This the second part of a series on the treatment of China’s Uyghur population. Read the first part, about the pressure on mining magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, here.
The woman leading the call for mining magnate Andrew Forrest to use his position of influence and speak out against the Chinese government’s treatment of the Uyghur population is Meyassar Ablat, whose parents emigrated to Australia in 1985.
Ablat was four years old when the family arrived and settled in Adelaide. In her words she has “had her kids” and is now vice president of the East Turkistan Australian Association, an organisation co-founded by her father to support the community across Australia and, more recently, to “stand up and fight” for the Uyghurs trapped in their homeland in the north-west of China.
This is an edited version of her interview.
“When we first tried to bring the attention of the world to people in East Turkistan being locked up in concentration camps, China went out first with their usual tactic: they denied every allegation until there were satellite images that proved the existence of these camps that were being built on an industrial scale across the East Turkistan region.
“We also had leaked documents from within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) itself with officials quoted on how those centres were supposed to be run.
“Eventually their denials fell apart and then they tried to get across that the camps were re-education centres, because [the Uyghur] people were trying to get better educated.”
Family detained
“What I find ironic about the ‘re-education’ claim is that it includes my husband’s father who is 70 years of age, retired and who worked all his life for the Chinese government. He has been taken in as well as all my brothers-in-law who all have stable jobs. I don’t understand what they needed to be ‘re-educated’ about.
“Other families have relatives, friends, cousins who were teachers, doctors, musicians — it’s across the board. They’ve all been taken in. and what they need to be re-educated about is a bit baffling to us.
“Some of these people were also transferred into prisons. My father-in-law has been transferred into a prison and given a seven year sentence because he has a son — my husband — who lives overseas. So he has a connection overseas and that automatically qualified him to get a seven year prison sentence.
Fears for family
“It’s very hard to get information out from that region. We’ve lost contact with our family for over three years now. We can’t call them. Last time we did they hung up on us and now we’re just scared that if we do, it will give them even more reason to put them even further into detention or torture and we don’t want that — so at least we can raise awareness of what’s happening and speak up for them on what’s been happening, and get some sort of action taken against the Chinese Communist Party.
As an international community we need to stand up and take a stronger stance and actually put some sort of consequences against China so they realise what they are doing is unacceptable and they have to change.”
The propaganda war
Crikey cannot independently verify Ablat’s statements about the treatment of her family and others. Her story, though, is echoed in accounts collected by Human Rights Watch and the UK’s Anti-slavery International group, among other human rights agencies.
As we reported yesterday, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) also detailed human rights abuses against the Uyghurs as part of a research project which documented the existence of enforced Uyghur labour in the supply chains of over 80 international and Chinese brands. The report was picked up by media outlets around the world
In response the Chinese government-owned outlet The Global Times, accused ASPI of being at the vanguard of a “slandering campaign” against China, spreading the “China threat theory” wantonly, and producing “a large number of untrue reports” on the Uyghurs.
The Global Times accused ASPI of fomenting “anti-China hysteria” to the benefit of its benefactors, pointing to ASPI’s funding from the Defence Department, military hardware manufacturers, the US State Department, Japan and the UK.
ASPI executive director Peter Jennings has responded, telling Inq:
“Partial funding for our Uyghur report came from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. All our sources of funding are publicly disclosed. Many think tanks and Australian universities receive funding from Defence Industry and from foreign governments.
“The claim that we are pursuing an agenda at the behest of industry or of a foreign government is nonsense and an attempt to distract attention away from the quality of our work, based in this instance on exhaustive research using Mandarin sources. I don’t see our critics engaging on the substance of our research.”
In July the US-based Uyghur Human Rights project (UHRP) published a critique of China’s statements on the Uyghur. Its report — ‘The Happiest Muslims in the World’: Disinformation, Propaganda, and the Uyghur Crisis — analysed what it said were Chinese government’s attempts “to craft and promote a narrative” responding to international criticism of its detention of Uyghurs. The title of the report is drawn from a Chinese government claim that the Uyghur population was happy with its lot.
According to the UHRP, the Chinese government’s narrative had evolved from “secrecy and denial” to “whitewashing and justification”.
“The CCP is relentless in its efforts to cover up and justify its human rights crimes against Uyghurs,” UHRP executive director Omer Kanat said. “The authorities claim that the world should applaud their policies in East Turkistan, but they cannot admit what they are really doing. This large-scale disinformation and propaganda campaign is the other side of the coin of genocidal repression.”
