In reaction to China’s recent brutality against ethnic Uighurs, Initiatives for China issued the following statement:
IFC strongly condemns the brutal tactics used by the Chinese police against a group of ethnic Uighurs in Hotan, Xinjiang Province, resulting in seven dead (including two women) and four seriously injured. The attack occurred on December 28, 2011, while the group was attempting to cross the border in order to flee religious persecution in China.
IFC is extremely alarmed that such an atrocity was committed under the disguise of a “war on terror,” using the excuse of “resisting arrest,” without convincing evidence, to justify the violent methods used against the Uighurs. It is clear from interviews with local people conducted by Radio Free Asia correspondents that the victims were not “violent terrorists” as labeled by the Chinese Communist regime but the victims of religious persecution; and we denounce China using this rhetoric as an excuse to ruthlessly kill or torture more innocent people, including political dissidents and human rights defenders.
IFC is concerned that the Chinese authorities are intensifying its crackdown on the ethnic Uighur community and spreading terror throughout the region, because the police have launched another wave of arrests in which more than 30 Uighur villagers have reportedly been detained, including many members of the victims’ families. This is a gross violation of human rights and should be stopped.
IFC also very concerned about the fate of the five children, aged between seven and 17, who were traveling with the group and were detained after the incident.There has been no communication with them since then, and since some of the children were seriously wounded, we urge the international community to take action and press the Chinese government to disclose the whereabouts and mental and physical condition of these vulnerable children.
We appeal to the international community and human rights organizations, including the Human Rights Council of the United Nation, to immediately urge China to release the innocent children and their family members, conduct an investigation into these malicious killings by the Chinese Communist regime, and press the Chinese Government for a full explanation and hold those responsible to account.