8 Feb 2010

Palau's President says Uighers welcome to stay as long as they want

11:46 am on 8 February 2010

Palau's president says six former Guantanamo Bay inmates resettled in Palau are welcome to stay for as long as they want.

The six Uighurs that came to Palau last year are currently attending a community college to learn english and study Palau's culture and history.

They live in an apartment together.

There have been media reports that the six want to leave the island and settle among their own, preferably in Australia.

President, Johnson Toribiong, says the Uighurs have settled in well in Palau, but acknowleges they may want to leave.

"They will be there for the next eight or nine months. But they need to be resettled amongst their own people. Hopefully, countries like Australia, Germany or even the US with substantial Uighur communities may accept them so they can live for the rest of their lives among their own people."

Johnson Toribiong says to his knowledge, no countries have so far come forward.