Uyghur Organizations from 20 Countries Call for an End to Impunity for China
October 6, 2022 | 9:00 a.m. EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact: Omer Kanat +1 (202) 819-0598, Peter Irwin +1 (646) 906-7722
A group of 66 Uyghur organizations from 20 countries is calling on UN agencies and experts to take concrete action according to their mandates, following the failure of the Human Rights Council to adopt a resolution committing to a debate on the Uyghur issue.
“This is a missed opportunity by Council members to hold China to the same standard as other countries,” said Dolkun Isa, President of the World Uyghur Congress. “The international community cannot fail the victims of the Uyghur genocide.”
“The road to justice is never an easy one,” said Omer Kanat, Uyghur Human Rights Project Executive Director. “The Chinese government’s singular goal has been to silence even a discussion of the issue—we cannot allow this to happen.”
In opposing the resolution, states have blatantly disregarded previously-accepted principles of objectivity, dialogue, impartiality, non-discrimination, and non-selectivity within the Human Rights Council.
This failure on the part of Council members does not preclude action by other UN agencies, the global business community, and governments, nor does it cast doubt on the findings from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which found that abuses faced by Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.”
We urge UN experts and agencies to play an even stronger role to fill the gap left by states up until now.
A group of 45 experts expressed their support for findings of the report and urged the Council to hold a special session; to consider a mechanism to monitor the human rights situation in China; for the General Assembly or Secretary-General to consider the creation of a special envoy; and for UN Member States and UN agencies and business enterprises to “demand that China fulfils its human rights obligations.”
Notwithstanding today’s vote, we continue to urge action from the UN, governments, and the business community, calling on:
- The new High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, to meaningfully address the issue, which his own office found “may constitute […] crimes against humanity,” and to present his predecessor’s report to the Human Rights Council;
- The UN Special Procedures to consider evidence presented in the report and respond with recommendations for the UN and the international community;
- The UN Office on Genocide Prevention to immediately conduct an assessment of the risks of atrocities—including genocide and crimes against humanity—targeting Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples, and to alert relevant actors and advocate for a proportionate response;
- The International Labour Organization (ILO) to take note of the report, include additional evidence of forced labour in its Committee of Experts annual report, and for delegates at the International Labour Conference to lodge a complaint against China for failure to uphold its obligations;
- UNESCO to urgently investigate cases of destruction or marginalisation of natural and cultural heritage, including UNESCO-listed heritage (Muqam, Karez well system, Manas, Meshrep, and the Tianshan mountain range);
- The global business community to immediately cut all ties with entities assisting the government to carry out the atrocities, especially the programs of high-tech surveillance and state-imposed forced labour; and
- Governments and international organizations to take urgent steps to protect Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples at imminent risk of refoulement, in line with a joint statement from 22 refugee and human rights groups and 50 Uyghur organizations.
Signed:
- Alberta Uyghur Association
- Australian East Turkestan Association
- Australian Uyghur Association
- Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women’s Association
- Austria Uyghur Association
- Belgium Uyghur Association
- Blue Crescent Humanitarian Aid Association
- Campaign for Uyghurs
- Center for Uyghur Studies
- Dutch Uyghur Human Rights Foundation
- East Turkistan Association of Canada
- East Turkistan Education and Solidarity Association
- East Turkistan Entrepreneur Tradesmen and Industrialists Businessmen Association
- Eastern Turkistan Foundation
- East Turkistan Human Rights Watch
- East Turkistan Nuzugum Culture and Family Association
- East Turkestan Press and Media Association
- East Turkistan Research Institute
- East Turkistan Sports and Development Association
- East Turkistan Union in Europe
- East Turkestan Union of Muslim Scholars
- European East Turkistan Education Association
- Finnish Uyghur Culture Center
- Furkan Education and Cooperation Association
- Hira Education Association
- Hoca Ahmet Yesevi Science and lore Foundation
- Institute of China Studies
- Isa Yusup Alptekin Foundation
- Japan Uyghur Association
- Justice 4 Uyghurs
- Knowledge and Service Solidarity and Cooperation Association
- Norwegian Uyghur Committee
- Satuq Bugrakhan Foundation of Science and Civilization
- Society Union of Uyghur National Association
- Stop Uyghur Genocide Australia
- Stop Uyghur Genocide UK
- Sweden Uyghur Union
- Swiss Uyghur Association
- Taklamakan Uyghur Publish House
- Uighur Society “Ittipak” of the Kyrgyz Republic
- UK Uyghur Community
- Uyghur Academy
- Uyghur Academy Australia
- Uyghur Academy Canada
- Uyghur Academy Europe
- Uyghur Academy Foundation
- Uyghur Academy Japan
- Uyghur Academy USA
- Uyghur American Association
- Uyghur Center for Human Rights and Democracy
- Uyghur Cultural and Educational Foundation
- Uyghur Cultural and Education Union in Germany
- Uyghur Hjelp
- Uyghur Human Rights Project
- Uyghur PEN Center
- Uyghur Projects Foundation
- Uyghur Refugee Relief Fund
- Uyghur Research Institute
- Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project
- Uyghur Science and Civilization Research Foundation
- Uyghur Science and Education Foundation
- Uyghur Transitional Justice Database
- Uyghur Youth Union in Kazakhstan
- Victoria Uyghur Association
- World Uyghur Congress
- World Uyghur Congress Foundation