Yesterday China’s Deputy Ambassador Wang Xining gave a remarkable address to the National Press Club in which he accused Australia of betraying China by calling for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, without first consulting with China. He also alleged illogical paranoia, outdated stereotypes and political distortion had undermined the Australia-China relationship.
In February, Wang appeared on the ABC’s Q&A, where he said Uyghur detention camps were “training centres”, and the people living there were “mostly” there voluntarily.
A spokesperson for Forrest’s philanthropic Minderoo Foundation told Inq that Forrest “has, and will continue to have, strong discussions behind closed doors about modern slavery issues in China, as he has with any country”.
This is not reporting or analysis, it is just regurgitating a bunch of third hand unverified claims.
The spokespeople, interestingly from the “East Turkistan Australian Association” have been in Australia for 35 years. What would they know? O yes, I forgot they are simply relaying the concerns of the people of the Chinese province of Xinjang. O sorry, should that be East Turkistan, a made up entity which is used to rally separatists under the banner of the East Turkistan Independence Movement? ETIM of course has carried out multiple terroist attacks in China and elswhere is is a UN listed (with US support) terrorist organisation.
Crikey should be better than this.
I recommend chasing down the UNSC Resolution headed: “East Turkestan Islamic Movement”, Paul, where you will find;
Reason for listing:
The Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement was listed on 11 September 2002 pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 of resolution 1390 (2002) as being associated with Al-Qaida, Usama bin Laden or the Taliban for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf or in support of” or “otherwise supporting acts or activities of” Al-Qaida (QDe.004).”
And, in the 2011 update (the resolution is still in place, today);
“The Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is an organization which has used violence to further its aim of setting up an independent so-called “East Turkistan” within China. Since its establishment, ETIM has maintained close ties with the Taliban, Al-Qaida (QDe.004) and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (QDe.010). It was founded by Hasan Mahsum from Xinjiang, China…”
More recently, you will have found them (and, still can) in Idlib Province in Syria, operating alongside ISIS/ISIL, and the variously rebadged Al Qaeda.
And, even more recently, in Libya, doing the bidding – for payment, of the same roustabouts they worked with in Syria.
Furthermore, if you look real hard, you’ll find nearly all the ‘publicity’ used to feed pieces like the above can be traced back to 8 Uighurs who long ago left Xinjiang, and are now HQ’d in the USofA, incl ‘offices’ in Washington D.C., and they operate on the US dime provided by the likes of the National Endowment for Democracy.
Further, I suggest seeking out the first hand testimony of a 60+ y.o. British – Australian citizen named Jerry Grey who, late last year, spent a lot of time cycling around Xinjiang.
You’ll find Jerry’s testimony in various places on the interwebs. Ex-military man, so not shy.
David, either your reply to the air filters on aeroplanes has yet to appear or I missed it. As an aside, I’m not receiving notifications as to new posts on any of the articles since the new format. Cheers.
Simply put, prior to the ‘new format’, my responses to the air movement risks were sent off to ‘moderation’ – and, I’ve long been sick of pursuing such rubbish.
understood.
On the matter of air circulation devices, in general, you may have noted the recent news the Vic state government have now embarked on examining the role of such devices in outbreaks such as those recently revealed at the Frankston Hospital, where 600+ health workers had to be put into isolation.
General concerns about how such circulation devices might dry out air, thus allowing the virus itself to travel further ‘on the breeze’.
It’s a valid concern – the Chinamen found this.
Indeed. the mass of a virus is in the order of 10-21kg (or less) and the physics does vary with humidity
Thanks David for correcting a few mistakes I made in the detail and expanding the case. I was very angry at the time I wrote that such a duplicitous and dangerous line continues to be pushed hard, including by Crikey which is supposed to be better.
These captured journos are abetting the push to war by the US and its wholly owned subsidiaries
I didn’t think you ‘missed’, Paul, and just sought to add some facts to your contentions.
Further, Paul, I suggest seeking out the writing of Danny Haiphong. Danny’s a Vietnamese – American, an associate editor at the excellent ‘Black Agenda Report’ (with the great Margaret Kimberley and Glen Ford), and Danny was one of a group of half a dozen US citizens who travelled to Xinjiang in the last year.
