Washington DC [US] March 26 : Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) expresses its support for the reintroduction of the Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act, a critical and timely bipartisan piece of legislation that aims to provide Priority 2 (P-2) refugee status to Uyghurs escaping persecution.
This necessary measure presents a vital opportunity for those fleeing systematic oppression, and we sincerely appreciate Representatives Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), and Gregory Meeks (D-NY) for bringing this significant bill to light, as highlighted by CFU in a report.
The Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act will grant direct access to the US refugee resettlement program and facilitate quicker asylum processing for Uyghurs. This legislation addresses an urgent requirement for a haven, as numerous Uyghurs in the United States face prolonged uncertainty while waiting for asylum and refugee status, subjected to transnational repression, CFU noted.
CFU emphasized that the bill also requires the Department of State to engage diplomatically with third countries that host Uyghurs, ensuring they are not forcibly returned to China. The importance of this legislation is accentuated by recent occurrences, including the deportation of over 40 Uyghurs from Thailand to China, where they are sent back to a region known for documented genocide and crimes against humanity.
"As the PRC continues to surveil Uyghurs abroad and pressure other countries to forcibly deport them back to danger, countless Uyghurs remain trapped in fear and uncertainty, anxiously awaiting asylum and refugee status. By passing this bipartisan bill, the United States will reaffirm its commitment to protecting human rights and standing with Uyghurs escaping genocide." Rushan Abbas, Executive Director, Campaign for Uyghurs, said as quoted by CFU.
The campaign for Uyghurs fully supports this bipartisan bill and calls on Congress to swiftly pass the Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act, as stated by CFU.
The Uyghur population in China has faced severe repression, particularly in the Xinjiang region, where reports of widespread human rights abuses have emerged. The Chinese government has been accused of implementing a policy of forced assimilation, including mass surveillance, arbitrary detentions in "re-education camps," and suppression of religious and cultural practices. According to several reports, Uyghurs have been subjected to forced labour, family separations, and forced sterilizations. International organisations and governments have condemned these actions, describing them as efforts to erase Uyghur identity.
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