UN Meeting in Geneva Highlights Islamophobia Against Uyghur Muslims in China
At a side event during the UN Human Rights Council’s 56th session in Geneva, human rights activists, diplomats, and intellectuals discussed the increasing Islamophobia in China, particularly targeting Uyghur Muslims and Kazakhs. The event was organized by CAP Liberte de Conscience, Campaign for Uyghurs, and Centre for Uyghur Studies.
Key Speakers and Their Messages
Abdul Hakim Idris
Abdul Hakim Idris, a senior member of the World Uyghur Congress, highlighted the severe situation, mentioning mass detentions of Uyghur Muslims and Kazakhs in alleged concentration camps since 2014. He condemned the Chinese government’s actions, including the destruction of mosques and religious materials, and the imposition of sinicization policies erasing Uyghur customs.
“Millions of Uyghur Muslims and Kazakhs are detained in concentration camps under the pretext of radicalization. Since 2014, thousands of mosques have been demolished, closed, or repurposed. The Chinese government has burned Qurans and destroyed religious materials. In 2017, the government labelled Islam as a mental illness to be eradicated under sinicization. Uyghur customs are forced to conform to Chinese norms, erasing Islamic elements from their architecture,” said Abdul Hakim Idris.
Rushan Abbas
Rushan Abbas, founder and executive director of the World Uyghur Congress, recounted decades of oppression by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), accusing it of genocidal policies under the guise of counterterrorism.
“In 1949, the CCP claimed our land and began oppressing our people, who possess rich resources and strategic importance. My people have endured the CCP’s genocidal policies disguised as counterterrorism,” said Rushan Abbas.
Michele Taylor
The United States Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council, Michele Taylor, delivered a strong condemnation, labelling the situation in Xinjiang as potentially constituting international crimes, including crimes against humanity.
“I want to be clear from the beginning that we condemn in the strongest terms the policies in Xinjiang, which, according to the High Commissioner’s assessment, may amount to international crimes, including crimes against humanity. The US has consistently called for the PRC (People’s Republic of China) to cease its human rights abuses in Xinjiang,” said Michele Taylor.
She called for immediate action, demanding the release of arbitrarily detained individuals, the cessation of human rights abuses, and the end of discriminatory policies in Xinjiang.
“We call for the PRC to release all arbitrarily detained individuals in Xinjiang, halt harassment, surveillance, and threats both domestically and abroad, end discrimination based on culture, language, religion, or belief, and abolish forcible assimilation policies. Furthermore, we demand an end to forced labour, forced marriage, birth control, sterilisation, abortion, and family separation policies in Xinjiang,” Taylor emphasised.
Global Concerns and Calls for Justice
The event underscored global concerns and calls for justice, emphasising the urgency of addressing human rights violations in Xinjiang and ensuring the dignity and rights of affected Muslim communities.