Also, I recommend the book titled;
“American Exceptionalism and American Innocence: A People’s History of Fake News-From the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror”
Which Danny co-authored, with Roberto Sirvent. Look it up at Amazon, and you’ll find tributes from;
Cornel West, Chris Hedges, John Pilger, Cynthia McKinney, Stephen Kinzer, Dan Kovalik….
Among numerous others, rightly
Also, Paul, find the “Turkestan Islamic Party”, and you’ll find the successors to the “East Turkestan Islamic Movement”.
Yet another rebadging, promoted by the usual suspects.
Good on you David for providing the telling research that others have, unsurprisingly in Oz, failed to provide including the ABC. Fran Kelly routinely parrots the Peter Jennings line on anything to do with China. I trust that you wouldn’t mind me quoting your contributions on other sites. Way back in the day, Thucydides observed that most people have no appetite for truth seeking rather they are inclined to believe the first opinion that they hear
Slight “loss” of attribution there Terence. “Men are inclined to what preserves their habits and customs”. The LNP anyone?
Have you ever spoken to an Uyghur from the East Turkistan community yourself personally? As the “spokesperson” from the above story, I find it highly offensive that someone who has no experience or knowledge to speak on this matter (such as yourself) can simply dismiss the millions of voices of Uyghurs who are living this horrific nightmare as “what would they know?” We, have our family, relatives & friends taken into these camps by the CCP, so educate yourself before spreading your blatant lies.
And where were the compliant, impotent members of the Australian press community at the Press Club yesterday during Wang Xining’s propaganda presentation? Talk about being MIA. Not a single question about the treatment of the Uyghur community, nor anything else remotely critical of the CCP either. It just speaks volumes about the decline in the standards, integrity and fearlessness of Australian journalism.
Thank God for Crikey, The Saturday Paper, and the Conversation. We’d be lost without them. Sadly, their reach is limited but at least they exist.
Is the Uyghur community living in worst conditions than the aborigine on their settlements.
What kind of question is that? Are you saying that because other communities may be living under terrible conditions, we can’t comment on one particular one? Yes – there are indigenous communities suffering all sorts of neglect but none of it is caused by the government’s deliberate, controlled oppression. Don’t try to justify the CCP’s treatment of its minorities, its political dissidents, or indeed the citizens of countries it chooses to invade. The CCP are despotic, violent thugs and the world needs to stand up to them. I’m no fan of the current Australian government but I give them credit for not submitting to the CCP’s bullying behaviour.
The last time I looked, Aborigines can live anywhere and move anywhere they like in Australia. They’re not locked up. There is no logical analogy to compare the living conditions of the two groups.
As far as I know, Aboriginal groups, associated with various terrorist groups run by the US, did not enact some quite violent (terrorist) acts against others in their shared communities, here in Australia.
What do you think would happen if they did?
Uyghur are free to move, live and work anywhere they wish within China – or emigrate, as demonstrated by the large diaspora represented by the spokesbots in this article.
Jihadis and returned IS fighters, not so much.
They wouldn’t be welcomed in this country either, as those Oz nationals currently stranded in Syria by the collapse of their putative caliphate might have noticed.
Are you fair dinkum?
Not ‘locked up’?
At the absolute bare minimum – ‘in disproportionate numbers’.
And, you are not in possession of the the bare facts about the Uighurs in Xinjiang – or anywhere else around the globe where they’re being used to pursue agendas not associated with any group’s human rights.
Try this for an account from somebody who has been there..
https://medium.com/@jerry_grey2002/abc-four-corners-tell-the-world-analysis-1529e8aaf316
I ought to have mentioned the (at least dual and often multi-language) road signage and subtitles on TV too in my post. As for getting about the Provence the experience recounted concurs with mine.
Yeah the remark that the Indigenous aren’t ‘locked up’ is tone-deaf as hell. Not like they’ve been protesting about that recently, right?
So you have never seen an aborigine mission in Australia. They can move but won’t be tolerated moving in next door to your house.
I believe Isis and all its offshoots to be the most dangerous movement in the world. The Uyghur are a part of this movement. Perhaps not all individuals, but certainly many in China and elsewhere. See the comments below for the UNSC resolution (still current). Have we forgotten the horrific deaths committed by the terrorists in Britain and Europe? And what’s happening in Africa? China is going “hard” on this group, and rightly so, otherwise the consequences can be more harmful. Let’s not forget the deaths worldwide occurring even now, of this ugly offshoot of Islam.
On the ball, aged one.
You omitted the most important detail.
