Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 November 2018
155. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he is taking with his EU foreign Minister colleagues to address the reports of human rights violations in Xinjiang directed at the Uighur nation in north west China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45328/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra156. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the actions of Irish and EU diplomats in China in ascertaining if large numbers of Uighur citizens have been incarcerated in retraining concentration camps in Xinjiang; the actions Ireland and the EU will now take to end this illegal practice by China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45329/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 155 and 156 together.
The Irish Government, along with our EU partners, has been closely following reports regarding the treatment of the Uighur community and other minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
Ireland aligns with the statement issued by the European External Action Service Spokesperson on 26 October, which reiterates the EU’s concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in Xinjiang, and calls for China to respect freedom of religion or belief, and freedom of expression, as well as the rights of persons belonging to ethnic or national minorities.
In addition, a speech on behalf of HRVP Mogherini at the European Parliament on 4 October set out EU concerns, and drew attention in particular to the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) which highlights reports of the mass detention of Uighurs and other minorities in political re-education camps. She called for China to engage constructively with the Committee’s recommendations.
This speech also noted that the EU had raised the situation in Xinjiang and at the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue which took place on 9-10 July had reiterated its request for fact-finding visits to Xinjiang. This annual dialogue is the primary formal framework through which the EU engages in discussion in the field of human rights protection and promotion with China.
From Ireland’s perspective, the situation in Xinjiang was raised at a bilateral level with Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of China, Mr Wang Chao, during his visit to Ireland last week when he undertook political consultations covering a wide range of issues of mutual interest.
In addition to raising human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities at a bilateral level, these issues are also raised regularly in multilateral fora by both Ireland and the EU. In this context, the EU has raised concerns regarding the situation in Xinjiang during the most recent session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva in September 2018, and during the current session of the UN General Assembly Third Committee on 26 October.
Ireland, along with a number of other Member States, have also raised the situation in Xinjiang during our contribution to China’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) which took place this morning in Geneva. The UPR is the mechanism through which the United Nations Human Rights Council examines and addresses the human rights performance of its member states.
In addition to engaging with the Chinese authorities in Beijing on this issue, a number of EU diplomats have visited Xinjiang in recent months to ascertain the situation on the ground there.
The Irish Government, together with our EU partners, will continue to raise human rights issues with China, in frequent and regular dialogue, through our contacts in both Dublin and Beijing, and through the relevant multilateral channels.
