* Photo: Dutch Parliament (from the Parliament's website)
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The Parliament of the Netherlands passed a non-binding motion on February 25 saying that the treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority in China amounts to genocide, which marks a first in Europe.
As reported by CNN International, the motion has said, "A genocide on the Uyghur minority is occurring in China," without directly saying that the government of China is responsible for the related acts.
The motion has noted that actions by the government of China such as "measures intended to prevent births" and "having punishment camps" fell under UN Resolution 260, known as the genocide convention.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte's conservative People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) voted against the resolution.
Canada passed a non-binding resolution labeling China's treatment of the Uyghurs genocide earlier this week.
About the treatment of Uyghurs by ChinaAmnesty International summarizes the treatment of Uyghurs in China, especially in the context of internment camps, as follows: "It has been nearly three years since China launched an unprecedented campaign of mass detention of Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in northwestern China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang). "During this time, details about the treatment of the estimated 1 million or more people who have been held in 'transformation-through-education' or 'vocational training' centres have continued to trickle out. But the true scope and nature of what is taking place in Xinjiang remains obscured. "The Chinese government originally denied the existence of the detention camps. Later, it began claiming that the facilities were 'vocational training' centres to help rid Uyghurs and others of their 'extremist' thoughts and provide them with job training – even highly educated intellectuals, businesspeople and retirees. "The Chinese government has steadfastly resisted calls to admit independent monitors into the region, allowing only carefully stage-managed tours for select journalists and diplomats. Meanwhile, friends and relatives of people believed to be detained remain cut off from information and unsure where their loved ones are." |
What about Turkey?
The violations of rights committed in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Northwest China were brought to Turkey's Parliamentary agenda during the 2020 Central Administration Budget talks.
- İYİ Party Balıkesir MP İsmail Ok said that Uyghur Turks were faced with a treatment which was graver than death. Ok made a call to the MPs to lay claim to East Turkestan.
- Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Kocaeli MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu said, "İYİ Party's Parliamentary inquiry was rejected by the votes of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)."
- Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, criticizing the AKP and MHP, said: "If the government cannot say something about the Uyghur Turks today, if a political party which defines itself as nationalist cannot speak about it, if I accept Uyghur Turks here, receive them in this hall and talk to them, having my picture taken with their flag, I become a PKK [members] in their eyes and they become nationalist."
- İYİ Party, with the signatures of 22 MPs, submitted a Parliamentary inquiry about the problems faced by Uyghurs on June 20, 2020. While the ruling AKP rejected the inquiry, the MHP abstained from the vote. The CHP and HDP voted in favour.
The Parliamentary inquiry of the party briefly read:
"Uyghur Turks are held in places of isolation and pressure called 'reeducation camps' for 'struggle against terrorism' by the Chinese government, they are subjected to detention, torture and ill treatment.
"While several international organizations and states are expressing their objections loudly, the government in Turkey, unfortunately, avoids expressing the issue and do not respond to the regrettable developments."
In October 2018, İYİ Party submitted another Parliamentary inquiry about China's actions in East Turkestan. This motion was also rejected. (PT/SD)
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