ISIS and all their affiliates and offshoots are run, funded and pointed at their targets by Western interests (NATO/US/Israel etc).
One would require evidence for that statement, Richard, but a short history of Afghanistan is in order. From the early 70s Daoud (the then King’s cousin) governed the country with numerous reforms that pertained to women; attendance
at university for example. Then early in 1978 Taraki overthrew Daoud in ‘true’ Afghan style. The Russians supported Taraki but the yanks (given his autocratic style) did not support Taraki or the coup. Both the Russians and the yanks supported Daoud.
Long story but the Russians installed Babrak Kamal who rescinded most of Taraki’s unpopular policies. At this stage one might have thought that the Russians would be happy but they embanked on a mission of vandalism. The blunder of the yanks was to support the Mujahidin.
A small group of religious students (or Taliban) effected a military campaign, with the aid of Pakistan, creating a Muslim State based on strict sharia law. They got rid of the corruption at the expense of returning to 6th century living. Interesting that the Taliban, as governors of Afghanistan are recognised by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the UAE. I wonder if there is a pattern.
The yanks could have offered extensive aid to a fraction of the trillions that has been blown since 1989 but such is another story.
So you guys agree with the Christchurch killer, do you?
Please explain Oldie!
Though the guy is incoherent, he seems to believe that all Muslims are a threat to humanity and need to be eliminated.
About a month or two ago I made the general remark that the Quran is about 60% Torah and 40% Bible. One or two subscribers became “picky” but the generalisaton holds.
As an aside, I have lived in (West to East) Casablanca, Rabat, Alexandra and Damascus and have traveled all over the place from Morocco to Turkey. That some countries are more observant of Fridays than others is as about as much as can be said.
Whatever one might think of the Battle of Poitiers, 732AD (or Tours and not to be confused with the battle of the same name during the Hundred Years’ War [1356]) the Greek and Roman manuscripts were saved by the Muslims and we have Islam to thank for that.
And China, with its enormous population, has long been plagued by demagoguery in its minorities. The loony Christian Taiping Rebellion in the mid nineteenth century left 50 million dead. Clearly they’ve learned history’s lessons.
Everyone who believes in magic needs re-education.
Compulsory, in a prison? I see where you are coming from.
No in decent schools, knowledge is the enemy of religion. Seems you have a plank in your eye.
During a period of a decade in China (PRC) I did manage to get to Xinjiang. Urumqi is an interesting city with a diverse population of ethnic groups and quite a few Russian speaking groups – although not necessarily Russian. Come to that ethnic groups exist all the way, along the West, from Yunnan to Xinjiang.
The security stuff is fairy strict. In the case of a foreigner, one requires one’s passport to buy a ticket for a performance and similarly to enter the venue. Similarly for a day trip from A to B. However, those whom I chatted with did not deem themselves threatened. The PRC is not big on religion generally and proselytism is outlawed specifically although
mosques and churches exist. The “problem” for Islam is that the religion is rather bin on proselytism (as I have encountered personally; Middle East and elsewhere; Port Hedland – of all places – too.
There is also some minor insurgency from further West which is acknowledged, locally, but also tends to bother the Chinese
authorities. Its a pity that those who scribble on such matters as minorities in the PRC have (1) never been to the region and
(2) enviably ‘parrot’ what the last fellow wrote. What is particularly annoying is (in the same vein as Crikey’s inept and myopic
coverage of HK) the reports do not possess the least attempt to be comprehensive.
Individual cases require specific analysis but in our world of post truth it is all too easy to make inflammatory statements. If the proceedings on the Indian/Chinese border are observable by satellite then denials as to events elswehere in the country require and analysis and not mere ‘reportage’.
I have actually written quite a bit on this topic. If a writer from Crikey intends to take issue with any of it then let’s have it out in the open.
The facts are the CCP has restored and built new mosques in Xinjiang that have more than quintupled the number of operating mosques over the last couple of decades (some counts have it at over a 10X increase).
In that, they’ve have trailed in V.V. Putin. Post the troubles in Chechnya, and elsewhere, inside and on the periphery of the RF, Putin set about ‘connecting’ with the ~17 million Russian citizens who are of the Islamic faith – had mosques rebuilt, built new and kept turning up to the openings – bog standard respect for the rights of the citizens of the faith.
And, plainly put, it was the Yanks who sent OBL and his ‘influence’ to Chechnya etc, after they were done using him in Afghanistan and, later, ‘the former Yugoslavia’.