Latest news with #Uyghurs
Politico
2 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
How the War of the Words in Gaza Makes It Harder To Save Lives
Under President Joe Biden, when the U.N. and partner agencies appeared close to declaring a famine had taken hold in Gaza, the U.S. officials who wanted to push Israel to limit its attacks and let in more humanitarian aid would get the edge in the debate, two former U.S. officials familiar with the conversations told me. The new pressure on Israel would work, and more food would reach Palestinians. But it meant there was no famine declaration. That then gave the upper hand in the debate to more hawkish U.S. officials, who used the absence of the 'famine' label to argue for going easier on the Israelis. The cycle would then repeat itself, the former officials said. I granted anonymity to many of the people I spoke to so they could be candid about sensitive deliberations and because, in some cases, they need to keep good relations with various governments involved in conflicts. The use of the word 'genocide' in the Gaza conflict has been especially fraught. Almost since the start of the war, pro-Palestinian activists have accused Israel of committing genocide against the people in Gaza. In the many months since, even some genocide scholars have come to the same conclusion. This week, two Israeli human rights groups made the same allegation. 'Genocide' is a legal concept defined by international agreements and, in some countries, national laws. It is generally considered the gravest offense humans can commit against other humans. The intent of an accused perpetrator is a critical factor taken into consideration when jurists try to determine if a genocide took place, and traditionally, the bar has been high for groups to be labeled as victims of genocide. In recent years, however, many groups who have suffered atrocities have laid claim to that word. They include the victims of the Islamic State, the Uyghurs in China, and the Rohingya of Myanmar. Some Ukrainians have alleged Russia is pursuing genocide against them, while Russia counters that Kyiv has engaged in genocide against Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine. Activists who push to use the term 'genocide' often seem to suggest that if any label short of that is used, it means that a group's suffering doesn't matter. This is unfortunate, Malinowski and others say, because other legal terms that could apply, such as 'war crimes' or 'crimes against humanity,' are still very grave offenses whose perpetrators should be held accountable. A government's decision to accuse another country of genocide often comes down to politics. Israel has far broader, deeper support in Washington than countries such as Myanmar or China. It also bears the history of the genocide of the Holocaust, one reason Israeli leaders are infuriated at growing claims that they are waging genocide against the Palestinians. Israeli leaders argue that Hamas' desire to wipe out Israel is itself an attempt at genocide of the Jewish people. Israel also says it is not deliberately attacking the Palestinian people as a whole. But that becomes harder to argue when civilians are dying both from hunger and what critics say is excessive use of force.
Epoch Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Bipartisan Bills Target China's Human Rights Violations Amid US–China Trade Talks
A group of bipartisan lawmakers are introducing legislation this week targeting the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) human rights violations at home as well as its transnational repression campaigns, as Washington and Beijing resumed trade talks in Stockholm. The bills are sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) of the Congressional Executive Commission on China (CECC). One of the bills seeks to tackle 'transnational repression'—acts by foreign governments and their proxies to target overseas dissidents, journalists, and other persecuted groups. The bill is sponsored in the House by Reps. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and James McGovern (D-Mass.). In a CECC hearing in September 2023, Merkley said that transnational repression was 'central to the Chinese Communist Party's strategy of silencing critics of Chinese policy around the world.' The commission's report for 2024 said the Chinese regime 'continued a multifaceted campaign of transnational repression to intimidate and enhance control over critics, Uyghurs, Hong Kongers, and others.' The report stated that the CCP 'continued to monitor, detain, and imprison Falun Gong adherents.' Earlier this month, at an event marking the regime's 26-year-long persecution of Falun Gong, Smith called the CCP's targeting the spiritual discipline's adherents in the United States 'transnational terrorism.' Another bill, sponsored in the House by Smith and Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), seeks to expand sanctioning powers over the Chinese regime's human rights violations against Uyghur Muslims, to cover more acts of human rights violations and those responsible for the transnational repression of Uyghurs. According to human rights experts, Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang region have been subjected to mass detention, with an estimated 1 million placed in a sprawling network of internment camps and other detention facilities in Xinjiang. Survivors of the camps have described experiencing forced labor, forced sterilizations, political indoctrination, and other abuses during their time in detention. A third bill Merkley is introducing, co-sponsored by Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah), aims to help Taiwan as the self-ruled island faces increasing pressure from mainland China. It would support countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that maintain official diplomatic relations with Taiwan and would take other steps to deepen coordination with Taipei. The CCP has never ruled Taiwan, but it views the island democracy as its territory and has repeatedly threatened to annex it by force. The regime has sabotaged Taiwan's diplomatic relations and blocked its participation in international organizations. It insists the world should follow its 'One China' policy, which claims that the communist regime is the only legitimate government on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. In a statement, Merkley said the United States 'cannot afford to be weak in the face of the People's Republic of China and its aggression around the world.' 'No matter who is in the White House, America's values of freedom and human rights must remain at the heart of a clear and principled vision that guides our leadership on the global stage,' he added. On Monday, U.S. officials led by U.S. Treasury Chief Scott Bessent met Beijing's delegation in Stockholm to renew trade talks, paving the way for U.S. President Donald Trump's potential visit to China. China is facing an Aug. 12 deadline to reach a durable tariff agreement with the Trump administration, after Beijing and Washington reached preliminary deals in May and June to end weeks of escalating tit-for-tat tariffs and a cut-off of rare earth minerals. Bessent said last week that the deadline will likely be extended. Officials are expected to resume talks on Tuesday.
