“Our overall feeling about Palau is its people’s generous support. I am very appreciative of the Palauan government,” said Abdul Ghappar Abdul Rahman through a translator.
Palauans were mostly welcoming of the six Uighurs, despite initial misgivings when President Johnson Toribiong announced in June he had agreed to give a temporary home to the men.
“Six men are not going to hurt anybody here, it’s a small sacrifice for Palau for our friend, the United States. We welcome them here,” said Sebastian Andreas, a retiree whose son is serving in Afghanistan.
Alfonso Diaz, a senator in the Palau national legislature, runs a radio show and said feedback from listeners had been positive.
“We accept them and treat them as part of the community. We do not reject people,” he said.
Businessman Donald Haruo runs a resort catering for Japanese tourists and he said it was important the government reassured the local people that the six men were no threat.
“Helping the Uighurs is good, but tour agencies from Japan are concerned about their presence in Palau,” he said.
Seven Uighur detainees remain in Cuba. Five were released to Albania in 2006, and four were resettled in Bermuda this year.
The U.S. fears the Uighurs would be persecuted if returned to China, which considers them terrorists.
Last week, the Uighurs spend a day swimming at the Rock Islands with President Johnson Toribiong.
Aside from swimming the former Guantanamo detainees also prepared food and enjoyed a late lunch with the president.
The Uighurs were ferried into one of the Rock Islands, giving them the opportunity to see the sea. It takes 40 minutes to get from Koror to the Rock Islands.
Mampimin Ala said the former detainees were happy and excited to see the Rock Islands.
Ala said one of the Uighurs said he had only seen the water on television and glad that he hadfinally touched it.
“If my guests are happy, then I am happy,” Toribiong said.
The president said they want the Uighurs to feel welcome in this island nation.
Over late lunch, the Uighurs briefly chatted with him and told the president that they were happy to be in Palau.
Ala said the Uighurs want to be a part of the Palauan society, “where they feel like the locals are their brothers and sisters.”
The Uighurs said “Sulang” to the president after the late lunch.
“Sulang” is Thank you in Palauan.
It was the first Palauan word they learned while shopping here and interacting with the locals.
