EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) published a so-called “assessment” on human rights in Xinjiang on August 31 despite the lack of mandate by the UN Human Rights Council to do so. The “assessment”, which exposed ignorance and deep-seated prejudices against China, smacks of political manipulation and has only damaged the credibility of the OHCHR.

For one thing, the report was based on a presumption of guilt on the part of China. It was nothing but the latest product of a disinformation campaign against China that has been raging on in Western discourse for years.

Not surprisingly, the report drew extensively from falsehoods and fabrications by anti-China forces and deliberately ignored the authoritative information and factual materials provided by the Chinese government.

The “assessment” was neither fair nor balanced. It distorts China’s laws and policies, smears and slanders China, and interferes in China’s internal affairs, which violates the spirit of dialogue and cooperation, and non-politicization of human rights．

It turns a blind eye to the human rights achievements made by people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang and fails to acknowledge the devastating damage caused by terrorism and extremism to the human rights of people of all ethnic groups there.

The “assessment” is a show choreographed by a few Western countries, who attempt to use human rights as a political tool of a larger scheme of containment against China. For months, they have been pressuring the High Commissioner and the OHCHR to release the “assessment”, to provide further ammunition to their political manipulation of Xinjiang-related issues.

It is also noteworthy that even such a biased “assessment” falls short of parroting accusations such as “genocide”, “forced labour”, “political persecution”, or “forced sterilization”. This shows that these horrendous accusations propagated against China for years are nothing but utter lies.

The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is located in China’s northwest bordering South and Central Asian countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Known for its rich resources and picturesque scenery, Xinjiang is a vast region covering one-sixth of China’s territory, or roughly 4.6 times the size of Germany.

It has a population of 25.8 million, out of which 42% are Han Chinese, the majority ethnic group in China. Xinjiang has been a multi-cultural region since ancient times. The Hans have lived in peace and amity with the other 12 ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, such as the Uyghur, Kazakh, Hui, Kyrgyz, Tajik, and Mongolian ethnic groups.

Following the September 11th attacks on the US, separatist, terrorist and extremist forces inside and outside China have colluded with each other to instigate religious fanaticism and extremism, spread ethnic divisions and hatred, and incite violence and terrorist activities in Xinjiang.

This has taken a heavy toll on the life and property of the local people and their exercise of religious freedom and other fundamental human rights.

On July 5, 2009, thousands of “East Turkistan” terrorists perpetrated coordinated and indiscrimant attacks throughout the capital city of Xinjiang, causing 197 deaths, 1,700 injuries, smashing and burning 331 stores and 1,325 vehicles, and damaging public facilities. On March 1, 2014, eight knife-wielding Xinjiang terrorists attacked passengers at the Kunming Railway Station, leaving 31 dead and 141 injured.

These were mere examples of the thousands of terrorist attacks launched by separatist, terrorist and extremist forces in Xinjiang from 1990 to 2016.

The government of Xinjiang responded by conducting deradicalization through education in accordance with the law and in line with international practice, in a bid to eradicate the breeding ground of extremism. Such efforts have produced visible results.

In the past five years, Xinjiang has been free from violent terrorist incidents. Peace and normalcy has been restored to people of all ethnicities, and the region resumed economic and social development.

The issues related to Xinjiang are not about ethnicity, religion or human rights. They are about countering violent terrorism, radicalization and separatism, and protecting China’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security, and are entirely China’s internal affairs.

Divide-and-rule is a familiar tactic used by some Western countries that is reminiscent of colonial times. Few people in China would believe those Western politicians and media outlets genuinely care for the people of Xinjiang. Even Western officials in their candid moments admit that joining with the Uyghurs is the best way to destabilise China.

The people of Xinjiang are the best judge of human rights and religious freedom in the region. Members of the international community are the true witness to this, rather than a small number of Western politicians and commentators.

Few Muslim countries, who understand the challenges of terrorism and extremism, followed Western countries in their slandering of China. Last month, a delegation of 32 diplomatic envoys posted in China from 30 Islamic countries just visited Xinjiang. Members of the delegation commended the achievements of Xinjiang’s economic development and ethnic unity.

Those who tried to manipulate the visit and the “assessment” by the High Commissioner for Human Rights will never succeed in destabilising Xinjiang.

In recent years, nearly 100 countries have spoken up to support China’s position on Xinjiang-related issues. Nearly 1,000 NGOs sent a joint letter to the High Commissioner to oppose the release of the “assessment”. These voices are the true reflection of justice and the will of the majority.

COUNSELOR CUI WEI,

Spokesman of the Chinese Embassy in The Bahamas

Nassau,

September 1, 2022.