In rare coordinated move, Western envoys seek meeting on Xinjiang concerns

[Roybot]

BEIJING (Reuters) - A group of 15 Western ambassadors in Beijing, spearheaded by Canada, are seeking a meeting with the top official in China’s restive, heavily Muslim Xinjiang region for an explanation of alleged rights abuses against ethnic Uighurs.

The envoys are making their request in a letter to Chen Quanguo, Xinjiang’s Communist Party boss, according to a copy of a draft letter seen by Reuters.

The move represents unusually broad, coordinated action by a group of countries over a human rights issue in China, and illustrates the mounting backlash Beijing is facing over its crackdown in the western region.

Beijing has faced an outcry from activists, academics, foreign governments and U.N. rights experts over mass detentions and strict surveillance of the mostly Muslim Uighur minority and other Muslim groups who call Xinjiang home.

Four diplomats familiar with the letter and its contents said Canada had taken the lead in its drafting.

Canada’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement sent to Reuters, did not comment directly on the letter but expressed deep concern over the reports of detention and mass surveillance of Uighurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang.

“The Minister of Foreign Affairs raised the situation faced by the Uyghurs directly with China’s Foreign Minister at the UN General Assembly. Canada regularly raises concerns about Xinjiang with Chinese authorities both publicly and privately, bilaterally and multilaterally, and will continue to do so.”

The EU, British, German, Swedish, Swiss, Belgian, Dutch, Finnish and Norwegian embassies declined to comment on the letter.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the government was concerned about the situation in Xinjiang and officials had conveyed these concerns to China on a number of occasions.

The Irish, Danish, French and Estonian embassies did not respond to requests for comment.

The United States is not represented on the letter, although non-U.S. diplomats say the country has been deeply involved in advocacy on the Xinjiang issue.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...=topNews&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=twitter

 

[Tshering22]

The United States is not represented on the letter, although non-U.S. diplomats say the country has been deeply involved in advocacy on the Xinjiang issue.

Americans are really smart; they will distance themselves from direct political tensions and instead throw EU under the bus.

 

[CriticalThought]

Shame no one is concerned about the atrocities in Palestine or Myanmar.

 

[FalconStar]

I wish they would take same kind of interest in the brutality being committed against innocent civilians in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir by Indian forces.
But no use in thinking that as these are all the same countries who destroyed Iraq on a lie and what they are doing now is just political nothing else. You can see how much they care about Muslims by their contribution of troops to Iraq and Afghanistan and now Air raids on Syria. And don't forget the bombs they supply to be dropped on Yemen.

 

[maithil]

Canada taking the lead ? Interesting.

 

[hunter_hunted]

Here is outcome of my simple thinking.

Muslim lands are for Weapons testing, you create new weapon you test in Muslim lands and Muslims will pay from their pockets to test these weapons on themselves .

And data goes back to weapon manufacturer and that entity tinkers in its weapon and sell it again to Muslims. boggle my mind how much dumb fock our "leaders" are. Can't even make weapons ourselves so atleast we can kill ourselves in less cost.

 

[Roybot]

I wish they would take same kind of interest in the brutality being committed against innocent civilians in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir by Indian forces.
But no use in thinking that as these are all the same countries who destroyed Iraq on a lie and what they are doing now is just political nothing else. You can see how much they care about Muslims by their contribution of troops to Iraq and Afghanistan and now Air raids on Syria. And don't forget the bombs they supply to be dropped on Yemen.

Everyone has their priorities. Just like Pakistanis don't care about Uyghur Muslims, similarly no one cares about Kashmiri Sunni Muslim separatists.

 

[CriticalThought]

Everyone has their priorities. Just like Pakistanis don't care about Uyghur Muslims, similarly no one cares about Kashmiri Sunni Muslim separatists.

Who said we don't care about Uighyur Muslims? We simply don't want them to be used by the West as a tool for geo-political pressures.

 

[Tps43]

@undertakerwwefan

 

[moweike]

Maybe the West can build Uighur freedom fighters This will have some effect

 

[atan651]

The West thinks Xinjiang is China's achilles heel so they want to encourage Uighur terrorism to undermine China's social, political, and economic systems. Fat chance that's going to happen! China will develop Xinjiang into a prosperous region envy by the whole world.