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Inside China's sick plot to build empire of ‘organ harvesting centres' in five years… with ‘donors' already lined up
CHINA'S regime is significantly expanding its empire of organ harvesting centres in a twisted bid to make money, experts say. A plot to build six new sites in Xinjiang Uyghur by 2030 has stoked fears of forced organ removal, given staggeringly low donation rates in the region. Advertisement 4 An organ removal operation takes place in China Credit: supplied 4 A hospital in Urumqi in Xinjiang, China Credit: Supplied China's organ trade is already estimated to have a market value of $1 billion per year - which the Communist government wants to swell. A liver transplant, for example, can cost around £118,000 ($160k) in China - but with a much shorter waiting time compared to the rest of the world. This draws in not only recipients from inside the sprawling nation, but also unsuspecting international visitors who travel there for a transplant. China's regime has long been accused of orchestrating a campaign against persecuted minorities. Advertisement More China's organ harvesting Prisoners are known to be killed specifically for the extraction of their organs. Experts say the primary victims of forced organ harvesting are those who follow Buddhist qigong and meditation practice of Falun Gong. They also believe that incarcerated Uyghurs fall victim - and new facilities are planned to open in their autonomous region of Xinjiang. At least six transplant institutions are tipped to open in the next five years, which campaigners say is hugely disproportionate to Xinjiang's low organ donation rate. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Breaking Xinjiang is understood to have an organ donation rate of just 0.69 per cent per million people - significantly below the national average of 4.66 per cent. It has raised questions among experts who fear it could be part of a sickening plot to use detained Uyghurs as a living organ "donation" bank. Ughur detainees have reported forced blood tests, ultrasounds and organ-focused medical scans while in custody. Insiders say such procedures are consistent with chilling organ compatibility testing. Advertisement Wendy Rogers, Chair of the International Advisory Board of the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China (ETAC), told the Sun: "The guise is that all the organs will come from voluntary donations. "But this is implausible given the reported rate of just 0.69 donors per million people in Xinjiang. "This massive expansion in Xinjiang - a region already under scrutiny for systematic repression - raises deeply troubling questions about where the organs will come from. 'There is simply no justification for such growth in transplant capacity given the region's official organ donation rate, which is far below the national average.' Advertisement 'Plot to kill survivor' by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital) THE first known survivor of China's brutal organ harvesting scheme says the regime is plotting to kill him and stage his death as suicide. Cheng Peiming told how He revealed how he was tortured and had parts of his liver and lung removed by Xi's stooges after being imprisoned for practicing the Falun Gong religion. Leaked insider information reveals China's security services and high-level Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders have taken notice - and have unleashed a plot to try and discredit, or even kill, Cheng. The CCP has said to "kill him directly and make it look like a suicide" if needed, according to bombshell information from an internal source. Cheng has faced several suspicious threats to his physical safety, including an early hours break-in of his home in New York in November. The intruder forced open the bolt on the garage door, left two doors open and left deep tyre marks in his backyard. Cheng believes the break-in was an attempt to intimidate and silence him after a series of other attacks. Up to 100,000 organ transplants are estimated to be carried out in China every year - with huge swathes harvested without consent. New facilities - which will triple the number in the region from three to nine - will offer heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas/ small intestine transplants. The Chinese government claimed back in 2015 that it had stopped using organs from executed prisoners - but no legal reforms were coupled with the announcement. Experts say sourcing organs from prisoners was never explicitly banned either. Advertisement Rogers, who is a professor of Clinical Ethics, added: "We know that China is expanding its transplant capacity in Xinjiang, despite the relatively small population, low voluntary organ donation rates and existing capacity. "This doesn't make sense unless the hospitals involved are confident that there will be a steady supply of organs for transplantation. "In the absence of any other organ source, we believe that the organs will come from Uyghur and other minorities who are incarcerated in camps Xinjiang, and killed for their organs. "Organ transplantation generates a lot of income, so the motive may be financial." Advertisement It comes after The Sun reported how China's government Leaked documents exposed a shocking escalation of attacks on whistleblowers and victims of a forced organ harvesting campaign orchestrated by the regime. Whistleblowers who attended a secret Chinese Communist Party (CCP) meeting have revealed information from inside This and a dossier of evidence laid bare a multi-pronged scheme spearheaded by Xi to silence members of Falun Gong and other groups vocal about China's severe persecution. Advertisement 4 Cheng Peiming, pictured showing a huge scar from forced surgery, has been threatened Credit: International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China 4 Scans show part of Cheng's lung was cut out Credit: International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Inside China's sick plot to build empire of ‘organ harvesting centres' in five years… with ‘donors' already lined up
