INDIA: In a current update, India, among other Nations, abstained from voting on a draft resolution at the 51st Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council. It is basically to hold a debate on the human rights situation in China’s restive Xinjiang region. The other countries that refrained from voting include Brazil, Mexico and Ukraine, including India.
The draft resolution on “holding a debate on the situation of human rights in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China”, the draft is presented by an accompanied group consisting of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the UK and the USA, thus co-sponsored by a range of states, including Turkey. However, 17 members voted in favour, and the remaining 19 members voted against it, including China.
As per the Human Rights Watch director Sophie Richardson, it’s the first time in history that the UN’s top human rights body considered a proposal to debate the human rights situation in the Xinjiang region of China. He said, “While the Council’s failure to adopt the proposal is an abdication of responsibility and a betrayal of Uyghur victims, the extremely close vote highlights the growing number of states willing to take a stand on principle and shine a spotlight on China’s sweeping rights violations.” He further went on saying with bold remarks that, “nothing will erase the stain of China’s crimes against humanity, laid bare.”
Richardson said, “We urge incoming High Commissioner Volker Turk to brief the Council on his office’s report, and we call on states, companies, and the international community to implement the report’s recommendations and hold Chinese authorities accountable for their international crimes.” Further, the news is confirmed by a Tweet by the UN Human Rights Council, “Draft resolution A/HRC/51/L.6 on holding a debate on the situation of human rights in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of #China, was REJECTED.”
Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnes Callamard made a statement, “Today’s vote protects perpetrators of human rights violations rather than victims, a disconcerting result that places the UN’s main human rights body in the absurd position of ignoring the findings of the UN’s own human rights office.”
Also Read: UN Claims China May Have Committed Inhumane Crimes in Xinjiang Province
