TURKEY AMONG THE SIGNATORIES
43 countries to China: Ensure immediate access to Xinjiang for observers
* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)
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43 countries, including Turkey, have called for "immediate" access to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in a joint declaration.
The countries from the United Nations (UN) have raised concerns about the mounting violations of rights faced by Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities and ethnic groups in the region in northwestern China.
A declaration issued by the UN's Third Committee on human rights has said that the member states are "particularly concerned about the situation" in Xinjiang, referring to China's treatment of the minorities.
The statement has cited reports of a large network of "political re-education" camps, systematic human rights violations and forced sterilization as well as "severe restrictions" on freedom of religion:
We thus call on China to allow immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and her Office, and relevant special procedure mandate holders, as well as to urgently implement (Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination) CERD's eight recommendations related to Xinjiang.
"We urge China to ensure full respect for the rule of law and to comply with its obligations under national and international law with regard to the protection of human rights," the statement has read further.
China has condemned the statement
As reported by BBC Türkçe, China's ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun has condemned the statement as a "lie" and a "plan to harm China." Cuba, saying that internal affairs should not be meddled in, has supported China.
In 2019 and 2020, the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany shared similar statements. Turkey signed the declaration this year.
With relations deteriorating between Haiti and China as a result of the former's recognition of Taiwan, Haiti has withdrawn its support from the declaration. As reported by AFP based on diplomatic sources, Switzerland has also withdrawn its signature on the grounds that it hosted a top level meeting between the US and China and decided to prioritize its role between these two powers instead of signing the declaration.
The signatories
Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Esvatini, Finland, Germany, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, England, Turkey and France.
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." |
(DŞ/SD)