Act Now, Uighurs

URGENT UPDATE ALERT: China – Write to the foreign minister and Chinese ambassador in your country regarding escalating violence in Xinjiang

8 July 2009

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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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08 July 2009

URGENT UPDATE ALERT: China – Write to the foreign minister and Chinese ambassador in your country regarding escalating violence in Xinjiang

Contents
1. Summary
2. Background
3. Action required
4. Sample letters
5. Addresses for sample letters

1. Summary

In light of the escalating violence in Xinjiang, IHRC urgently asks campaigners to send letters to the foreign ministers and Chinese ambassadors in their respective countries.

In addition to the updated sample letters and addresses for sample letters that can be found below, please read the article by exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer regarding the current unrest (https://www.ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=4230).

2. Background

IHRC is deeply concerned over the escalating violence in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR). Reports suggest the unrest has now spread from Urumqi to the cities of Kashgar, Yarkand, Aksu, Khotan and Karamay.

There are conflicting reports from various sources regarding the number of dead in Urumqi, and the cause of these deaths. Official reports say at least 156 have been killed, while other sources put the figure above 1,000. Uighur sources within Xinjiang say that 400 Uighurs have been killed by police. So far, there have been 1,000 injured and 1,434 arrested in relation to the unrest in Xinjiang.

Official reports link the unrest to the death of two Uighur factory workers in June in an ethnic clash at a toy factory in Shaoguan, Guangdong province. However, other reports suggest that more than 100 Uighurs were killed during the incident at the factory. While the Chinese authorities imposed an information black-out on the incident, it was allegedly the rumours of this incident, and the government’s inaction, that sparked an estimated 10,000 Uighur protestors to take to the streets in Urumqi.

Reports suggest police knew in advance protestors would be demonstrating in large numbers and blocked the roads to prevent them from assembling. This, and heavy-handed policing toward Uighurs, is thought to have played a role in turning the initially peaceful protests in Urumqi into violent riots.

It is probable that the substantial influx of Han Chinese to the region has played a role in the current unrest. A drastic ‘in-transfer’ of ethnic Han Chinese has coincided a government policy of transferring Uighur women from Xinjiang to the urban areas of China’s eastern seaboard for forced labour, significantly changing the region’s demographics.

China’s Uighurs are undoubtedly amongst the most repressed peoples of the world. Some of the human rights abuses Uighurs face are forced labour, forced abortion, human trafficking, arbitrary arrest and detention, and severe racial and religious persecution and discrimination. For further information on the human rights situation of Uighurs in China, please visit links below:

Young-Uyghur Women Transferred from Rural China for Forced Labour in Eastern Urban Areas (https://ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=3227)

The plight of the Uighurs: China’s Muslims suffering as much as the Tibetans (https://www.ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=3553)

Did China’s Nuclear Tests Kill Thousands and Doom Future Generations? (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=did-chinas-nuclear-tests)

Also, please read this article by exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer for more information on the current unrest:

The real Uighur story — Rebiya Kadeer
(https://www.ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=4230)

IHRC calls on the Chinese government to carry out an open and independent investigation into the ethnic clash and deaths that took place in Guangdong in late June. Protestors must be dealt with in a proportionate and even-handed manner and all deaths and arrests in Xinjiang must be accounted for.Those arrested must receive fair trials in accordance with international standards, and adequate investigations should be done surrounding all deaths. Additionally, the Chinese government must begin addressing the abhorrent human rights situation in Xinjiang.

IHRC urgently asks campaigners to send letters to the foreign ministers and Chinese ambassadors in their respective countries regarding the escalating violence in Xinjiang, specifically raising the points mentioned immediately above. In addition to writing to the Chinese ambassador and foreign minister in your country, you may write to the foreign ministers of Brunei, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Turkey, irrespective of the country in which you reside.

3. Action required

a) Write to the Chinese ambassadors in your respective countries regarding the escalating violence in Xinjiang, specifically raising the mentioned points. At the end of the alert, embassy details are provided for campaigners in Australia, Brunei, Canada, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, UK and USA.

b) Write to the foreign ministers of your respective countries requesting them to raise with their Chinese counterparts the mentioned points relating to the escalating violence in Xinjiang. At the end of this alert are the contact details for foreign ministries in Australia, Brunei, Canada, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, UK and USA for campaigners in those countries.

Additionally, you may write to the foreign ministers of Brunei, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Turkey, irrespective of the country you reside in.

4. Sample letters
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Sample letters are given below for your convenience. Please note that model letters can be sent directly or adjusted as necessary to include further details. If you receive a reply to the letter you send, we request you to send a copy of the letter you sent and the reply you received to IHRC. This is very important as it helps IHRC to monitor the situation with regards to our campaigns and to improve upon the current model letters. It is preferable that letters be sent via post, or otherwise by fax and/or email.

