Oct 18, 2007

East Turkestan: Dutch Parliament Petitioned


On 16 October 2007 UNPO was invited by Stichting Oost-Turkestan, a Netherlands-based NGO campaigning for Uyghur human rights, to attend the delivery of a report regarding human rights abuses in China to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Dutch Parliament.

On 16 October 2007 UNPO was invited by Stichting Oost-Turkestan, a Netherlands-based NGO campaigning for Uyghur human rights, to attend the delivery of a report regarding human rights abuses in China to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Dutch Parliament.

The report, compiled by three Dutch NGOs, Stichting Oost-Turkestan, Stichting Khorlo, and Falun Gong Stichting Nederland, highlighted the dire situation faced by the Uyghur, Tibetan, and Falun Gong minority groups within China, and asked the Committee to press for comprehensive investigations into these matters.

Though human rights abused committed against these groups are broad in scale, the report focused on ‘manageable’ key issues. For the Uyghur community, the oppression of Islam was highlighted, with particular attention paid to Beijing’s control over the appointment of Imams and the tight restrictions imposed on conducting the pilgrimage to Mecca. Regarding the Tibetans, the predominant issue was the handling of refugees, with neither states nor international bodies willing to take responsibility for them, resulting in their constant uprooted and marginalised state. The section on the Falun Gong emphasised the systematic approach by which Beijing is attempting to destroy their cultural practices, with arbitrary arrests and even torture commonplace.

The report was accepted by the Chairman of the Committee, along with several other members, and will be discussed within the committee shortly, with an in-depth meeting on China planned for 01 November 2007.

Please find East Turkestan section of the report attached below.