Swedish Uyghur Committee urges global action against China's genocide in East Turkistan

Aug 09, 2024

Stockholm [Sweden], August 9 : A Sweden-based Uyghur rights organisation, Svenska Uyghur Kommitten (SUK), commonly known as the Swedish Uyghur Committee, appealed to the international community to confront the geopolitical effects of China's action in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region (XUAR).
It also said that China's genocide and occupation of East Turkistan are not isolated events.
There have been various attempts by China to extend its influence and control over central Asia, securing vital resources and strategic routes with its Belt and Road Initiative. It is also China's tactic to mask this as economic development whereas there is eradication of an entire populace.
In a post on 'X,' the committee urged Sweden, along with the rest of the International community, to recognise the occupation of East Turkestan and China's ongoing genocide against Uyghurs Muslim and other Turkic people By permitting China to act without restraint, the world is silently approving a new approach to state conduct--one where power justifies actions and genocidal policies are deemed acceptable under the guise of national security.
"This encourages other authoritarian regimes to adopt similar strategies, confident that the international response will be weak and disjointed," the post added.
https://x.com/SUyghurCommitte/status/1821837101144412473
Further, SUK stated that the Swedish government has also need to call for international action against China's human rights abuses, specifically citing the genocide in East Turkistan.
The SUK statement also mentioned that "For Sweden, the choice is clear. As a nation with a strong legacy of championing human rights, it must lead the charge in holding China accountable. This means not only recognising the genocide but also rallying a coalition of like-minded nations to take concrete actions--sanctions, diplomatic isolation, and support for international legal proceedings against those responsible.
"This issue extends beyond supporting the East Turkistani people; it's about safeguarding the core principles of the international system. If the world does not take decisive action now, it risks establishing a precedent that could dismantle decades of advancement in human rights and global cooperation." the statement added.
The statement also stresses that a unified response is crucial in this moment of unprecedented difficulty, urging the global community to take immediate action to address the crisis and uphold human rights.
"In a world where silence equates to complicity, immediate action is essential. The fate of East Turkistan, as well as the future of the global order, hinges on our unified response to this crisis. This moment not only challenges our values but also tests our determination to uphold them amid unprecedented difficulties, the statement said.