Nasima Khatun
An independent tribunal in London has ruled that China has been committing genocide against the Uyghur people.
A group of 9 citizens, including three academics, two lawyers, two doctors, a businessman and an ex-diplomat, were presented with overwhelming evidence from multiple victims as well as ‘China experts’ over two hearings in June and September. The group was also given documents filled with further written evidence against the Chinese government to refer to before reaching a decision.
In the end, they concluded that the People’s Republic of China was in fact, guilty of genocide, adding that the forced sterilisation of Uyghur women, as well as the unjust detainment of thousands in ‘re-education camps’, is ‘atrocious.’
Other human rights groups including Amnesty International have previously said that the government is committing “crimes against humanity.”
Citing a report titled Like We Were Enemies in a War: China’s Mass Internment, Torture, and Persecution of Muslims in Xinjiang, they emphasised the crimes being committed.
“Torture and other ill-treatment is systematic in the camps and every aspect of daily life is regimented in an effort to forcibly instil a secular, homogeneous Chinese nation and Communist party ideals,” they wrote in a press release posted earlier this year.
Concern for the Muslim minority group has been growing over the past few years ever since rumours started circling about their persecution back in 2014 and 2015. Horrific photographs and videos of the detainees were shared all over social media, which Chinese officials have questioned the credibility of before wholly denying all the claims against them. Instead, they covered up the issues by saying that the government was helping to tackle “terrorism” and “Islamist ideologies” growing in the area.
Due to the fact that it was difficult to get lots of concrete evidence out of the ‘re-education’ camps, it seemed as though other countries were reluctant to stand against China until recently when the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada declared the treatment of the group a “genocide.”
And now due to this, they have also stated that they will be taking part in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics set to be held in 2022.
It’s been long-awaited, but hopefully, this international pressure will finally help bring about the end of the Uyghur genocide once and for all.