UN members split on China’s Uighur human rights record

UN members split on China’s Uighur human rights record

But China’s allies countered with a statement of their own that won even broader support, with some 54 nations

AgenciesUpdated: Thursday, October 31, 2019, 11:10 AM IST
article-image

United Nations: China’s mass detention and surveillance of ethnic Uighurs in Xinjiang province came under fire at the United Nations Tuesday, with 23 nations, mostly western, backing a British statement condemning Beijing’s human rights record.

But China’s allies countered with a statement of their own that won even broader support, with some 54 nations backing a Belarus text that heaped effusive praise on Beijing’s “remarkable achievements in the field of human rights.”

They included Pakistan, Russia, Egypt, Bolivia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Serbia, which have all been criticised for their own rights records.

The duelling statements at the UN General Assembly are non-binding, but highlight the global divide on China’s human rights record, particularly as Beijing moves to flex its diplomatic and economic clout abroad.

Rights groups say more than one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim ethnic minorities have been rounded up in internment camps in Xinjiang.

After initially denying their existence, Beijing now defends the camps as “vocational education centers” that are necessary to counter religious extremism and terrorism.

China has embarked on a global public relations campaign to win support for its Xinjiang policies, even convincing Muslim-majority nations such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to voice support.

RECENT STORIES

Paris Viral Video: High Voltage Drama At Charles de Gaulle Airport As Migrants Protest Against...

Paris Viral Video: High Voltage Drama At Charles de Gaulle Airport As Migrants Protest Against...

Pakistan Horror: Man Strangulates Sister To Death In Family's Presence; Shocking Crime...

Pakistan Horror: Man Strangulates Sister To Death In Family's Presence; Shocking Crime...

Baltimore Bridge Collapse: Racist Posts Target Indian Crew On Social Media Following Collision

Baltimore Bridge Collapse: Racist Posts Target Indian Crew On Social Media Following Collision

'Undoubtedly Saved Lives': US Prez Joe Biden Lauds Quick Action By Indian Crew Members In Baltimore...

'Undoubtedly Saved Lives': US Prez Joe Biden Lauds Quick Action By Indian Crew Members In Baltimore...

Baltimore Bridge Collapse: 6 Missing Presumed Dead, Says Maryland State Police; Rescue Ops Underway

Baltimore Bridge Collapse: 6 Missing Presumed Dead, Says Maryland State Police; Rescue Ops Underway