Last week the United Nations Human Rights Council voted 19-17 to not discuss China’s abuses against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang province – with Cuba, Venezuela, Nepal, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar and the UAE among the countries siding with Beijing.
What’s even more appalling, as the WSJ editorial board points out, is that the last four countries on that list are majority Muslim nations voting to ignore documented abuses against a Chinese Muslim minority group.
Indonesia is notably the world’s largest Muslim country, while Pakistan’s state religion is Islam.
In addition to China, the other nations on the dishonor role were: Bolivia, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Gabon, Kazakhstan, Mauritania, Namibia, Senegal, Sudan and Uzbekistan. There were also 11 abstentions, including India, Mexico and Ukraine. Perhaps Kyiv hopes to keep China from giving military aid to Russia’s invaders, but this wasn’t Ukraine’s finest hour. Mexico under President Andr?s Manuel L?pez Obrador has never met a left-wing dictatorship it didn’t support. -WSJ
The ‘no’ vote follows an August report by the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights that drew from interviews with former detainees in Xinjiang.
“A consistent theme was description of constant hunger and, consequently, significant to severe weight loss during their periods in the facilities,” reads the report. “Almost all interviewees described either injections, pills or both being administered regularly.”
Other victims reported “various forms of sexual violence, including some instances of rape,” while “Several women recounted being subject to invasive gynaecological examinations, including one woman who described this taking place in a group setting.”
Other forms of abuse; no sleep, no prayer, and being forced to sing Chinese patriotic songs.
The report said the pattern of maltreatment in Xinjiang “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity,” and asked China to look into “allegations of torture, sexual violence, ill-treatment, forced medical treatment, as well as forced labor and reports of deaths in custody.”
We’re sure John Cena can explain everything…
