The Lithuanian parliament, based in the capital city of Vilnius, has described the Chinese treatment of Uyghurs in Noth Western China as “genocide.” The parliament then voted to call for a UN investigation and asked the European Union to review its relations with China.
Interestingly enough, the U.S. government under Biden has described the treatment of that minority as genocide but has taken little steps beyond that. What is needed is massive international pressure, not simple words.
In addition to the U.S. and Lithuania, the United Kingdom and Canada have also described the actions as genocidal, a claim that the Chinese government has denied in a scolding manner. No surprise that the Chinese would be quick to deny it; despite massive evidence, in communist nations, avoiding the truth is common.
Holding China Accountable
As well as condemning the genocide in mainland China, Lithuania also condemned the Chinese authority over Hong Kong and called for the easing of restrictions over Tibet’s religious leader, the Dalai Lama.
Lithuania has voted to call the treatment of Uyghurs genocide.
The parliament also voted "to call for a U.N. investigation of internment camps and to ask the European Commission to review relations with Beijing."https://t.co/hwfPtK0h5T
— Uyghur Human Rights Project (@UyghurProject) May 20, 2021
The reason for this sudden declaration from Lithuania is that the country has suffered under communism too, and its leaders would like to take a stand.
Dovile, a Lithuanian MP, confirmed support from democracy. He also declared that we will “never forget” the cruelty of living under a communist regime for five decades. He has been blacklisted by the Chinese government for his comments.
Lithuania was under Soviet communist rule from 1940-1991 and since then has taken a strong stand against actions that remind them of the hardships they suffered under the policy. Since freedom, it has always pushed for tougher action against belligerents such as China and Russia.
Lithuania's parliament passed a resolution today recognizing China's repression of Uyghur Muslims as genocide, joining the U.S., U.K., Canada and the Netherlands.https://t.co/ZflkzjaYyL
— Axios (@axios) May 20, 2021
China’s Forced Labor
It stinks of forced labor; some 45% of the world’s supply of key components for solar panels may have been produced by the forced labor of the Uygur minority in the Xinjiang province of China.
Sheffield Hallam University, who ran a study that resulted in this information coming to light, said that as the current supply is tainted by slave labor, manufacturers should source their materials elsewhere.
Chinese government destroys several Uyghur Muslim mosques in Xinjiang — during Ramadan no less. Cultural ethnic cleaning. pic.twitter.com/b17g6sN8ZX
— Khaled Beydoun (@KhaledBeydoun) May 18, 2021
The university studies reported that the (Chinese) government alleges that the aforementioned programs abide by PRC (People’s Republic of China) law. Additional claims from the Chinese government allege that workers engage “voluntarily,” in an effort backed by the government to end poverty.
The term ‘volunteer workers,’ sounds like a parody film where the evil dictator doesn’t like the word ‘slaves’ so he comes up with some other funny phrase to cover it up. Here in China, however, it’s not a joke, it’s terrifyingly serious.
This use of the word “voluntarily” is a direct contradiction to the university report. The report maintains that countless indigenous workers cannot just walk away from their jobs. As such programs of this nature are equivalent to “forcible transfer of populations” and also “enslavement.”
