Bangkok bomb trial begins after months of delays

THE long-delayed trial of two Uighur men accused of bombing a Bangkok shrine finally kicked off yesterday as a military court allowed Beijing to supply translators for the suspects despite their objections.

Yusufu Mieraili and Bilal Mohammed are accused of planting a bomb in a Hindu shrine in Bangkok’s commercial heart in August 2015 that left 20 dead, mostly Chinese tourists.

The blast came weeks after Thailand’s junta forcibly repatriated 109 Uighurs to China, where rights activists say the Muslim minority faces cultural and religious repression. The timing prompted speculation that the attack was part of a revenge plot against a country that had been a key transit hub for Uighurs as Thailand’s military leaders grew close to Beijing.

Thai authorities have rejected that theory saying the attackers were part of a people-smuggling network angered by a recent crackdown, a motive analysts say isn’t compelling.

The trial for the two men, who have been held in military prison for over a year, was delayed several times as the court struggled to find a suitable inter- preter and rejected one provided by the defence. The hearing finally started yesterday after judges accepted two interpreters provided by the Chinese Embassy and waved off objections from the defendants.

“I do not want translators from China because China does not respect Uighurs,” Mohammed said through one of the interpreters. “I want a translator who can speak Uighur from America, Canada, Australia or other countries,” added Mieraili.

The decision to use translators provided by the Chinese Embassy is con- troversial because Uighurs have fled the region for years alleging they are the victims of state-sponsored persecution and assimilation policies that favour China’s ethnic Han majority. Beijing has also vowed to pursue Uighurs who flee abroad.

Sam Zarifi, Asia director for the International Commission of Jurists, which is monitoring the trial, said the appointments raised doubts about the prospect of justice in a case being handled by an army tribunal. “The current translators raise real concerns about the impartiality of the process,” he said.