World Uyghur Congress, 28 August 2020

NEWS

The Guardian Examines How China Uses Press Trips to Deny Genocide of Uyghurs
On August 23, The Guardian published an article which highlighted how, since 2015, the Chinese government has invited at least 80 journalists from non-English-speaking countries to participate in its so-called “Silk Road Celebrity China Tour”. These tours are part of a concentrated effort by China to convince journalists – mainly from Islamic countries – into believing that widespread claims of the genocide against Uyghurs in East Turkestan are false. This Chinese outreach program is yet another example of how China blatantly seeks to deny its human rights abuses in East Turkestan, while simultaneously trying to expand its influence abroad.  It is worth noting that the Chinese government still will not allow journalists, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, or an independent investigation from the UN to visit the region.

Uyghurs Moved from Internment Camps into Forced Labor Settings
On August 24, Radio Free Asia reported on how China has started relocating tens of thousands of Uyghurs from internment camps all over East Turkestan to do construction work. Details from a document which was circulated by the government of Bayin’gholin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture in July add to the increasing number of reports which claim that Uyghur detainees from internment camps are now moved into forced labor settings, which adds to the long list of appalling abuses against the Uyghur people.

Repression in East Turkestan Intensifies under Covid-19 “Measures”
On August 25, The Guardian reported how the Chinese government has taken draconian measures to intensify its crackdown on the population in East Turkestan, under the guise of tackling the Covid-19 pandemic. Last week, internet users started sharing pictures and videos showing people hand-cuffed to their homes in Urumqi, the capital of East Turkestan. Moreover, they complained about being forced to take Chinese medicine and ordered to stay inside for weeks. The response of the CCP to the pandemic in East Turkistan has been plagued with a lack of transparency and accountability and a disregard for the lives and well-being of the Uyghur population.

US Political Leaders Considering Genocide Designation on Uyghur Crisis
On August 25, Politico published an analysis in which it reported the United States to be formally considering to designate the China’s atrocious human rights in East Turketan as a genocide. In response to the Trump Administration’s formal considerations, a spokesman for the Joe Biden campaign pronounced Biden’s support for the use of the term genocide. Genocide designation would provide a significant statement that would articulate the severity and urgency of the situation, as well as potentially carrying legal weight. Debates about appropriate terminology when referring to the situation in East Turkestan are essential, and should continue to be held. Senator Marco Rubio also called on the US government to determine whether the Uyghur crisis constitutes a genocide. The WUC calls on other governments and international bodies to also use appropriate terminology when discussing the situation in East Turkistan.

WUC Urges Germany to Raise Uyghur Issue during Meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister
Ahead of the Chinese Foreign Minister’s visit to Germany, taking place on September 1^st, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has published a statement in which it urges the German government to raise the issue of the genocide against the Uyghur people during its meetings. As EU-China relationships are set to be redefined in an attempt to tackle the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, now is the time for Germany and the EU to commit to feature human rights as a conditional issue in its talks with China. 

Dutch Foreign Minister Raises Uyghur Issue with Chinese Counterpart
On August 26, Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok received his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, as part of the latter’s five-nation tour of Europe. During this meeting, the Dutch Foreign Minister shared his concerns over the situation of the Uyghur people in East Turkestan. Although Wang’s visit to Europe aimed to focus solely on trade relations, his meeting in the Netherlands shows that rightful concerns over China’s human rights cannot be ignored in any meaningful discussion with China. 

Religious Leaders: Treatment of Uyghurs One of the Worst Crimes since the Holocaust
On August 28, the Catholic News Agency reported that two Asian cardinals and 74 other religious leaders called China’s treatment of the Uyghur people “one of the most egregious human tragedies since the Holocaust” in a statement released earlier this month. Furthermore, the religious leaders asserted that the forced sterilization and other violent measures to control and reduce the Uyghur population could amount to genocide according to the 1948 Genocide Convention.

WUC Representatives Hold Advocacy Meetings in Geneva
This week, representatives of the WUC travelled to Geneva to meet with UN missions, officials and other relevant actors to push for the UN Human Rights Council and UN Member States to take concrete action to stop the Uyghur genocide. The WUC held productive meetings with the Marshall Islands and number of other states/

PARTICIPATE

End Forced Labor in East Turkestan
Interested in advocating to end forced labor in East Turkistan? The Uyghur Human Rights Project and the Uyghur American Association are holding Virtual Lobby Days this month. Interested constituents across the U.S. are welcome. Please sign up here!

The Wall of the Disappeared in Geneva
Help us highlight the individual stories of the disappeared relatives of Uyghurs in the diaspora.Send us a photo of your detained/disappeared relatives and their story until 8/28/2020, for our exhibition “THE WALL OF THE DISAPPEARED” in front of the United Nations in Geneva in September. Please find more information here!