UN, in rare move, rejects debate on China's treatment of Uyghur Muslims

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

UN, in rare move, rejects debate on China's treatment of Uyghur Muslims Canada, the United States and Britain were among the countries that called for the motion Photo by Ng Han Guan / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Article content GENEVA — The UN rights council on Thursday rejected a Western-led motion to hold a debate about alleged human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region after a UN report found possible crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Muslims.

Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or UN, in rare move, rejects debate on China's treatment of Uyghur Muslims Back to video The defeat (19 against, 17 for, 11 abstentions) is only the second time in the council’s 16-year history that a motion has been rejected and is seen by observers as a setback to both accountability efforts and the West’s moral authority.

NP Posted Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Sign Up By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Article content The United States, Canada and Britain were among the countries that called for the motion. There was a rare burst of applause after the result was announced in the packed Geneva-based council room. “This is a disaster. This is really disappointing,” said Dolkun Isa, president of the World Uyghur Congress, whose mother died in a camp and whose two brothers are missing. Recommended from Editorial Opinion: This Canadian has been jailed by China for 15 years. Why aren't the Liberals helping? The Beijing Olympics are a show. What's happening in China is chillingly real

Advertisement 3 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content “We will never give up but we are really disappointed by the reaction of Muslim countries,” he added. Qatar, Indonesia and Pakistan all rejected the motion. China’s ambassador had warned shortly before the vote that the motion would create a “dangerous shortcut” for examining other countries’ human rights records. “Today China is targeted. Tomorrow any other developing country will be targeted,” said Chen Xu. The UN rights office on Aug. 31 released a long-delayed report that found serious human rights violations had been committed in Xinjiang, in a move that has increased pressure on China. Rights groups accuse Beijing of abuses against Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority that numbers around 10 million in the western region of Xinjiang, including the mass use of forced labor in internment camps. The United States has accused China of genocide.

Advertisement 4 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content Beijing vigorously denies any abuses and has said it is “ready for the fight” if action is taken against it. The event raised political dilemmas for many developing countries in the 47-member council who are loath to publicly defy China for fear of jeapordising Chinese investment. Lobbying on the sidelines was intense in recent weeks, with China hosting a photo exhibition entitled “Xinjiang is a Wonderful Land” where pictures of Xinjiang festivals and landscapes and Han and Uyghur schoolgirls helping each other with their studies. Outside the UN headquarters, Uyghurs held a protest and posted photos of people they say China is detaining.

Share this article in your social network

Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.