Blinken holds virtual meet with Uyghurs; reiterates commitment to end genocide

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Tuesday, virtually met seven Uyghur internment camp survivors and relatives of individuals detained in the Xinjiang region and expressed Washington’s commitment to pressure China to halt the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in its northern autonomous region. Speaking to the Uyghurs, Blinken also vowed to stop forced refoulment of the community members to the Chinese mainland. Promising justice to victims and their families, Bliken demanded accountability for the Xi Jinping administration’s action against the Uyghurs.  

“Today Secretary Blinken met with seven Uyghur internment camp survivors, advocates, and relatives of individuals detained in Xinjiang to express the United States’ commitment to work with allies and partners in calling for an end to the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s ongoing crimes against humanity and genocide against Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang,” department spokesperson Ned Price said. 

In recent times, many of the western countries have blatantly lambasted China for its inhumane treatment of the Uyghurs. Earlier this year, the matter caught the global limelight after a battle between western companies and Beijing ensued. Beginning last year, a number of international brands including Adidas, Nike, H&M, and Burberry released statements stating that they would completely nix the use of cotton produced in China’s Xinjiang region owing to reports of human rights abuses there. On March 24, the leader of the CCP’s youth wing called attention to a similar statement by Swedish retailer H&M sparking massive agitation and an eventual boycott. Additionally, it has also led to a number of Chinese celebrities cutting ties with foreign brands. Meanwhile, CCP released a statement over the matter slamming foreign brands for 'cutting ties' with Xinjiang cotton.

What's happening in Xinjiang?

Previously, the European Parliament had observed that Chinese authorities were deliberately sending Uyghur women of childbearing age into forced abortions, intrauterine injections, and sterilization. However, China has consistently denied allegations of forced labor and other claims of human rights abuses in the area, which is home to about 11 million Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority that speak a language closely related to Turkish and have their own distinct culture.  The US State Department estimates that since 2017, up to two million Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other ethnic minorities could have passed through the camp system, which China calls vocational training centers designed to fight extremism.

Image: AP