Exiled members of Xinjiang's Uighur population appealed to the international community to condemn China for violating human rights in the Muslim-majority region under the guise of anti-terrorism. Beijing had stepped up a campaign of repression against Uighurs in Xinjiang following the September 11 terror attacks. Using the "pretext" of fighting terrorism, more than 3,000 Uighurs were arrested on political charges in the three months after September 11. During that period at least 12 trials of "splittists and illegal religious elements" took place, with 20 people executed. "The Chinese government justifies its brutal oppression of Uighurs in East Turkestan by describing it as part of the international (anti-terror) campaign," the group said.
If they hadn't shown up on jihad in Afghanistan the claim would be much more believable. Now they can take the consequences. China's human rights record makes a right handy club to beat them with, but, hey, ya can't be guilty all the time. Sympathy meter reading: Zero. |