Michael Dunkley has reached out to Government House regarding the stateless son of one of Bermuda’s four Uighurs who is in need of medical attention overseas.

On Tuesday, this newspaper highlighted the dilemma of five-year-old Muhammad Abdulqadir who is suffering pains in his groin that multiple doctors in Bermuda have been unable to diagnose.

Muhammad and his father Abdullah, as well as the other three Uighurs who have been living here since 2009 and some of their children, remain stateless and are not permitted to leave the island — even in the event of a medical emergency.

This newspaper contacted Government House earlier this week to ask whether it had any power to move things forward and was told the matter is now in the hands of the UK government while the UK Home Office has refused to comment.

However, in light of the boy’s situation, The Premier has made contact with Government House to request it look into the matter.

Mr Dunkley told The Royal Gazette: “The comment from Government House earlier this week that the matter is with the UK is correct. However, we are very concerned for the health and welfare of all people in Bermuda. When a young person is ill and in need of treatment, it is human compassion to want to step in — it is natural we do our best to help someone in need and make sure they get the treatment required.

“I have reached out to Government House and they are looking into it. Unfortunately, we can not make the decision but Government House is considering the matter.”

Former premier Ewart Brown and former Minister for National Security David Burch brought the Uighurs to Bermuda in 2009 without the knowledge or required consent of the UK government. The deal made with the Obama administration gave the men sanctuary after seven years detained in Guantánamo Bay for crimes they were cleared of but they have been here ever since as stateless persons.

It has been suggested by the mens’ lawyer in Bermuda, Richard Horseman of Wakefield Quin, that the way they were brought to Bermuda may have had some impact on the time taken to process their documents.

Dr Brown gave a brief statement saying it would be a “travesty” if the boy was unable to receive the overseas medical attention he needs and implied that both the UK and Bermuda governments had a part to play. He told us: “I have to believe the UK and Bermuda governments will do the right thing and ensure that this innocent child receives the necessary medical care — it would be a travesty to do otherwise.”

We asked Dr Brown whether he felt any responsibility for the delay, whether he could make amends with the UK government and whether he would have done anything differently in hindsight but answers were not forthcoming.

Mr Dunkley responded to the comment to say: “For the former premier to say he hopes we do the right thing is interesting when he brought them here under the cloak of darkness without informing his Cabinet or the UK authorities. We are now suffering the consequences of those actions.

“It makes it very difficult when you make a decision that you do not have the authority to make and expect everyone else to try to correct the decision over the passage of time.

“We will follow up on the issue in this regard and, more generally, regarding the Uighurs’ citizenship. If we don’t deal with it, it is not going to go anywhere.”