Various reports that emerged pertaining to China’s policy in Xinjiang were plainly dismissed and downplayed as “Western Propaganda”. However, the Xinjiang papers, which is a trove of more than 400 pages of recently leaked internal Chinese government documents, serves as a compelling proof that previous reports detailing Chinese crackdown against Uighurs bears truth, and goes beyond a mere propaganda being hatched by the West.
An estimate of more than a million Uighur Muslims are being held at the so called “reeducation” camps in the northwest Chinese region of Xinjiang, where they are reportedly subjected to harsh indoctrination and restrictions.
Furthermore, many reports that have surfaced so far including those by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have reported that the detained Uighurs in mass detention camps are denied the right to practice their religion freely, which includes an imposed ban on fasting in parts of Xinjiang during the month of Ramadan. The Uighurs, among other things, are forced to pledge allegiance to the Chinese Communist Party, and in some cases even coerced to renounce Islam. Many Uighurs who were detained have described experiencing prison like conditions, with some women coming forward with stories involving abuse, forced abortions and implantation of contraceptive devices.
Despite the alarming reports of mass detention of Uighurs, Pakistan among a significant number of other countries, including some Muslim majority nations, has maintained its utter silence regarding China’s Policy towards the ethnic Muslim minority. Not only has Pakistan remained silent ,it was also among 54 nations that went ahead and issued a joint statement addressed to the United Nations praising China’s human rights record. A similar statement was issued back in July, when Pakistan, including 36 other nations, penned a letter to the United Nations defending and praising China’s policies in Xinjiang, terming them as strong measures adopted against terrorism.
Furthermore, many reports that have surfaced so far including those by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have reported that the detained Uighurs in mass detention camps are denied the right to practice their religion freely, which includes an imposed ban on fasting in parts of Xinjiang during the month of Ramadan
When India stripped Kashmir of its autonomy and imposed prison like restrictions on the region, Pakistan was quick to call out the United Nations, United States and the international community as a whole for their utter silence and inaction over Kashmir. Prime Minister Imran Khan has consistently questioned the conscience of the international community, and whether the world would sit back and silently watch an impending ethnic cleansing of Muslims in Kashmir. Pakistan also slammed India over the alleged Muslim detention camps being set up in parts of the country, and has constantly ringed alarm bells over the Citizenship Amendment Act as a step towards fascistic ideology taking over India.
It is, therefore, odd enough to even think that a country like Pakistan, which has unflinchingly raised and continues to raise deeply felt concerns for Muslims in India, would choose to remain silent over China’s policy directed towards the Uighur Muslim population. One of the main and evident reasons for such an indifferent approach is the fact that Pakistan has, over the past few years, developed strong economic ties with China, which includes loans and multibillion dollar investments through the China Pakistan economic Corridor CPEC.
However, to what extent should Pakistan let concerns for Human Rights to be tainted with economic and financial interests? After all, during the 74th session of United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister Imran Khan presented the world with two choices on Kashmir, namely to “either appease a market of 1.2 billion or stand up for justice and humanity. In other words, Prime Minister Imran Khan criticised those countries that remained silent on Kashmir issue merely for the sake of maintaining and enhancing economic ties with India. Sadly enough, this has been an unfortunate case in almost every humanitarian crisis, where countries chose to prioritise economic or political interests over human rights. Such attitudes of indifference leave a dangerous precedent behind, and serve to encourage countries with poor human rights record to continue with their atrocious and ruthless policies without any fear of being rebuked.
We tend to speak highly of democracy and human rights, and yet we fall short of staying true to these values, especially when faced with a choice between Interests and rights. If there’s any conscience left in us, we must realise that certain values concerning justice, human rights and human dignity are too precious to be traded away. A change in course of action is needed, therefore, whereby support for morally just causes is made a key priority of foreign policy.
The writer is a Bosnian national studying International Relations at International Islamic University