Talking Point: China must be held to account

Uyghur people face inhumane racism at hands of government, says ZAINAB CLARK.

Uyghur people face inhumane racism at hands of government, says ZAINAB CLARK. Picture: STR / AFP

Some may think this is not the time to be calling out the Chinese Government for their human rights abuses, and others, may think there is no right time; fearing it may risk economic trade ties and political relationships. Economy over humanity.

The time has come to call for accountability of the Chinese Government and its authorities for the ongoing horrific human rights abuses of the Uyghur people of East Turkistan. This is a fight against racism at its worst.

Amnesty International’s campaign director for East Asia Lisa Tassi said: “China’s continued denial of the existence of detention centres in Xinjiang grows ever more futile in the face of ever-mounting evidence. This latest leak [The China Cables] is yet further proof of its systematic persecution of ethnic and religious minorities in China on a sickeningly vast scale.

“The abuses described in these leaked documents match the harrowing testimony Amnesty International has received from former detainees of mass internment camps in Xinjiang, as well as from relatives of those still missing.

“With each passing week, the world learns more about the horror China is unleashing on its own citizens in Xinjiang.

“It is time for the Chinese Government to ditch its feeble counter-narrative, including the claim of providing ‘vocational training’ to people in the camps. Instead they should provide immediate answers to the hundreds of thousands of people desperate for information about their loved ones.

“If China has nothing to hide, it should allow truly independent human rights monitors immediate and unfettered access to Xinjiang — something it has steadfastly refused to do so far, despite repeated requests from Amnesty International and others.

“These damning leaks should be the catalyst for the international community to increase pressure on the Chinese authorities to end this human rights catastrophe.”

Amnesty Southern Group is hosting Uyghur spokesperson Nurmuhammad Majid Saddiq for two weeks of presentations in southern Tasmania and Launceston.

Nurmuhammad has just returned from speaking in Malaysia and has addressed packed houses nationwide. He is in a unique position to speak of the situation of his people; a man who lost his entire family for speaking the truth about the Uyghurs of East Turkistan.

His presentation, illustrated with slides, will give the historical background and economic reasons behind the treatment of his people, who have called the region home for 4000 years.

He shines a light on what some analysts believe may be the largest imprisonment of a group of people on the basis of ethnicity since World War II.

It is easy to turn a blind eye to what does not affect us personally. But as world citizens we should care, not only about ourselves but our neighbours.

The Tasmanian Amnesty events are an extraordinary opportunity for people to hear the hidden truth from a very brave individual, speaking out in the face of an extremely powerful government and its authorities. Nurmuhammad says it is imperative that the Chinese Government and their regime are held responsible for these tragic human rights abuses.

No booking is required for these free presentations:

Tomorrow from 3pm-5pm at the Multicultural Hub (MCOT) in Moonah and on Tuesday from 7pm-9pm at Sir Stanley Burbury Theatre at the University of Tasmania in Sandy Bay.

Zainab Clark is convener Amnesty International TAS Southern Group.