“Only blind eyes can ignore the nature of genocide”: Italian senator condemns China’s grave human rights violations of Uyghurs

Italian senator, Giulio Terzi addressed an event marking the 20th anniversary of the World Uyghur Congress, an organization advocating for Uyghur rights, and expressed his deep concern for the struggle of Uyghurs against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) oppression in the east. And expressed support. Turkistan.

In his virtual statement at the WUC event, the Italian senator and former foreign minister said, “I will never stop condemning the CCP’s criminal actions carried out in Xinjiang and the Turkic region. Only blind eyes can ignore the genocidal nature of pursuing Chinese policies of Uyghur identity, culture and region. Forced labour, re-education and extermination camps, illegal abductions of people, families and children, destruction of mosques, and restrictions on expressing one’s faith. “I’m afraid these are the realities of governance.”

The Italian senator said the Chinese government does not protect the rights of Uyghurs and provides no freedom of association.

“It is no surprise to see that China has never complied with the Forced Labor Convention. And there is a complete disregard for the rules and norms that constitute the fundamental pillars of the international community. The CCP rules with ideology aimed at suppressing the rights of all workers. Nowadays its focus is on enslaving and exploiting millions of Uyghur workers to ensure greater profits.

He also said that due to lack of religious freedom, the condition of Uighurs has now worsened and they are living under the pressure of dictatorship.

The Italian MP further said, “The situation of Uyghurs has now worsened due to the denial of freedom of religion. There is no place in China for any faith other than communist beliefs. There are many voices demanding to be heard from the world who live under the pressure of dictatorship and are unable to freely express their identity, their religion and their culture. Europe is now becoming more aware of the plight of the Uyghur population.

Several other politicians and social activists such as Damon Wilson, Chairman of the National Endowment for Democracy, Thomas R. Suoji, US MP representing New York, Keiji Furuya, Member of the Japanese Parliament, Samir Zuberi, Parliamentary Secretary to Canada’s Minister of Diversity, and Executive Director of Omer Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) participated in the event, expressing similar views on China’s repressive regime and its expansionist policies.