Germany’s New Coalition Stands Against China’s Repression of Uyghurs
In Munich, Germany, 11 human rights organizations have come together to form the ‘Coalition against Transnational Repression in Germany.’ This coalition aims to combat threats and intimidation faced by exiled individuals from countries such as China, Azerbaijan, Vietnam, Belarus, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, and Iran.
The coalition, which includes groups like the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) and Tibet Initiative Deutschland, seeks to raise awareness and provide support to victims of transnational repression. This strategy, employed by authoritarian governments, aims to silence critics abroad through physical and digital attacks, stalking, surveillance, and other forms of intimidation.
David Missal, spokesperson for Tibet Initiative Germany, highlighted the importance of political responses to protect these individuals and uphold democracy and the rule of law. He stated, ‘When people are persecuted in Germany, they have so far been alone with their fears. Transnational repression is not only a threat to individuals but also a challenge to democracy and the rule of law.’
The coalition’s founding members include Tibet Initiative Deutschland, Mikroskop Media, JAM, Human Rights Defenders’ Network – German Section, the Law and Democracy Support Foundation (LDSF), Freiheit fur Hongkong, MangMang Magazine, Reporter ohne Grenzen (RSF), Belarusische Gemeinschaft Razam, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), and Verein der Tibeter in Deutschland.
Germany is an important haven for exiled individuals, but they still face repression from their countries of origin. The coalition aims to advise on political and civil society solutions and serve as a strong voice for those affected.
Doubts Revealed
Coalition -: A coalition is a group of people or organizations that come together to work on a common goal. In this case, it’s about fighting against bad things happening to people from other countries.
Repression -: Repression means stopping people from doing what they want, often in a harsh way. Here, it refers to how some governments treat people badly to control them.
Uyghurs -: Uyghurs are a group of people who mostly live in China. They have their own culture and language, and some of them are being treated very badly by the Chinese government.
Munich -: Munich is a big city in Germany. It’s known for its beautiful buildings and important events.
Human rights organizations -: These are groups that work to make sure everyone is treated fairly and has basic rights, like being safe and free.
Transnational Repression -: This means when a government tries to control or hurt people who have left their country and are living somewhere else.
Azerbaijan -: Azerbaijan is a country located between Europe and Asia. Some people from there also face bad treatment from their government.
Digital attacks -: These are bad things done to people using the internet, like hacking their computers or spreading lies about them online.
David Missal -: David Missal is a person who works with a group called Tibet Initiative Germany. He wants to help people who are being treated badly by their governments.
Democracy -: Democracy is a way of running a country where the people get to choose their leaders and have a say in how things are done.
Rule of law -: This means that everyone has to follow the laws, and the laws should be fair and protect people’s rights.
