Activists decry China’s repression, call for ending Uyghur and Tibetan oppression

At the 2024 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy held on Wednesday, Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Chinese political prisoners vehemently condemned Beijing’s repressive policies.

Abduweli Ayup, a Uyghur linguist and poet, declared, “It is genocide because of the population transfer. The Chinese government forcibly transfers Uyghurs as labourers to provinces across China. Approximately 900,000 Uyghur children are currently enrolled in boarding schools, which disconnects them from their families and culture.”

Ayup also accused the Chinese government of implementing forced sterilisations and abortions among the Muslim minority in Xinjiang, stating, “Up to 3 million people have been detained in camps, where women are subjected to sterilisation. This systematic sterilisation constitutes genocide.”

Demanding international action, Ayup urged the world to boycott products associated with Uyghur forced labour and refrain from engaging in economic transactions that support Chinese companies.

“We must cease accepting Chinese funding and selling infrastructure to Chinese firms. Enriching dictators who commit genocide against the Uyghur people is unacceptable,” he asserted.

Chemi Lhamo, a Tibetan-Canadian human rights activist, emphasised the biased nature of Chinese documents concerning Tibet, stating, “Any document issued by China regarding Tibet reflects the oppressor’s perspective. Such documents are filled with lies propagated by the Chinese government and Xi Jinping.”

Lhamo highlighted the dire situation in Tibet, where freedom scores have plummeted to zero.

Expressing gratitude to India for providing sanctuary to Tibetans and the Dalai Lama, she stated, “As a Tibetan born in South India, I am indebted to the Indian government. His Holiness the Dalai Lama resides in Dharamshala, and I hope India’s solidarity continues for the safety of Tibet and India alike.”

Rei Xia, a 27-year-old Chinese dissenter and human rights activist, recounted her harrowing experiences of detention. She revealed, “I was held in solitary confinement twice, once for 37 days and again for 28 days, for peacefully advocating for freedom of expression.”

Xia condemned China’s treatment of Uyghurs and Tibetans, describing Xinjiang as the “world’s largest open prison” and denouncing the pervasive censorship across China.

The activists collectively called for global intervention to halt China’s human rights abuses against the Uyghur and Tibetan communities.