Envoy protests against deportation of 45 Taiwanese
Some of 37 Chinese nationals who were arrested in Runda on December 1, 2014 on suspicion of trying to engage in fraud appear before a Nairobi court. Taiwanese nationals were deported to China on telecommunication fraud claims. PHOTO | PAUL WAWERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Though Taiwan has no diplomatic ties with Kenya and is not fully recognised by the UN, it has strong trade ties with over 150 states around the world.
- The deportation has been reported to various international human rights organisations, which could put Kenya on the radar.
A dispute is simmering between Kenya and Taiwan following the deportation of 45 citizens of the tiny island to China.
Mr John Chen, who is the island’s diplomatic representative to South Africa and 18 other African states, is in Kenya to present Taiwan’s protests about the deportation.
Mr Chen has said that despite the 45, who were arrested in Runda, Nairobi, on claims of engaging in telecommunication fraud, holding Taiwanese passports on which they were granted visas, Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery and his Foreign Affairs counterpart, Ms Amina Mohammed, had granted deportation orders directing that they be extradited to Beijing, China instead of Taiwan.
“We have written several letters to Mr Nkaissery and attempted to have official talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is sad that our letters have not been responded to while the ministry’s officials are openly dodging us,” Mr Chen said.
The diplomat said his government is concerned that five other Taiwanese still being held in Kenya over similar crimes, could suffer the same treatment, which he said was largely a violation of diplomatic conventions by the Kenya Government.
Though Taiwan has no diplomatic ties with Kenya and is not fully recognised by the UN, it has strong trade ties with over 150 states around the world.
The deportation has been reported to various international human rights organisations, which could put Kenya on the radar.
When contacted for comment, Ms Mohammed promised to check the details on the issue before responding, while Mr Nkaissery did not respond to our calls.
