CFU PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 5:30 PM ET
https://www.campaignforuyghurs.org
G7 Misses Historic Opportunity to Show a Strong Front on the Uyghur Genocide
Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) is disappointed with the statement issued by the G7 leaders in their Hiroshima Leaders’ Communiquéregarding the dire human rights situation in China, specifically in Tibet and East Turkistan (also referred as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region by China). The tepid response from the G7, a group which includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, sends a disheartening message to the millions of Uyghurs and Tibetans who continue to suffer under the Chinese government’s oppressive regime.
In the Communiqué, the G7 leaders state, “We will keep voicing our concerns about the human rights situation in China, including in Tibet and Xinjiang where forced labor is of major concern to us.” While it is encouraging to see acknowledgment of the issue, this statement falls far short of the strong and decisive action that is desperately needed to address the ongoing Uyghur genocide.
Executive Director Rushan Abbasexpressed her disappointment with the G7 statement, saying, “The statement from the G7 leaders is a missed opportunity to demonstrate true commitment and resolve in addressing the grave human rights abuses taking place in East Turkistan. Voicing concerns alone will not halt the ongoing atrocities or bring justice to the victims. The Uyghurs need decisive action, not words. Forced labor is not just a major concern; it is a horrific reality for millions of Uyghurs who are subjected to exploitative practices in China’s factories, fields, and detention camps. The G7 leaders must move beyond rhetoric and take decisive steps to ensure that companies and governments engaging in or benefiting from Uyghur forced labor are held accountable.”
CFU urgently calls upon the G7 leaders to rise above political posturing and empty rhetoric and take concrete actions, including imposing targeted sanctions, implementing import bans on goods produced with forced labor, and launching robust investigations into the Uyghur genocide. It is imperative that the international community stands united and resolute in the face of China’s gross violations of human rights. The G7 leaders must recognize that the genocide of the Uyghurs demands urgent attention and substantial action. The time for weak statements and symbolic gestures in the hopes of encouraging the Chinese regime to honor its international commitments is long gone. CFU demands swift and resolute action from the G7 and the global community to deliver justice and end the suffering.
