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WEEKLY BRIEF – 05 March 2021

WEEKLY BRIEF – 05 March 2021

NEWS

46th UN Human Rights Council Session
On March 3, WUC’s Program & Advocacy Manager, Zumretay Arkin, delivered a statement on behalf of Society for Threatened Peoples during the interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism. In her statement, she stresses the negative impact of counter-terrorism laws on the enjoyment of normal family life for Uyghurs, especially for women and children.

In his statement to the UN in New York,German Ambassador Heusgenr calls for “unimpeded access [to East Turkistan] for United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to verify reports of forced labor, rape and sterilizations of women”.

Sayragul Sauytbay honoured with the Nuremberg International Human Rights Award
The city of Nuremberg honoured Sayragul Sauytbay,a Kazakh camp survivor, with the 2021 Nuremberg International Human Rights Award. Sayragul Sauytbay was forced to work as a teacher in China’s Internment camps, before she could escape to Sweden, where she received asylum. In her biography “The Chief Witness”, she revealed the gross abuses in the internment camps, which were committed by the Chinese authorities on a daily basis.  

Turkey and Australia introduce Uyghur Genocide Motion
On March 15, the Australian Parliament will vote on motion which recognizes China’s human rights violations against the Uyghurs as Genocide. The motion was introduced by the independent Senator Rex Patrick, after the parliaments in Canada and Netherlands as well as the US government recognized the gross atrocities against the Uyghurs and other Turkic peopleas genocide. In Turkey, the Good Party (IC) announced this week that it will make a request to the Turkish government to urge them to make a similar determination.

New Evidence of Coercive Labour Transfer Schemes
On March 2, Dr. Adrian Zenz published a new report, “Coercive Labor and Forced Displacement in Xinjiang’s Cross-Regional Labor Transfer Program”. Heexamines the so-called “Nankai report”, an analysis of Uyghur labour transfers by the Nankai University, which was accidentally published by the Chinese University. This new  document reveals China’s relocation schemes of hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs into forced labour settings, which is described as a method to “assimilate Uyghurs”, “transform their thinking”, and “reduce Uyghur population density”. In her interview with BBC Rahima Mahmut, WUC UK Project Director, said “Uyghurs never benefited from the development of Chinese economy. This is a planned assimilation program”.

Uyghur Textile Entrepreneur Dies in Internment Camp
On March 4, RFA reported that Kurbanjan Abdukerim, a successful Uyghur textile Entrepreneur, passed away at the age of 54, after he was released from an internment camp. During his time of detention, he lost more than 100 pounds. He was detained from his hometown Azaq in 2018. 

Brothers of RFA Editor Detained
On March 3, RFA reported that the two Brothers of RFA Uyghur Service editor, Eset Sulaiman had been detained by the Chinese authorities. His older brother Ehet, the 57-year-old director of the Tengritagh Township Teaching District in Kumul (in Chinese, Hami) prefecture, and his younger brother Ehmet, the 39-year-old head of Kumul’s Tengritagh township have been detained since 2018. 

PARTICIPATE

Webinar – Turning Her Body into a Weapon of Persecution/Genocide
The Coalition for Genocide Response, René Cassin, World Uyghur Congress, Stop Uyghur Genocide and Yet Again invite you to the webinar marking the International Women’s Day 2021 on “Turning Her Body into a Weapon of Persecution/Genocide: Rape and Sexual Violence Against Uyghur Women”. 

Eine Welt Netz NRW Landeskonferenz
As part of the Eine Welt Netz NRW Landeskonferenz, Suedwinde.V. is hosting a workshop on forced labor in East Turkistan. Speakers include Gheyyur Kuerban, WUC Berlin. 

China’s Persecution of Uyghur Muslims: The Silence of the World
On March 20, EBF Panel will host a panel entitled “China’s Persecution of Uyghur Muslims: The Silence of the World”. Speakers include WUC President, Dolkun Isa, Director of the Human Rights Project, Omer Kanat. Please watch live here!