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The government is urged to accept Uighur refugees under the Refugee Quota Program, to “help some of the most persecuted people find safety.”
A coalition of organizations today will present a petition and an open letter calling on parliamentarians to “put words into action and help the Uighur community abroad who escaped persecution from China but [are] living in limbo ”.
The Uighur Muslim minority in Xinjiang, China, has been subjected to a long campaign of oppression by the Chinese government, which several countries now describe as genocide.
The letter is written by Auckland Peace Action, Uyghur Solidarity Aotearoa NZ, Peace Action Wellington and Khadija Leadership Network, on behalf of the New Zealand Uyghur community, “who also fear for their safety and therefore prefer to remain anonymous. ”.
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“Uighur refugees are unable to return home because they face severe persecution and are among the most vulnerable diaspora groups,” the letter says.
The letter says that thousands of Uyghurs in various countries need urgent help because they face uncertainty, including the risk of being deported to China.
“We call on the New Zealand government to accept Uighur refugees as part of the Refugee Quota Program, so that they can settle here safely and build their future without fear of persecution.”
The quota is for refugees who have been identified by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as in need of resettlement. Acceptance under the program would mean prioritizing Uighur refugee applications, making the process much faster than a routine application.
The founder and CEO of the Khadija Leadership Network, Tayyaba Khan, told Stuff Circuit that New Zealanders have faced some of the biggest human rights violations, including apartheid in South Africa and the haven of Syrians and Rohingya.
“The situation requires that we equally tap into our moral compass when it comes to China.”
In July 2020, New Zealand’s annual refugee quota increased to 1,500 places. Immigration NZ says the quota will not be met in 2020/21 due to the global impact of Covid-19.
Khan said the immediate focus should be on the relatives of the Uighurs already in New Zealand.
“These people are currently in Xinjiang,” he said. “However, there are refugees in third countries like Turkey and Thailand who could easily be assisted through our refugee program.
“We know of people in third countries who would love nothing more than to return home, but given the current situation … they want some security, stability and rights to the necessities of life.”
Supplied
Tayyaba Khan of the Khadija Leadership Network says Uighur refugees deserve security and stability in the face of persecution from the Chinese government.
Khan described the government’s handling of the Uighur crisis as “smooth and diplomatic.”
“Why don’t we take a tougher stance on what has now been described as genocide? Don’t we care about these lives?
The petition and letter will be received by Green Deputy and Foreign Affairs spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman, who told Stuff Circuit that she has “personally heard numerous accounts of abuse, disappearance and scary tactics against our local Uyghur community and her family at home. ”.
“The extreme abuses against the Uighur people by the Chinese government are well documented. We, as a nation, have a legal and moral obligation to take a tougher line on human rights violations, even when committed by our business partners, to provide refuge for victims of persecution. “
Abigail Dougherty / Stuff
Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman says New Zealand has a moral and legal obligation to take a tougher line on human rights violations. Abigail Dougherty / Stuff.
Referring to the recent documentary Stuff Circuit Deleted, which he said “revealed a sinister link between Aotearoa and the Chinese companies involved in this atrocity,” Gharaman said New Zealand must “hold our own businesses accountable when they are involved in such abuses.”
So far, the open letter has been signed by more than 1000 people. It will be delivered, together with a petition, on the steps of Parliament at 12.30 pm today.
- Removed it was made with the help of NZ On Air.
