Originally published by The Royal Gazette, 27 July 2010

By Sam Strangeways

A German news crew visited Bermuda to interview the Uighurs at the weekend — and were yesterday due to meet Premier Ewart Brown.

The Washington-based team from ZDF German Television filmed Khalil Mamut, Abdulla Abdulqadir, Ablikim Turahun and Salahidin Abdulahad at work and play for a programme to be broadcast next month.

Germany agreed earlier this month to take in two prisoners cleared for release from Guantánamo Bay and they are expected to arrive there in August.

ZDF Washington correspondent Heike Slansky told The Royal Gazette: “Our idea was to show these four people from Guantánamo released to Bermuda and see how they are doing after a year, how they have adjusted and how Bermuda is dealing with them.

“Also to show Germans what they may be getting and what to expect. The two people that are going to Germany are the first and Germany did not want to take them. They specifically declined to take Uighurs.”

She said the four Uighurs talked a little about the seven years they spent in the notorious detention camp, including the time that Chinese authorities came to question them. “They said it was very hard for them and very unpleasant.”

The men showed the crew their favourite place on the Island — Spanish Point — and took them to Port Royal Golf Course, where they work as groundsmen.

They were also filmed walking around Hamilton, taking part in a football match and talking on Skype to fellow former prisoners now living in Palau.

Producer Steffanie Riess said: “They really did emphasise that they are really very happy to be in Bermuda.”

The team visited The Royal Gazette on Sunday to hear about the impact of the men’s arrival and were scheduled to meet Dr. Brown for an interview on the topic yesterday.

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