WASHINGTON ― Now that United Nations experts have endorsed widespread reports that China is holding a million members of its Muslim minority Uighur community in…
WASHINGTON ― Now that United Nations experts have endorsed widespread reports that China is holding a million members of its Muslim minority Uighur community in internment camps, the Chinese government’s denials of a crackdown look flimsier than ever. Activists and reporters who have documented the repression appear vindicated and awareness about the crisis seems to be growing ― but there’s no certainty of resulting international pressure from governments like the United States that experts see as essential to forcing change.
“There’s very few countries in the world that have been vocal about the Uighur situation, even historically,” said Sean Roberts, a George Washington University professor and former U. S. Agency for International Development official. “The United States might have more leverage over China than any other country that might seek to sanction China but China also has a lot of leverage over the [U. S.] economically… I really think that in the end this can only be addressed by the [U. N.], which requires a lot of states coming together.”
The dilemma for world leaders is that so much of the global economy now relies on China ― Chinese manufacturing, Chinese consumers and Chinese investment. Since the Chinese government is so enmeshed in the country’s economy, to criticize even policies far removed from business like human rights violations is to risk becoming a target of political retribution through economic means.
