generalspeaking

Playing the Civilized Game of Avoiding Offence at the UN

"[The facilities in Xinjiang are meant to protect] the human rights of the vast majority [of those living in the governerate]."
"It's another important contribution of China's to the global counter terror-field."
Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Le Yucheng, United Nations Human Rights Council, Geneva

"[Canada expects China to refrain from] prosecution and persecution on the basis of religion or belief."
"[Canada calls on Beijing to] release Uyghurs and other Muslims who have been detained arbitrarily and without due process for their ethnicity or religion."
Canadian Deputy permanent UN representative Tamara Mawhinney

"We were kind of shocked and disappointed that the advance question they [Canada] asked ["What steps is China taking to grant equal marriage and family protections to LGBTI couples in its new Civil Code?] was only about that."
"In the future, they should show more willingness to ask more important questions and raise more issues to make the process more meaningful."
"We were hoping Muslim countries would bring more attention to the situation in Xinjiang. Most countries didn't mention Xinjiang at all."
"That's something we need to ask. Why are they so quiet about their Muslim brothers and sisters in Xinjiang."
Patrick Poon, Amnesty International China researcher

"Indonesia commended 'China’s strategic approach' to ensuring the /well-being of its population'. Malaysia pointed to China’s 'many achievements in human rights'. Kuwait suggested Beijing focus 'on the prevention of juvenile delinquency to ensure minors’ physical and psychological health;. Saudi Arabia recommended China 'continue friendly exchanges in the field of cultural and religious issue's'. Syria urged China to counter 'extremist religious movements and continue its struggle against terrorism and separatism'. Pakistan said China should 'continue its efforts to maintain and promote peace and stability'."
The Globe and Mail

A man takes part in a demonstration against China during its Universal Periodic Review by the Human Rights Council in front of the United Nations Office in Geneva on Tuesday. The protest drew around 1,000 Tibetan and Uighurs. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters)

The world is aware that for the past year Beijing has been busy rounding up devout Muslim Uighurs -- assertions are up to a million are involved -- in vast Islamic de-indoctrination camps off limits to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights investigators. In those re-education camps inmates are subjected to Communist Party indoctrination. They are beaten, and if necessary, to fully emphasize expectations of acceptance and harmony, tortured. China denied the existence of such camps.

Until it began describing the existence of high-security facilities in the eastern province of Xinjiang whose presence was there for the exalted purpose of influencing the Muslim communities living there that it is in their best interests to consider themselves subjects of China with no interest in Islam. China has, just as it has done in Tibet, implanted large populations of Han Chinese in the province to convince the Uighurs and Turkmen that their geography is a shared one, albeit dominated by Beijing.

Canada joined Britain, Germany, France and the United States, requesting answers and actions to explain adequately what is happening in Xinjiang. Countries of the West submitted advance queries on China's human rights compliance referring to China's multiplying outrages against UN human rights charters and covenants. Questions of substance requiring detailed responses, awaiting answers that will satisfy the questioners' impressions that China's relations with its Muslim population is averse to human rights.

For its part, Canada, echoing the preoccupation of its Prime Minister wholly engaged in LGBTQ2 rights in his entirely precious virtue signalling style submitted a one-sentence question: "What steps is China taking to grant equal marriage and family protections to LGBT1 couples in its new Civil Code?" Typical Trudeau. Limiting his concerns to the welfare of a vanishingly small percentage of any population which has garnered a big voice of victimhood arresting the attention of 'progressives' like Trudeau and Company for exaggerated respect and support.

This represented an important occasion for Canada to make the most of its allotted 45 seconds for which event the attendance of its finance minister, international trade diversification minister, federal agriculture minister, treasury board president and several provincial premiers were present. Because, above all else, it's business as usual, and Canada's business is preoccupied with enticing China to sign a free trade deal with Canada.

And then there is that elusive temporary term to be elected for a seat on the United Nations Security Council for which Justin Trudeau is slavering. Prestige is invested in that.  So softball questions are the order of the day. Doesn't make sense to offend a powerful ally whose 1.4-billion population represents a huge market for Canadian trade, does it? Unless they're Saudi Arabia, of course.

Labels: Canada, China, Controversy, Human Rights, Hypocrisy, Trade, United Nations

posted by Pieface @ Friday, November 09, 2018