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PRESS RELEASE: WUC Calls on Italian Government to Put Human Rights First During Xi Jinping’s Visit

PRESS RELEASE: WUC Calls on Italian Government to Put Human Rights First During Xi Jinping’s Visit

Press Release – For immediate release
22 March 2019
Contact: World Uyghur Congress www.uyghurcongress.org
0049 (0) 89 5432 1999 or [email protected]

On the occasion of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s official visit to Italy, the WUC calls on the Italian government to not abandon human rights concerns for the sake of economic relations with China.

President Xi Jinping will be in Italy on Friday to meet with the Italian government. Controversy surrounds the visit, as Italy is expected to sign on to China’s controversial Belt and Road Initiative on March 23rd, making them the first G7 country to formally do so. While the Italian government looks to sign onto the initiative with the hope that it would increase Italian exports to China, we urge the Italian government to learn from the experiences of other countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Many countries who have signed on have quickly found themselves the recipient of predatory loans and investments which have fostered a dependency on China. A majority of countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative including Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, the Maldives, Mongolia, Montenegro, Pakistan and Tajikistan are all at serious risk of defaulting on debts owed to China. Malaysia has cancelled several of their planned BRI infrastructure projects after noting the projects were financially and politically irresponsible. Sri Lanka was forced to lease one of its ports to China for 99 years after it was unable to pay its debts to China.

Even more importantly, the WUC insists that the Italian government does not forsake its human rights obligations for the sake of economic relations with China. The Chinese government has used the BRI and the promise of investments to silence governments across the world from speaking out about the crimes against humanity and systematic human rights violations being perpetrated against Uyghurs, Tibetans and Chinese citizens. Meanwhile, over 1 million Uyghurs are currently being arbitrarily detained in internment camps and are being subjected to torture, political indoctrination aimed at eroding their Uyghur identity and other serious human rights violations. The Uyghur community in and outside China is suffering incredibly, with families torn apart and an entire culture, language and ethnic identity at risk of total assimilation. The WUC questions why the Italian government would want to deepen its relations with and dependency on a country that routinely and unapologetically commits such massive human rights violations.

The severity of this crisis has been recognized repeatedly in states by the EU, which have been endorsed by the Italian government. In Italy’s recommendation to China during its UN human rights review in November 2018, the Italian government specifically drew attention to discrimination and violence against ethnic and religious minorities as an issue of particular concern. Therefore, in recognition of how serious the situation in East Turkistan is, the Italian government and President Giuseppe Conte should instead use this meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping to raise human rights issues hold China accountable for its crimes against humanity.

China has been trying to divide and conquer the EU, who have been one of the strongest voices calling on China to close the internment camps. This has already occurred on a number of occasions, most notably when promises of Chinese investment pushed Greece to block a joint statement from the EU on China’s human rights record at a UN Human Rights Council session in 2017. The WUC remains concern that Italy’s likely economic dependency on China will silence any criticism of China’s human rights record coming from the country and will interfere with EU human rights initiatives.

The WUC therefore urges the Italian government to put humanity and human rights first in its relationship with China. There must be a point where common humanity is prioritized over short-term national self-interest. A line must be draw where the Italian government stands firm on its principles and commitments. The WUC would hope that the arbitrary detention of millions of people and attempt at forcibly assimilating and social reengineering an entire people would cross this threshold. We hope the Italian government has the fortitude and integrity to stay committed to European and universal values.

The WUC has also signed onto a joint appeal demanding that the internment camps be closed and urging national governments to pass legislation similar to the “Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act” in response to China’ serious human rights abuses against Uyghurs. The appeal is signed by Uyghur leaders around the world in addition to high profile activists, Nobel Prize Laureates, former government ministers and many others. The appeal will be circulated in the Italian press during Xi Jinping’s visit to Italy.

The Italian government and the Italian people must ask themselves what sort of country Italy wants to be. What principles and ideals does Italy hold as a nation? We would hope that Italy is not a country whose morality and principles can be bought by a tyrannical government committing crimes against humanity against the people who live under its control. Italy is approaching a crossroads that will play a part in determining Italy’s future and will have major impacts for the EU and the international community. If Italy and the Italian people want to live in a world where human rights are common humanity are respected, the Italian government must reflect this in its words and actions.