The holiday, established by UNESCO at Bangladesh’s initiative in 1999, marked its silver jubilee this year. To commemorate the occasion, two events were held at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris, focusing on the promotion of native languages and the role of modern technology in their preservation and documentation.
The celebration serves as a reminder of the threats faced by minority and indigenous languages. It is estimated that nearly half of the world's approximately 7,000 languages are at risk of extinction, with many disappearing due to globalization, the marginalization of minority communities, and the lack of intergenerational language transmission.
20 years of the National Minorities Act – time for change?
On February 4, 2025, a conference was held in the Polish Sejm (Parliament) to mark the 20th anniversary of the enactment of the National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Language Act. The event was held under the patronage of Sejm Marshal Szymon Hołownia and was attended by parliamentarians, representatives of national and ethnic minorities, and local government officials.
During the conference, participants discussed the achievements of the past two decades and the proposed amendments to the law. A special exhibition was also presented, showcasing the history and culture of national and ethnic minorities, as well as the regional language.
The proposed amendment was submitted to the Sejm on February 21, 2025. Its goal is to provide better organizational and expert support for minority representatives in the Joint Commission. The reform aims to strengthen the voice of minorities in public debate and ensure their proper representation in the legislative process.
That’s all for this edition of Aurunico News! See you in next month's edition!
References:
https://minorityrights.org/communities/uyghurs/
https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/02/1160586
https://sejm.gov.pl/sejm10.nsf/komunikat.xsp?documentId=424EBE0A9E4E0265C1258C270057E3EE