Evidence of meeting #122 for Subcommittee on International Human Rights in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chinese.
A video is available from Parliament.
1:45 p.m.
Liberal
Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON
What form of opposition, if any at all, is manifesting in Xinjiang? What does it look like? How are those who are opposed to what is taking place carrying out their activities, and how are they organizing themselves, if at all?
1:45 p.m.
Canada Director, Human Rights Watch Canada
From our perspective, any opposition to what's happening in Xinjiang is happening outside of China at this moment. Because of the level and severity of surveillance, monitoring, abuses, oppression and mass detention, the Chinese government has closed the door on any possibility of speaking out or publicly organizing in any way inside the country.
1:45 p.m.
Liberal
Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON
Okay. I figured that was the case. I just wanted to know if in fact there was any sign at all, but it's quite understandable why there wouldn't be.
Thank you very much.
1:45 p.m.
Ms. Anita Vandenbeld (Ottawa West—Nepean, Lib.)
The last five minutes go to Ms. Hardcastle.
1:45 p.m.
NDP
Cheryl Hardcastle NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I'd just like either of you today to maybe help us understand a bit. You spoke earlier about how the international community has to come together, and how we can be effective working together.
I need to know a little more about how we can be working against some of the pressures that we know. China is somehow exerting pressure in other countries that is bringing Uighurs back into China. They had been deported. What exactly are the pressures that are making this population outside of the country even more vulnerable, and what can we be doing?
1:50 p.m.
Canada Director, Human Rights Watch Canada
There is quite a bit that Canada can be doing on its own, as well as in concert with other countries. On its own, as you rightly mentioned, there is a lot of pressure to return Uighurs to China, back to Xinjiang and the abusive, oppressive policies there. The Chinese government does not want Uighurs outside of the country speaking out about human rights abuses in Xinjiang. They don't want that activism.
Therefore, one of the things the Canadian government can do quite easily is follow Sweden and Germany's example and suspend the return of Uighurs, at the moment, back to China. We know the level of severity of abuses. The risks are so high that those individuals would disappear or be placed in political education camps, that it really is unconscionable for Canada to return Uighurs at this time, without a very thorough process. That is one thing Canada can do off the bat.
Then, in concert with other countries, there have been a number of proposals for resolutions in various UN mechanisms, to renounce the abuses taking place and to call an investigation with independent investigators. Canada should support those mechanisms.
1:50 p.m.
NDP
Cheryl Hardcastle NDP Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Do we know what some of the measures are? Mr. Zenz, perhaps you have some insight on that. What are some of the measures that China is using to bring Uighurs back into China?
1:50 p.m.
As an Individual
China is pressuring Uighurs directly, especially when those who are abroad have relatives back home, which makes them more liable to manipulation.
One of the mechanisms China has used is refusing to issue new passports, so when passports expire, it tells these Uighurs to return to China instead of getting a new passport issued in the country of their current residence. These Uighurs then effectively become stateless.
It is highly necessary for countries such as Canada to accept these Uighurs as asylum seekers and grant them asylum, rather than have them return to China. They should be issued foreign passports, which also gives them a stronger foundation. Essentially, any Uighur who is not in China will need to have a foreign passport in order to be better protected. If they do not, they're very vulnerable to various pressures, either by these legal mechanisms or other forms of manipulation.
1:50 p.m.
Ms. Anita Vandenbeld (Ottawa West—Nepean, Lib.)
Thank you very much. I want to thank both of our witnesses, Farida Deif and Adrian Zenz, for being here today.
We will now suspend for one minute as we go in camera. I would ask that we clear the room of all but members and their staff, so we can go in camera for a few minutes.
Thank you very much.
[Proceedings continue in camera]