There were fewer camera crews present than on the first day. If the first day was more dramatic—one witness shackled himself on stage—the second has been the more newsworthy. To prove the charge of genocide it is not enough to show that China is committing human rights abuses, which is not in doubt. It must be proven that China has intent to eliminate the Uyghurs as a unique ethnic group. Yesterday, 5 June 2021, a panel of five experts gave evidence on just that.
CHINA PATHOLOGISING ISLAM
Dr David Tobin of Manchester University is an expert on political economy in Xinjiang. He began by giving an overview of Chinese state discourse and terminology. Previously, the state talked about Uyghurs and Turkic Muslims as shaoshu minzu or ethnic minorities. After the 19th Chinese Communist Party Congress in October 2017, shaoshu minzu was dropped and zhonghua minzu, the “Chinese Nation”, emphasised a singular identity.
Since then, Chinese state discourse has increasingly pathologised Islam and dehumanised Uyghurs. Chinese media has labelled imams as “parasites,” while state documents describe Uyghurs as “rats” and Islam as a “virus” and a “mental illness”. State discourse also talk of the “infiltration,” “penetration,” and “contagion” of Islam and the danger of supposed “halalification”.
The pathologising of Islam is also seen in the types of policies enacted in Xinjiang. Chinese-medium boarding schools have been heavily promoted in the region. Between 2017 and 2019, the number of children residing at boarding schools has risen from 500,000 to around 880,000. A report published by the Xinjiang Bureau of Education praised these schools for “blocking the influence of the family’s religious atmosphere”. Dr Tobin says, the intent is “to break their [the Uyghurs’] roots”.
DEHUMANISING AND DILUTING THE UYGHUR POPULATION
Dr Laura Murphy of Sheffield University presented government documents regarding the Xinjiang’s labour transfer programme where Uyghurs are sent to work in select factories. Those documents stigmatised Uyghurs as selfish, lazy, slow, and inconstant. At the same time, according to Dr Murphy, state media celebrates Uyghurs put to work in these programmes. These programmes are not voluntary and labourers are either unpaid or very poorly paid.
The same government documents stated explicitly that the purpose of the labour transfer programmes is to “reduce Uyghur population density”. Dr Rian Thum of Manchester University pointed to the compulsory birth limits applied strictly to Uyghurs while Han Chinese are encouraged to have more children, consistent with stated efforts to dilute the Uyghur population.
MORE EVIDENCE OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST UYGHUR WOMEN
The Uyghur Tribunal heard further fact evidence in the afternoon. The tribunal heard evidence of "child camps” and child rape. One witness saw masked guards take a 10-year-old girl into the “dark room”—a room without cameras—known to be used for sexual relations between guards and inmates. The witness was herself raped multiple times in the dark room.
Testimonies of forced abortions, infanticide, forced surgical sterilisations, human trafficking, and police killings of Uyghurs illegally crossing the China-Vietnam border were also heard.
The hearing continues.
Samuel is a trainee solicitor and postgraduate at Cardiff University. He is active in several U.K.-based organisations campaigning on behalf of Hong Kong and BNOs. His research interests include transitional justice and the rule of law.