Solidarity with the Uyghur People
We advocate for action against China’s state-sanctioned Islamophobia and human rights violations, pushing leaders to challenge the oppression of Uyghur Muslims.
WHAT'S
HAPPENING
Solidarity with the Uyghur People
Uyghur Muslims have been subject to brutal treatment and dehumanization by the Chinese Government in the name of “fighting terrorism”. Since 2017, over a million Uyghur Muslims have been placed in concentration camps and stripped away from their rights to basic necessities, religion, language, cultural practices, and worse. In these camps, Uyghurs are also subject to ongoing mistreatment through forced labour. The brutalization of Uyghurs goes unnoticed by news outlets across the world.
NCCM’s human rights policy work on China pushes leaders to act on the issue of state-sanctioned Islamophobia against the Uyghur people and systemic violations of Uyghur human rights – even as China state agents intimidate Uyghur activists here in Canada.
However, the work is far from over.
If Canada fails to act, it will result in further normalization of these concentration camps and the dehumanization of Muslims globally. It will also increase the number of forced assimilation where families are separated from each other and are subject to inhumane treatment. Our inability to stop these acts will set a precedent and normalize this treatment of the most disadvantaged in other countries with zero to no accountability.
NCCM HAS SUCCESSFULLY PUSHED FOR:
- Lawmakers to implement a ban on all products made with Uyghur slave labour from entering Canada.
- The approval of Bill S-211, the focus of our Federal Lobby Day in 2021.
- The approval of a non-binding motion to declare the situation in China a genocide and to bring Uyghur refugees to Canada.
PHOTO: Ömer Faruk Yıldız
IMPACT STATS
570,000
An estimated 570,000 Uyghurs are subjected to forced labor in Xinjiang’s cotton industry.
Over 1 Million Uyghur Muslims
Have been detained in Uyghur Concentration Camps in Xinjiang.
20
Successful cyberattacks by China-state agents on Canadian government networks over the last four years. Many Uyghur Canadian dissidents have also been targeted by foreign interference attempts.
A Snapshot | OUR WORK
2006 - NCCM Advocated for the Case of Huseyin Celil
In 2006 dual Canadian-Chinese national Huseyin Celil was captured, tried and convicted in a deeply flawed process that targeted him for advocating for the rights of the Uyghur Muslim minority in China.
Since 2006, the NCCM has been advocating for the release of Huseyin Celil, a political prisoner. The Standing Committee on International Human Rights heard our concerns and put out a recommendation in agreement with our recommendation, and our advocacy with other groups, around the appointment of a Special Envoy to secure his release.
The immediate repatration of Huseyin, alongside the two Michaels, must remain a top priority for Canada.
A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian.
2020 - NCCM Pushes for Bill Barring Uyghur Slave Labour Products (S-211), in 2021 Advocacy Day
In advancing our goal prior to the passing of S-211 and Budget that banned forced labour products from Uyghur death camps, NCCM appeared before a number of House committees to advocate in the briefs.
2020 - NCCM releases a brief on Human Rights Situations of the Uyghurs: The Case of Huseyin Celil and Domestic Surveillance.
In this brief, we urged the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs this committee to adopt a recommendation advising Public Safety Canada to provide clarity as to how Canadian Muslims are being protected from undue foreign surveillance. We drew specific attention to the apparent surveillance by Chinese agents at Canadian Muslim conferences and events attended by members of Canada’s Uyghur Muslim population. Years later, we were successful in our push for a foreign agents registry in Bill C-70.
2021 - Canada Votes for Uyghur Genocide Motion
Canada’s House of Commons voted overwhelmingly to declare China’s treatment of its Uyghur minority population a genocide. The motion – which passed 266 to 0 – was supported by all opposition parties and a handful of lawmakers from the governing Liberal Party. We joined many stakeholders to advocate and push for this historic vote.
October 2022 - NCCM Uyghur Rights Advocacy Day
Hundreds of Muslim leaders from coast to coast, including Uyghur led-organizations, came together on Parliament Hill to urge lawmakers to adopt a universal ban on forced labour products coming out of Uyghur death camps. We were successful in our ask with the passing of both Budget 2023 and Bill S-211.
November 2022 - NCCM Testifies in the House of Commons on S-211
NCCM testified in front of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Commons to support the passage of S-211 with targeted amendments. The passage of this bill created a regime to ensure that forced labour products, like those arising from the Uyghur concentration camps, cannot find their way into Canada.
February 2023 - NCCM Advocates for a Motion to Welcome 10,000 Uyghur Refugees
In conjunction with many partners, NCCM successfully pushed for the passage of a motion at the House of Commons to support 10,000 Uyghur refugees being able to come to Canada.
May 2023 - Bill-211 Passed: Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act
The passing of S-211 was a critical step in the ongoing battle to make sure that no forced labour products ends up on Canadian grocery stores or clothing racks.
2024 - NCCM Advocates for Budget 2024 to Strengthen Ban on Forced Labour
With our continued advocacy, in Budget 2024, the government proposed to introduce legislation to eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains and to strengthen the import ban on goods produced using forced labour.
December 2024 - First Uyghur refugees arrive in Canada
Seeing the first Uyghur refugees arrive in Canada, greeted by many of our partners and members of the Uyghur Canadian community, is a reminder of why this work is so critical. This wouldn’t have been possible without the passage of the 2023 refugee motion.
December 2024 - NCCM Urges Canada to Impose Further Sanctions on China State Agents
Canada sanctions 8 more Chinese officials with ties to human rights violations. We continue to urge the government to keep all state officials responsible for human rights violations accountable.
UYGHUR LIVES STILL AT RISK
Help us continue to push the Canadian government to take action to stand for justice against one of the largest genocides of our time.
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