Muslim organisations condemn OIC over ‘China Uyghur genocide’

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

Over 90 mainly South East Asian Muslim organisations have urged the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) “to break its silence and take a public stand against China’s ongoing genocidal campaign in East Turkestan.”

The letter was addressed to the President of the OIC, Dr Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, Secretary-General of OIC, Hissein Brahim Taha and Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the organisation.

Most Muslim nations have failed to condemn China over its repression of Muslims in Xinjiang province. It is thought they are reluctant to do this because of China’s economic grip over them.

China denies committing any violations and says it is only combating terrorism and extremism.

Here is an abridged version of the letter:

We are a coalition of over 90 civil society organisations and members of Parliament from South East Asia representing Muslim people around the world. We urge the OIC to take a strong public stand against the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other Muslims in East Turkistan (also referred to as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region by China).

Since 2016, millions of Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other Muslims have been arbitrarily detained in internment camps in East Turkistan, where they are exposed to systematic torture, rape, and forced labour, amongst other abuses. The internment camp system forms part of the PRC’s targeted attack on every expression of a distinct Uyghur ethnic identity, which includes a severe crackdown on  Islam and Uyghur religious identity.

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Uyghurs Editorial credit: Huseyin Aldemir / Shutterstock.com

Ordinary religious behaviour, such as possessing a Quran, praying, having a beard, or wearing a veil are all reasons for Uyghurs and others to be detained in one of the internment camps, where detainees are forced to eat pork and drink alcohol. Furthermore, thousands of mosques, shrines, graveyards and other sites of religious significance in East Turkistan have been destroyed or damaged. The PRC’s actions do not only constitute an attack against the Uyghurs and others as Muslim people but as government officials have described Islam as an “ideological illness” to be cured, also an attack against Islam itself.

The PRC’s systematic human rights violations against the Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other Muslims have already been recognized by the United States government and seven national parliaments to constitute crimes against humanity and genocide. Most recently, these crimes have been confirmed by the independent Uyghur Tribunal in London, which found “beyond reasonable doubt that the PRC … has committed genocide” under the Genocide Convention.

The evidence is clear and can no longer be ignored. As Members of the OIC, who proclaim to be the “collective voice of the Muslim world”, it would be unconscionable and in clear disregard of your own moral values and principles to close your eyes to the terrible fate of millions of your Muslim brothers and sisters. In Article 1 of the OIC’s Charter, you vow “to safeguard the rights, dignity and religious and cultural identity of Muslim communities and minorities in non-Member States”. We simply ask you to remain true to that commitment.

Continuing your silence on the PRC’s egregious crimes against Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other Muslims does great harm to the OIC’s credibility and international standing. Not only Uyghurs and Kazakhs, but Muslims worldwide are looking at you to do the right thing. We call on you to take a firm stand against the PRC’s human rights abuses and to support efforts by Uyghur and international organizations and governments worldwide to bring these to an end.

Yours sincerely,

Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid, President, Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations

Ahmad Fahmi Mohd Samsuddin, Global Peace Malaysia

Anwar Fadhil, Secretary-General ASEAN Alliance of Mosques

Datuk Wira Syekh Ahmad Awang, Chairman International Islamic Tasawwur Center, Malaysia, Chairman Alliance of World Mosques in Defence of Al Aqsa

Datin Aminah Zakaria, Chair, Muslimah Brotherhood Association of Malaysia

Datuk Wira Syekh Abdul Ghani Samsudin, Chairman Secretariate for Muslim Scholars Assembly of Asia

Datuk Hassanuddin Mohd Yunus, Member of Parliament Malaysia

Dr Arifin Thaipratan, Chair Council Humanitarian Networking Syekhul Islam Office, Thailand

Dr Heru S Nuswanto, Advocate Human Rights Activist PAHAM, Indonesia

Dr Muhammad Fawzi Zakaria, Institute for the Advocacy of Justice and Peace

Hafiz Mustafa Lubis, Chairman Ulama Association Of Kedah State Malaysia

Hery Nurdi, President Teachers Working Group Indonesia

Ibrahim bin Ali, Advisor, Southern Arakan Social and Welfare Community, Myanmar

Jamaluddin Shamsuddin, CEO Allied Coordinating Committee of Islamic NGOs

Jamal Abdul Nasir, President, Humanitarian and Justice Organization, Cambodia

Jason Leong, Association Next Generation Christians Malaysia

Johan Ariff Ismail, International Relief and Humanitarian Outreach

Mohammad Faisal, President, Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia

Mohd Fadhil Yusni, President Malaysia Kashmir Youth Movement

Mohideen Abdul Kader, Director Citizens International

Nasir Zakaria, Ummah Care Malaysia

Prof Roslan Mohd Nor, Secretary-General, Ulama Association of Malaysia

Salleh Abbas, SHURA Philippines

YB Mahfuz Omar, Members Of Pokok Sena Malaysia

YB Prof Rusnah Binti Alui, Members of Parliament Bukit Katil Malaysia

 

Civil Society Organizations:

Alberta Uyghur Association

Australian East Turkestan Association

Australian Uyghur Association

Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women’s Association

Austria Uyghur Association

Belgium Uyghur Association

Blue Crescent Humanitarian Aid Association

Campaign for Uyghurs

Central Council of Muslims in Germany

Dutch Uyghur Human Rights Foundation

East Turkistan Education and Solidarity Association

East Turkestan Press and Media Association

East Turkestan Union of Muslim Scholars

East Turkistan Entrepreneur Tradesmen and Industrialists Businessmen Association

East Turkistan Human Rights Watch

East Turkistan New Generation Movement

East Turkistan Nuzugum Culture and Family Association

East Turkistan Sports and Development Association

European East Turkistan Education Association

European Muslim Forum

European Turkish-Islamic Union

East Turkistan Association in Finland

East Turkistan Association of Canada

East Turkistan Union in Europe

Eastern Turkistan Foundation

Finnish Uyghur Culture Center

Global Imams Council

Hoca Ahmet Yesevi Science and lore Foundation

Ilham Tohti Initiative

International Pen Uyghur Center

International Support for Uyghurs

International union of East Turkistan Organizations

International Uyghur Human Right and Democracy Foundation

Isa Yusup Alptekin Foundation

Islamic Community Milli Gorus

Japan Uyghur Association

Norwegian Uyghur Committee

Omer Uygur Foundation

Satuq Bugrakhan Foundation of Science and Civilization

Society Union of Uyghur National Association

Stop Uyghur Genocide Canada

Stop Uyghur Genocide

Sweden Uyghur Education Union

Switzerland East Turkestan Association

Uyghur Science and Civilization Research Foundation

Uigur Society of the Kyrgyz Republic

Umer Uyghur Trust

Uyghur American Association

Uyghur Academy Australia

Uyghur Academy Canada

Uyghur Academy Europe

Uyghur Academy Foundation

Uyghur Academy Japan

Uyghur Academy USA

Uyghur Association of Victoria

Uyghur Center for Human Rights and Democracy

Uyghur Cultural and Education Union in Germany

Uyghur Education Union

Uyghur Human Rights Project

Uyghur Projects Foundation

Uyghur Refugee Relief Fund

Uyghur Research Institute

Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project

Uyghur Support Group Netherlands

Uyghur Transitional Justice Database

Uyghur U.K. Association

Uyghur Youth Union in Kazakhstan

Uzbekistan Uyghur Culture Center

Victoria Uyghur Association

World Uyghur Congress

World Uyghur Congress Foundation

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