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a) Minister of foreign affairs. (The sample letter below has already been supplied with details for the UK Foreign Office. Mr. Miliband can also be reached via fax: +44 (0)20 7839 2417 or email: private.office@fco.gov.uk)

[Your name]
[Your address]

[Date]

Rt. Hon. David Miliband MP
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH

Dear Mr. Miliband,

Re: China – Current violence in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR)

I am deeply worried about the current violence in XUAR. There are various conflicting reports regarding the number of dead in Urumqi, and the cause of these deaths. Official reports say at least 156 have been killed, while other sources put the figure above 1,000. Uighur sources within Xinjiang say that 400 Uighurs have been killed by police. So far, there have been 1,000 injured and 1,434 arrested in relation to the unrest in Xinjiang.

As you may be aware, the Uighurs of China are amongst the most repressed peoples of the world. Some of the human rights abuses Uighurs face are forced labour, forced abortion, human trafficking, arbitrary arrest and detention, and severe racial and religious persecution. I am very concerned that the Chinese authorities may use the current protests and unrest as an excuse to severely crackdown on the regions Uighurs, making sweeping arrests, and curtail even further the Uighurs rights.

I urge you to seek assurances from your Chinese counterparts that they will deal with protestors in a proportionate and even-handed manner, and that they will account for all deaths and arrests in Xinjiang. Those arrested must receive fair trials in accordance with international standards, and adequate investigations should be done surrounding all deaths. Further, please call on the Chinese authorities to conduct an open and independent investigation into the ethnic clash and deaths that took place in Guangdong in late June, and to appropriately address the root cause of the current unrest, namely the abhorrent human rights situation for Uighurs in China.

I look forward to your response on this urgent matter.

Yours sincerely,

[Your signature]
[Your name]

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b) Chinese ambassador in your country. (UK campaigners can write using the address supplied below, fax: +44-20-76362981 or email: chinaemb_uk@mfa.gov.cn)

[Your name]
[Your address]

[Date]

Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom – HE Mme Fu Ying
Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom
49-51 Portland Place
London
W1B 1JL

Your Excellency,

Re: China – Current violence in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR)

As you may be aware, the Uighurs of XUAR are amongst the most repressed peoples of the world. Some of the human rights abuses Uighurs face are forced labour, forced abortion, human trafficking, arbitrary arrest and detention, and severe racial and religious persecution. I am very concerned that the Chinese government may use the current protests and unrest as an excuse to severely crackdown on the regions Uighurs, making sweeping arrests, and curtail even further the Uighurs rights.

I hereby urge the Chinese government to deal with protestors in a proportionate and even-handed manner, and to account for all deaths and arrests in Xinjiang. Those arrested must receive fair trials in accordance with international standards, and adequate investigations should be done surrounding all deaths. Further, I request the Chinese government to conduct an open and independent investigation into the ethnic clash and deaths that took place in Guangdong in late June, and to appropriately address the root cause of the current unrest, namely the abhorrent human rights situation for Uighurs in China.

I look forward to your response on this urgent matter.

Yours sincerely,

[Your signature]
[Your name]

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5. Addresses for sample letters

a) Ministers of foreign affairs in Australia, Brunei, Canada, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, UK and USA.

Australia:

Minister for Foreign Affairs – Hon. Stephen Smith MP
PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Fax: +61 (02) 6273 4112
Email: Stephen.Smith.MP@aph.gov.au

Brunei:

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade – HRH Prince Mohamed Bolkiah
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Jalan Subok
Bandar Seri Begawan BD 2710
Brunei Darussalam

Fax: +673 2261100
Email: http://www.mfa.gov.bn/feedbacks/index.htm

Canada:

Minister of Foreign Affairs – Hon. Lawrence Cannon
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0G2, Canada

India:

Minister of External Affairs – HE Shri S.M. Krishna
Ministry of External Affairs
Spl. Secretary (PD) & Appellate Authority (RTI)
Room No. – 183A, South Block
New Delhi -110011
India

Fax: +91-11-23016271
Email: jsrti@mea.gov.in

Indonesia:

Minister of Foreign Affairs – HE Dr. N. Hassan Wirajuda
Department of Foreign Affairs
Jalan Pejambon No.6
Jakarta
Pusat 10110
Republic of Indonesia

Fax: +62 21 3857316
Email: infomed@deplu.go.id

Iran:

Foreign Minister – HE Dr. Manouchehr Mottaki
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamic Republic of Iran
Imam Khomeini SQ
Tehran – Iran

Fax: +98 21 6674 3149
Email: matbuat@mfa.gov.ir

Malaysia:

