EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/70

(2004/C 78 E/0069)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2045/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI), Marco Pannella (NI), Emma Bonino (NI), Marco Cappato (NI), Benedetto Della Vedova (NI), Gianfranco Dell'Alba (NI) and Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(19 June 2003)

Subject: Serious and persistent violations of the fundamental human rights of the Uighur minority in the Chinese province of Xinjiang (eastern Turkestan)

Knowing that:

— Seven million Uighurs, a Shiite Muslim minority, live in Xinjiang (eastern Turkestan), the largest province in China. They have been oppressed by the central government for decades, but with particular relentlessness since the war with neighbouring Afghanistan.

— In 1990 the Chinese government tried to stabilise the region by investing billions of dollars in building roads, railways, hospitals and army barracks, digging oil wells and, above all, encouraging massive migration from eastern China. Whereas the Han ethnic group made up only 5 % of the population in 1950, they now constitute 50 % of the 18 million inhabitants.

— Even now the government is promising those who move to Xinjiang guaranteed jobs, obviously at the expense of the Uighurs.

— According to Amnesty International 3 000 Uighurs were arrested recently and one hundred were executed after summary trials. Young Uighurs are forced to attend courses of indoctrination at school and anyone caught listening to Radio Free Asia is arrested.

— The most historic district of Kashgar was demolished in order to build the new railway and the ancient bazaar is being destroyed to make way for a Chinese hypermarket.

— The most famous Uighur singer, Abdurihim, was forced to shave off his beard, has been banned from singing in public and a poster has been stuck up on his house bearing the words ‘re-educated at last’.

In view of the excellent relations between the EU and China in the sphere of economic and commercial cooperation and the fact that, according to the Commission, the dialogue on human rights is being held in an ‘open and constructive atmosphere’, can the Commission say:

— whether it is aware of the facts outlined above;

— whether and when the issue of the Uighur minority was raised publicly and officially with China and with what outcome;

— what steps, in the context of cooperation relations, might constitute a serious and effective instrument for inducing China to respect fundamental human rights?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(25 July 2003)

The Commission is well aware of reports on repression and discrimination of the Uighur minority. Since the beginning of the Union-China bilateral human rights dialogue, the question of minority rights has been very high on its agenda. Basic rights as well as religious and cultural identity of the Uighur population have been regularly addressed in every session of the dialogue. Moreover it has been suggested that the next round of the dialogue, to be held in China in December 2003, be followed by a field visit to Xinjiang Province. The situation has not, as yet, fundamentally improved on the ground.

Some years ago the Commission launched an extended human rights related co-operation programme which, in its view, constitutes a useful instrument to induce China to respect fundamental rights. This programme has, up to now, mainly dealt with legal co-operation, support to local governance, the rights of more vulnerable groups like women or handicapped people and the ratification and implementation of the United Nations human rights covenants.