Deputies back tougher measures against China over Uyghurs
V THE BOARD of Deputies is urging MPs to back a measure that would empower the High Court to revoke bilateral trade deals with countries found to have committed genocide.
The Jewish umbrella group held a discussion yesterday on the Lords amendment to a trade bill — due to be voted on in the Commons — in the context of China’s treatment of its Uyghur population.
Beijing has faced widespread claims of human rights abuses against the mostly Muslim group, including accusations of forced labour and sterilisation — which it continues to deny. China says detention camps in its Xinjiang province where many Uyghurs have been held offer vocational training.
Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy will be tuning in, as will Tory MPs Duncan Smith, Tom Tugendhat, Nusrat Ghani and Christian Wakeford, the Board said.
Board president Marie van der Zyl said “horrors taking place in Xinjiang” could not be denied.
“We are not willing to stand aside and do nothing as millions of people are herded into concentration camps. As people, stigmatised for their ethnicity and religion, are made to do forced labour. As women are forcibly sterilised. As children are removed from their parents.
“We have seen this before. We know exactly where it can lead. And we urge the UK government to listen to the many Conservative MPs who support this amendment.
“It is not too late to act. Together we can make the Chinese government very much aware that should they continue in this way, there will be international consequences.”