OUTGOING UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet’s report on state practices in China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region has once again turned global attention to the mistreatment of the Uighur minority and raised concerns regarding the practices being used to suppress the ethnic group on the pretext of counterterrorism and counter-extremism strategies. Criticising the Chinese state over serious human rights violations, the report notes that arbitrary and discriminatory detention of members of Uighur and other Muslim groups constitutes “crimes against humanity”. The document also describes reports of violations of Uighur women’s reproductive rights, including forced abortions and forced placement of IUDs. It recommends that the Chinese government take immediate steps to release all individuals detained in its training centres, prisons and detention facilities.

Beijing, on the other hand, has issued a lengthy rebuttal to the UN report, which Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin described as “completely illegal and void”. The Chinese response emphasises the threat of terrorism and claims that its state-run “deradicalisation” programme and “vocational education and training centres” have brought “stability” to Xinjiang, which was wracked by separatist violence a few years ago. There may be substance to China’s concerns that the Uighur issue has been politicised to suit its rivals’ foreign policy goals. Even Ms Bachelet noted as much. “[…] The politicisation of these serious human rights issues by some states did not help,” she was quoted as saying while explaining why it took so long to release the report. Be that as it may, there is too much evidence now on the record that Chinese practices in Xinjiang are far from acceptable. Beijing clearly needs to review its policies in the troubled region if it wishes to maintain its standing as a responsible state. Violent suppression can only prolong or worsen internal security challenges rather than solve them meaningfully. They will also continue to invite global scrutiny. As a rising superpower, China cannot simply walk away from the charge that it is perpetrating crimes against humanity.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2022