Minister of Foreign Affairs – Hon. Datuk Anifah Hj. Aman
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia
Wisma Putra
1 Jalan Wisma Putra
Precinct 2
62602 Putrajaya
Malaysia

Fax: +603 8889 1717
Email: http://www.kln.gov.my/?m_id=57

South Africa:

Minister of International Relations and Co-operation of the Republic of South Africa –
Hon. Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane
Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
PRETORIA 0001
Republic of South Africa

Fax: +27-12 328 7384
Email: minister@foreign.gov.za

Sri Lanka:

Minister of Foreign Affairs – Hon. Rohitha Bogollagama
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Republic Building
Colombo 01
Sri Lanka

Fax: +94-11-2446091
Email: publicity@formin.gov.lk

Turkey:

Minister of Foreign Affairs – Prof. Dr. Ahmet Davutoğlu
Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Balgat / Ankara / Turkey 06100

Email: info@mfa.gov.tr

UK:

Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs –
Rt. Hon. David Miliband MP
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London, SW1A 2AH
UK

Fax: +44 (0)20 7839 2417
Email: private.office@fco.gov.uk

USA:

Secretary of State – Hillary Clinton
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
USA

Email: http://tinyurl.com/m43cox

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b) Chinese ambassadors in Australia, Brunei, Canada, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, UK and USA.

Australia:

Chinese Ambassador to Australia – HE Zhang Junsai
Chinese Embassy in Australia
15, Coronation Drive
Yarralumla
A.C.T. 2600
Canberra
Australia

Fax: +61-2-62734878
Email: chinaemb_au@mfa.gov.cn

Brunei:

Chinese Ambassador to Brunei – HE Tong Xiaoling
Chinese Embassy in Brunei
No.1, 3, 5 Simpang 462
Campong Sungai Hanching
Jalan Muara
BC 2115
Bandar Seri Begawan
Brunei Darussalam

Fax: +673-2-335710
Email: embproc@brunet.bn

Canada:

Chinese Ambassador to Canada – HE Lan Lijun
Chinese Embassy in Canada
515 St. Patrick Street
Ottawa
Ontario
Canada
KIN 5H3

Fax: +1-613-7891911
Email: chinaemb_ca@mfa.gov.cn

India:

Chinese Ambassador to India – HE Zhang Yan
Chinese Embassy in India
50-D
Shantipath
Chanakyapuri
New Delhi-110021
India

Fax: +91-11- 26885486
Email: chinaemb_in@mfa.gov.cn

Indonesia:

Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia – HE Zhang Qiyue
Chinese Embassy in Indonesia
Jl. Mega Kuningan
No.2 Jakarta Selatan
12950 Indonesia

Fax: +62-21-5761021
Email: political@chnemb.or.id

Iran:

Chinese Ambassador to Iran – HE Xie Xiaoyan
Chinese Embassy in Iran
No.13, Narenjestan 7th
Pasdaran Ave.
P.O.Box 11365-3937
Tehran
Iran

Fax: +9821-22291243, +9821-22290690
Email: chinaemb_ir@mfa.gov.cn

Malaysia:

Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia – HE Cheng Yonghua
Chinese Embassy in Malaysia
229, Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia

Fax: +603-21414552, +603-21453924
Email: cn@tm.net.my

South Africa:

Chinese Ambassador to South Africa – HE Zhong Jianhua
Embassy of China in Pretoria, South Africa
972 Pretorius Street, Arcadia
P.O.Box 95764, Waterkloof 0145
Pretoria
South Africa
0083

Fax: +27-12-4316595
Email: reception@chinese-embassy.org.za

Sri Lanka:

Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka – HE Yang Xiuping
Embassy of China in Colombo, Sri Lanka
381-A Bauddhaloka
Mawatha
Colombo
Sri Lanka

Fax: +94-11-2693799, +94-11-2684579
Email: chinaemb_lk@mfa.gov.cn

Turkey:

Chinese Ambassador to Turkey – HE Gong Xiaosheng
Chinese Embassy in Turkey
Golgeli Sokak No.34
06700 Gaziosmanpasa
Ankara
Turkey

Fax: +90-312-4464248
Email: sgbgs@superonline.com, sgyjs@superonline.com

UK:

Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom – HE Mme Fu Ying
Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom
49-51 Portland Place
London
W1B 1JL

Fax: +44-20-76362981
Email: chinaemb_uk@mfa.gov.cn

USA:

Chinese Ambassador to the United States of America –
HE Zhou Wenzhong
Chinese Embassy in the United States of America
2300 Connecticut Avenue
N.W., Washington D.C. 20008
USA

Fax: +1-202-3282582
Email: webmaster@china-embassy.org

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For more information, please contact the office on the numbers or email below

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Holy Qur’an: Chapter 4, Verse 75

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