Western malice against China
REPORTEDLY the Dutch Parliament adopted a motion on 25 February describing Chinese actions in the Xinjiang province as ‘genocide’ though the ruling party did not support it.
In this regard, a statement released by the US State Department on 18 January also alleged “since at least March 2017, the People’s Republic of China, under the direction and control of the Chinese Communist Party, has committed an ongoing series of crimes including arbitrary imprisonment, separating children from their families and forced sterilization and abortions for Uighur women.”
At a Press conference last Tuesday, US State Department Spokesman Ned Price also said that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been “very clear” that what has taken place in Xinjiang “was genocide” and that it constitutes “crimes against humanity”.
A report by the Hong Kong Free Press last Wednesday contended that the growth rate of population in Xinjiang has shrunk by about two-thirds within two years.
A new report by Human Rights Watch has also alleged that the Chinese government has increased groundless prosecutions in the far western region with Uighurs and other Muslims subjected to long prison sentences in Xinjiang.
The foregoing development is not a coincidence but part of a well-orchestrated campaign by western powers spear-headed by the US to malign and denigrate China.
Needless to emphasize that the US and its western allies are essentially anti-China and their ‘contain China’ policy designed to stop China’s rise to the predicted number one economic and military power of the world is a ranting testimony to this unending animosity.
Supported by their biased media outlets they have unleashed a sustained campaign against China, particularly in regards to the alleged dismal record on human rights.
They have been keeping greater focus on Xinjiang province of China and characterizing the Chinese efforts to quell terrorism, radicalization and separatism as genocide of the Muslims inhabiting in the region.
The emphasis on suppression of the Muslim population is actually a calculated attempt on their part to affect China’s relations with the Muslim world.
Terrorism and extremism have no religion as no religion of the world endorses or promotes those inhuman pursuits.
That is why there is a global consensus on eliminating this scourge and even the UN has devised a Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
Killing of thousands of terrorists and action against terrorist entities like Daesh in the Middle East and other similar outfits in Afghanistan and its neighbouring countries derives their legitimacy from this global consensus and UN support.
It also recognizes the right of any state to take decisive action against terrorism and extremism.
The US and NATO forces have killed thousands of Afghans in Afghanistan and in the Middle East in the war against terrorism and feel proud about it.
Then how come when China, as a sovereign state, takes action to prevent terrorist acts within its territory, it is regarded as blatant violation of human rights and even termed as a genocide.
Is it not sheer hypocrisy?
The spokesman of Chinese Foreign Ministry Wang Wenbin, at a press conference recently while dilating on the motion of the Dutch parliament was right on the money to say” This motion of the Dutch House of Representatives disregards facts and legal common sense.
It represents an intentional effort to smear China and a blatant interference into China’s internal affairs.
China strongly condemns and firmly rejects that. In essence, Xinjiang-related issues are about countering violent terrorism, radicalization and separatism.
They concern China’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security”.
He strongly dismissed the notion of genocide by revealing that between 1978 and 2018, the Uyghur population in Xinjiang grew from 5.55 million to 12.71 million. That means the Uyghur population in Xinjiang more than doubled over the past four decades or so.
This figure is higher than the total population growth rate in Xinjiang and 10-plus times higher than that of the Han population during the same period.
One really wonders at the audacity of the Western countries, particularly the US, to throw flak at China in regards to human rights notwithstanding the fact that it was itself the biggest violator of human rights.
Guantanamo prison represents the darkest chapter in the history of US human rights record.
The Constitution Project, a Washington-based non-partisan research and advocacy group, rightly stated, “US forces, in many instances, used interrogation techniques on detainees that constitute torture.
American personnel conducted an even larger number of interrogations that involved ‘cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
Both categories of actions violate US laws and international treaties. Such conduct was directly counter to values of the Constitution and our nation.”
One argument for denying constitutional protections to Guantánamo prisoners rested on the allegation that Guantánamo was in Cuba, off American soil.
Respect for basic human dignity, however, is not limited by nationality or territory.
There are international human rights laws (customary and treaty-based,) which extend such protection to Guantánamo detainees as well.
Keeping this facility open perpetuates a situation of injustice. I would tend to call Guantanamo as a national shame for America.
The world also saw videos of US soldiers torturing Iraqi prisoners in Iraq when USA and its allies attacked the country on false pretext of weapons of mass-destruction.
Even in Afghanistan similar incidents involving US and NATO soldiers have been reported.
The nations which are themselves guilty of abuse of human rights and fomenting conflicts around the world leading to killing of thousands of innocent human beings must first introspect their own inhuman conduct before raising accusing fingers at others without legitimate and credible evidence.
— The writer is former Director General Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, based in Islamabad.
