By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/hchr1uighurs102209.html
UNITED NATIONS, October 22 -- As the UN like the United States because less willing to speak about human rights and China, questions at UN headquarters about the treatment of minority Uighurs have gone unanswered until now. Last week, Inner City Press asked about Uighurs sentenced to death without having lawyers. There was no response.
On October 21, Inner City Press asked about reports that over 40 Uighurs including children have been disappeared by the government. The Deputy Spokesperson for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon responded that the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights would be saying something on the issue later that day.
Three hours later, Inner City Press asked High Commissioner Pillay about the missing Uighurs. She shook her head, nothing to say, at least not at a press conference on human trafficking. A staffer said a statement might come out later and be provided.
Nothing having arrived, at the noon briefing on October 22, Inner City Press asked again. Still nothing. Another staffer said that the Office is doing a lot behind the scenes. But why treat China so differently than other countries?
Finally, a statement was provided to Inner City Press, below
Subj: Your question on China
From: unspokesperson-donotreply [at] un.org
To: Inner City Press
Sent: 10/22/2009 2:40:31 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
While recognizing that those who committed crimes in Xinjiang -- just like anywhere else -- must be brought to justice, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) says it has concerns about the reported disappearance of some of those arrested. In July, OHCHR expressly requested information from the Government of China about the whereabouts and status of the detainees and will continue to pursue this matter with the government.
During the unrest, the High Commissioner for Human Rights called publicly for an independent investigation into the causes of the rioting and the reasons why it escalated to the point of causing injuries or loss of life to around 1,000 people. Since then, OHCHR has encouraged the Government of China to facilitate an open and transparent investigation by independent international parties in order to produce a fuller narrative of what actually happened. OHCHR believes this type of investigation is extremely important after events of this nature -- it made a similar call, for example, after the recent killings and rapes in Guinea.
OHCHR says it will continue to discuss all these issues with the Chinese authorities.
For any follow-up questions, pls contact OHCHR
And see, www.innercitypress.com/hchr1uighurs102209.html