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CHINA'S regime is significantly expanding its empire of organ harvesting centres in a twisted bid to make money, experts say. A plot to build six new sites in Xinjiang Uyghur by 2030 has stoked fears of forced organ removal - given staggeringly low donation rates in the region. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 An organ removal operation takes place in China Credit: supplied 4 A hospital in Urumqi in Xinjiang, China Credit: Supplied China's organ trade is already estimated to have a market value of $1 billion per year - which the Communist government wants to swell. A liver transplant, for example, can cost around £118,000 ($160k) in China - but with a much shorter waiting time compared to the rest of the world. This draws in not only recipients from inside the sprawling nation, but also unsuspecting international visitors who travel there for a transplant. China's regime has long been accused of orchestrating a non-consensual organ harvesting campaign against persecuted minorities. Prisoners are known to be killed specifically for the extraction of their organs. Experts say the primary victims of forced organ harvesting are those who follow Buddhist qigong and meditation practice of Falun Gong. They also believe that incarcerated Uyghurs fall victim - and new facilities are planned to open in their autonomous region of Xinjiang. At least six transplant institutions are tipped to open in the next five years, which campaigners say is hugely disproportionate to Xinjiang's low organ donation rate. Xinjiang is understood to have an organ donation rate of just 0.69 per cent per million people - significantly below the national average of 4.66 per cent. It has raised questions among experts who fear it could be part of a sickening plot to use detained Uyghurs as a living organ "donation" bank. Ughur detainees have reported forced blood tests, ultrasounds and organ-focused medical scans while in custody. Insiders say such procedures are consistent with chilling organ compatibility testing. Wendy Rogers, Chair of the International Advisory Board of the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China (ETAC), told the Sun: "The guise is that all the organs will come from voluntary donations. "But this is implausible given the reported rate of just 0.69 donors per million people in Xinjiang. "This massive expansion in Xinjiang - a region already under scrutiny for systematic repression - raises deeply troubling questions about where the organs will come from. 'There is simply no justification for such growth in transplant capacity given the region's official organ donation rate, which is far below the national average.' 'Plot to kill survivor' by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital) THE first known survivor of China's brutal organ harvesting scheme says the regime is plotting to kill him and stage his death as suicide. Cheng Peiming told how Xi Jinping's communist party is on a mission to silence him after he helped expose its organ harvesting plot. He revealed how he was tortured and had parts of his liver and lung removed by Xi's stooges after being imprisoned for practicing the Falun Gong religion. Leaked insider information reveals China's security services and high-level Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders have taken notice - and have unleashed a plot to try and discredit, or even kill, Cheng. The CCP has said to "kill him directly and make it look like a suicide" if needed, according to bombshell information from an internal source. Cheng has faced several suspicious threats to his physical safety, including an early hours break-in of his home in New York in November. The intruder forced open the bolt on the garage door, left two doors open and left deep tyre marks in his backyard. Cheng believes the break-in was an attempt to intimidate and silence him after a series of other attacks. READ MORE HERE Up to 100,000 organ transplants are estimated to be carried out in China every year - with huge swathes harvested without consent. New facilities - which will triple the number in the region from three to nine - will offer heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas/ small intestine transplants. The Chinese government claimed back in 2015 that it had stopped using organs from executed prisoners - but no legal reforms were coupled with the announcement. Experts say sourcing organs from prisoners was never explicitly banned either. Rogers, who is a professor of Clinical Ethics, added: "We know that China is expanding its transplant capacity in Xinjiang, despite the relatively small population, low voluntary organ donation rates and existing capacity. "This doesn't make sense unless the hospitals involved are confident that there will be a steady supply of organs for transplantation. "In the absence of any other organ source, we believe that the organs will come from Uyghur and other minorities who are incarcerated in camps Xinjiang, and killed for their organs. "Organ transplantation generates a lot of income, so the motive may be financial." It comes after The Sun reported how China's government uses cash bribes and death threats in a warped intimidation crusade against critics. Leaked documents exposed a shocking escalation of attacks on whistleblowers and victims of a forced organ harvesting campaign orchestrated by the regime. Whistleblowers who attended a secret Chinese Communist Party (CCP) meeting have revealed information from inside Xi Jinping's government. This and a dossier of evidence laid bare a multi-pronged scheme spearheaded by Xi to silence members of Falun Gong and other groups vocal about China's severe persecution. 4 Cheng Peiming, pictured showing a huge scar from forced surgery, has been threatened Credit: International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China
The Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Inside China's sick plot to build empire of ‘organ harvesting centres' in five years… with ‘donors' already lined up
CHINA'S regime is significantly expanding its empire of organ harvesting centres in a twisted bid to make money, experts say. A plot to build six new sites in Xinjiang Uyghur by 2030 has stoked fears of forced organ removal, given staggeringly low donation rates in the region. 4 4 China's organ trade is already estimated to have a market value of $1 billion per year - which the Communist government wants to swell. A liver transplant, for example, can cost around £118,000 ($160k) in China - but with a much shorter waiting time compared to the rest of the world. This draws in not only recipients from inside the sprawling nation, but also unsuspecting international visitors who travel there for a transplant. China's regime has long been accused of orchestrating a non-consensual organ harvesting campaign against persecuted minorities. Prisoners are known to be killed specifically for the extraction of their organs. Experts say the primary victims of forced organ harvesting are those who follow Buddhist qigong and meditation practice of Falun Gong. They also believe that incarcerated Uyghurs fall victim - and new facilities are planned to open in their autonomous region of Xinjiang. At least six transplant institutions are tipped to open in the next five years, which campaigners say is hugely disproportionate to Xinjiang's low organ donation rate. Xinjiang is understood to have an organ donation rate of just 0.69 per cent per million people - significantly below the national average of 4.66 per cent. It has raised questions among experts who fear it could be part of a sickening plot to use detained Uyghurs as a living organ "donation" bank. Ughur detainees have reported forced blood tests, ultrasounds and organ-focused medical scans while in custody. Insiders say such procedures are consistent with chilling organ compatibility testing. Wendy Rogers, Chair of the International Advisory Board of the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China (ETAC), told the Sun: "The guise is that all the organs will come from voluntary donations. "But this is implausible given the reported rate of just 0.69 donors per million people in Xinjiang. "This massive expansion in Xinjiang - a region already under scrutiny for systematic repression - raises deeply troubling questions about where the organs will come from. 'There is simply no justification for such growth in transplant capacity given the region's official organ donation rate, which is far below the national average.' 'Plot to kill survivor' by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital) THE first known survivor of China's brutal organ harvesting scheme says the regime is plotting to kill him and stage his death as suicide. Cheng Peiming told how Xi Jinping 's communist party is on a mission to silence him after he helped expose its organ harvesting plot. He revealed how he was tortured and had parts of his liver and lung removed by Xi's stooges after being imprisoned for practicing the Falun Gong religion. Leaked insider information reveals China's security services and high-level Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders have taken notice - and have unleashed a plot to try and discredit, or even kill, Cheng. The CCP has said to "kill him directly and make it look like a suicide" if needed, according to bombshell information from an internal source. Cheng has faced several suspicious threats to his physical safety, including an early hours break-in of his home in New York in November. The intruder forced open the bolt on the garage door, left two doors open and left deep tyre marks in his backyard. Cheng believes the break-in was an attempt to intimidate and silence him after a series of other attacks. Up to 100,000 organ transplants are estimated to be carried out in China every year - with huge swathes harvested without consent. New facilities - which will triple the number in the region from three to nine - will offer heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas/ small intestine transplants. The Chinese government claimed back in 2015 that it had stopped using organs from executed prisoners - but no legal reforms were coupled with the announcement. Experts say sourcing organs from prisoners was never explicitly banned either. Rogers, who is a professor of Clinical Ethics, added: "We know that China is expanding its transplant capacity in Xinjiang, despite the relatively small population, low voluntary organ donation rates and existing capacity. "This doesn't make sense unless the hospitals involved are confident that there will be a steady supply of organs for transplantation. "In the absence of any other organ source, we believe that the organs will come from Uyghur and other minorities who are incarcerated in camps Xinjiang, and killed for their organs. "Organ transplantation generates a lot of income, so the motive may be financial." It comes after The Sun reported how China's government uses cash bribes and death threats in a warped intimidation crusade against critics. Leaked documents exposed a shocking escalation of attacks on whistleblowers and victims of a forced organ harvesting campaign orchestrated by the regime. Whistleblowers who attended a secret Chinese Communist Party (CCP) meeting have revealed information from inside Xi Jinping 's government. This and a dossier of evidence laid bare a multi-pronged scheme spearheaded by Xi to silence members of Falun Gong and other groups vocal about China's severe persecution. 4 4
