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THAILAND-SAUDI-AUSTRALIA-POLITICS-SOCIAL
Australia FM says country assessing resettlement push for Saudi woman in
Thailand
BANGKOK, Jan 10, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Australia’s foreign minister Thursday
declined to say how long it will take to consider a UN request to resettle a
young Saudi woman who fled her family, as the 18-year-old’s plight sparked a
topless protest in Sydney and debate among Saudis over their country’s
restrictive “guardianship” laws.
Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun’s attempt to flee the ultra-conservative kingdom
has become a cause celebre for rights groups since the 18-year-old landed in
Bangkok from Kuwait last weekend.
Thai authorities threatened to deport her but with the help of activists,
diplomats and a hastily opened Twitter account Qunun launched an impassioned
asylum campaign.
As global interest surged — and her Twitter followers snowballed into the
tens of thousands — the Thais backed down from deportation, handing her into
the care of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Bangkok, which urged Australia
to offer resettlement.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne, on a scheduled visit to Bangkok to meet her
Thai counterpart, told reporters Australia was “engaged in the steps of the
assessment process of Miss Al-Qunun as required.”
She said there was “no possibility” that Qunun would return to Australia
with her Thursday and would not speculate on a timeframe if — as Canberra
has heavily hinted this week — she is granted refuge status.
Qunun alleges abuse by her family, while rights groups also said she had
renounced Islam, risking prosecution in conservative Saudi Arabia.
Her father, who denies mistreating her, will remain in Bangkok “until he
knows which country she is going to”, Thailand’s immigration police chief
told reporters Thursday.
The Saudi embassy in Bangkok has said it did not demand the teenager’s
deportation and the case was a family affair.
Saudi Arabia has been hammered with criticism since the murder of
journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the country’s consulate in Istanbul last year.
But wider issues including women’s rights have repeatedly come into the
global view. – No sanctuary in Thailand –
In a statement ahead of her trip, Payne said she would lobby for the
return to Australia of former Bahraini national footballer Hakeem Alaraibi,
who was granted refugee status there after fleeing a crackdown during the
Arab Spring.
He is wanted in the Gulf state on charges linked to rioting, which he
denies.
Alaraibi was detained in Bangkok in November while trying to go on
vacation.
Payne reiterated Australia’s call for Thailand not to send Alaraibi back to
Bahrain.
Qunun’s case has revived interest in the plight of the footballer, who has
been held in Bangkok detention.
The Saudi weighed in on Alaraibi’s case on her widely followed Twitter
account.
“I’m with you #Hakeem,” she tweeted Thursday.
Thailand, which is not a signatory to the UN code on protecting the rights
of refugees, has repeatedly faced criticism for detaining or sending back
people with asylum claims to repressive regimes.
Australia has also come under fire for re-routing migrants attempting to
arrive by boat to offshore island camps.
On Thursday, the Secret Sisterhood — a protest group advocating for Qunun
to be granted a humanitarian visa to Australia — held a topless
demonstration at Sydney’s bustling Martin Place.
Four women clothed only in jeans and shoes held up signs saying “Let Her
In” and calling Qunun a “Sisterhood Hero”.
In Saudi Arabia, Qunun’s asylum plea sparked rare criticism — including
from men — of the country’s restrictive “guardianship” laws.
Qunun had told AFP that fleeing her family throws her into conflict with
the Saudi system, which allows male family members to make decisions for
female relatives, and if returned, she is “100 percent” sure she would be
killed by her family.
BSS/AFP/RY/1540 hrs