Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declares persecution of Uighurs worst human rights crises. Uighur persecution by Chinese administration is ‘Stain of the Century’
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declares persecution of Uighurs in China worst human rights crises. Uighur persecution by Chinese administration is ‘Stain of the Century’, said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
While speaking at the conference at Washington, Secretary Pompeo said “China is home to one of the worst human rights crises of our time.”
Who Are Uighurs
Uighur are a Muslim minority Turkic ethnic group originating from and culturally affiliated with Central and East Asia. They have been recognized as native Xinjiang region of People’s Republic of China.They are considered to be one of China’s 55 officially recognized ethnic minorities.
Where is Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous territory in far west China. It is a vast region of deserts and mountains. Xinjiang is home to many ethnic minority groups largely Uighurs.
Population of Uighurs
The World Uyghur Congress estimates the population of Uighurs 11 millions in China mostly residing in Xinjiang. While the total population of Uighurs outside of China is around one to one and half million.
Uighurs and Islam
Uighurs started to embrace Islam in the tenth century and became largely Muslim by the 16th century. Islamic values have engraved an important role in their culture and identity
Uighurs and Separatism
Uighur Separatists Advocates of independence call Xinjiang and bordering region as East Turkestan.
China and Uighurs
China is accused persecution of Uighurs through locking them in concentration center. These Concentration camps in different parts of country supposed to be torture centers for Uighurs.
One of main Concentration Camps in placed in Chinese province Xinjiang. It is supposed to be biggest ill treatment camp in country.
As per the State Department between 800,000 to 2 million Muslims including Uighur, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Turkic are being held in detention camps held by China.
China claims these camps as part of Re-Educational camps for Uighurs, A step towards combating terrorism and extremism by People’s Republic of China.
Ethnic Cleansing of Uighurs
We are physical as well as psychological torture by authorities, revealed a former prisoner. These prisoners of internment camps in Xinjiang spoke to journalists and publishers of different countries. In several Video and Audio evidence available on internet released or escaped prisoners told their stories and family harassment by Chinese Government.
In an investigative report BBC Endorse serious human rights violation and strong surveillance of Uighurs in state.
Many journalists and researchers, who have been tracking information about Chinese detention camps have presented plenty of evidence that the camps are violent.
Uighurs Persecution and rest of the world
In an unprecedented move against Uighurs persecution 37 countries signed a letter. This letter was meant to support Uighurs of Xinjiang region against Chinese brutality.
The letter reads “”In response to grave challenge of terrorism and extremism, China has undertaken a series of counter-terrorism and de-radicalization measures in Xinjiang, including setting up vocational education and training centers.”
Friends of China on Uighurs Persecution
Signatories of the letter surprisingly include Pro China countries like Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria and North Korea. The signed letter said “China has made remarkable achievements regarding human rights.”
European Pressure
On July 10 in a similarly move 22 member countries of UN Human Rights Council demanded China to refrain radicalizing Uighurs. They further asked China to stop arbitrary detention and restrictions of freedom against Uighurs.
In an Interview Australian Foreign Minister mentioned that China blocked consular access to Australian Uighurs. Australia raised concern over Uighurs detention centers in China.
Australia was “deeply concerned” about unfair treatment of China to Uighurs community. Foreign Minister of Australia Marise Payne said.
“A letter was also signed to the president of the Human Rights Council and the United Nations High Commissioner for human rights. Australia was among of 22 signatories of that resolute letter. This clearly reflects an increasing international focus on the developments in Xinjiang.”
Names of the 22 Signatory Countries
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
President Trump and Uighurs
In a major happening US President Donald Trump met Uighurs in White House on July 17. A delegation of persecuted minorities representatives were among them. The attendees were victims of religious persecution from countries including China, Turkey, North Korea, Iran and Myanmar.
Four of the 27 participants in the Oval Office meeting were from China. Jewher Ilham, son of Ilham Tohti was also present at the occasion.
Who was Ilham Tohti
In a recent move China sentenced a Uighur named Ilham Tohti. He was an economics professor known for his research on Uyghur-Han relations. He was an active vocal for the implementation of regional autonomy laws in China.
Ilham Tohti was charged life imprisonment for separatism in 2014. His sentence was widely condemned by human rights group including United States.
US Sanctions
According to a Reuters report, US was considering sanctions on Chinese video surveillance firm Hikvision over Uighurs persecution. The sanctions were meant to imposed somehow like towards Huawei in May 2019.
The United States placed Huawei Technologies on a trade blacklist that made quite difficult US based firms to do business with the world’s largest telecom network.
The firm was named in a letter to top advisers of President Trump, signed by more than 40 lawmakers.
China Rejects Allegations
The Chinese government has always rejected all allegations of violence, abuse, force disappearance and genocide of Uighurs. “So-called religious persecution does not exist in China,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a news briefing in Beijing. “United States have to correctly review China’s religious policies and the status of religious freedom, and stop using the issue of religion to interfere in other countries’ affairs,” he added.
