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October 24, 2024 | 10:02 am
Australia, the United States, and 13 other Western countries criticized China at the UN on Tuesday over alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet. This condemnation prompted China to turn around and condemn them for ignoring the 'hell' in Gaza due to Israel's genocide, a Western ally.
The debate over China's treatment of Uighur citizens and other Muslims has become a common occurrence at the UN in New York and the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
A UN report released two years ago stated that the 'arbitrary and discriminatory' detention carried out by China against Uighur and other Muslim citizens in the Xinjiang region may constitute crimes against humanity. It was said that 'serious human rights violations' have been committed.
'We urge China to uphold the international human rights obligations they have voluntarily assumed, and to implement all UN recommendations,' said Australian Ambassador to the UN James Larsen to the UN General Assembly human rights committee.
'This includes releasing all individuals arbitrarily detained in Xinjiang and Tibet, and immediately clarifying the fate and whereabouts of missing family members,' Larsen said.
He spoke on behalf of Australia, the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
'No country has a perfect human rights record. However, no country is not fairly scrutinized over its human rights obligations,' Larsen said. 'It is our collective duty not to underestimate the beneficial international human rights commitments for all of us, and the responsibility of all countries.'
While delivering a statement to the committee, US Deputy Ambassador Lisa Carty called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas, and for Israel to allow more aid into the besieged territory.
'We continue to condemn the atrocities (committed by China) in Xinjiang, the suppression of Tibetans, the harsh actions against democratic institutions in Hong Kong, and the use of transnational repression to silence those abroad,' Carty said.
Beijing has long denied all allegations of abuse against Uighur citizens. Chinese Ambassador to the UN Fu Cong on Tuesday accused Western countries of a 'lie to provoke confrontation.'
'The human rights situation that undoubtedly requires the most attention in the committee this year is the situation in Gaza,' he said. 'Australia and the US, among several other countries, downplay this situation, while launching attacks and slander against the peaceful and calm Xinjiang.'
Palestinian Hamas fighters attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,139 people and kidnapping around 250 others.
US ally Israel retaliated in Gaza, where over 42,700 Palestinian civilians have been killed and almost everyone in the 2.3 million-populated enclave has been displaced.
Fu stated that if the death toll in Gaza is not enough to 'stir the conscience of some Western countries... then what they call protection of the human rights of Muslims is nothing but the biggest lie.'
Independent UN human rights experts last month criticized most Western countries for supporting Israel despite committing acts of genocide in Gaza.
Pakistani Ambassador to the UN Munir Akram read a statement to the human rights committee on behalf of 80 countries stating that any issues related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Tibet are China's internal matters. This group also stated they oppose the politicization of human rights and double standards.
REUTERS
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