March 15-31 news
March 15 to 31, 2023
News:
The month of March was filled with the developments in Ottawa in regards to “China” file in general and to many Uyghur Genocide awareness-raising and advocacy initiatives launched by URAP (please refer to our previous posting covering February-March edition). Here are some highlights covering the second half of the month of March that we have thought are important to mention.
URAP became a co-founder of the new “Alliance of the Genocide Victim Communities” undergoing the initial forming stage. The common alliance platform will cooperate in order to advance interests of its member groups and exert pressure on the Canadian Government to fulfill its international obligations in accordance to the Geneva 1951 laws as a signatory state to it. They are Tigrayan, Rwandan, Tamil groups with more members envisioned to be joining. The Alliance is planning its first joint press-conference on April 26 in the Parliament alongside a bipartisan group of MP’s representing all political affiliations on the Hill.
URAP is planning to participate in the fundraising event organized by the Friends of Simon Withental Center and JIAS with the aim of collecting more than 200,000 $ and sponsor the resettlement of three Uyghur refugees’ families (20 individuals) to Canada.
https://jiastoronto.org/uyghur-refugee-fund/
PLEASE JOIN LIVE EVENT AND DONATE!
URAP was and is active in advancing the adaption of FIRA (Foreign Influence Transparency Registry) after our elected officials. URAP’s ED Mehmet Tohti participated in the hearings at China-Canada Committee earlier this month. URAP has participated in the several consultations with the relevant authorities and had a chance to share its opinion and expertise on this subject.
Nawruz (the New Year Celebration) events took place across Canada in cities like Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver where diaspora members met together and greeted the arrival of the traditional New Year (the day of equinox). URAP’s Executive Director Mehmet Tohti joined the ETAC (East Turkistan Association of Canada) organized event in Toronto
URAP took place in the event hosted by MP Salma Zahid on the Global Islamophobia in the Canadian Parliament, where many MPs from across the political spectrum took place in it.
Mehmet Tohti was invited to the Canadian Parliament as an Honorary Guest to assist the US President Biden address on March 24
Following the CSIS leaks and revelations made by media on cases of the interference and spying the Canadian government and opposition debated each other’s performance records and policy approach vis-à-vis China. The decision was taken to appoint the Special Rapporteur to look into allegations and put forward recommendations on how to tackle growing CCP’s menacing phenomenon.
It resulted in the expediate manner how the adaptation of FIRA will be executed. The Government pledged funds to tackle foreign influence operations in Canada and promised more robust outreach to the communities affected by maligned states actors (China and Russian being named). The public consultations promised to be held as early as in May and URAP is invited.
In its newly deposited budget from March 28 the Liberal Government specifically named the plight of Uyghur people (never seen before) as a source of its concern and commitment to eradicate forced labour from its supply chains “Canada is gravely concerned by the ongoing human rights violations against Uyghurs and Muslim minorities in China, as well as by the use of forced labour around the world” and “the federal government's intention to introduce legislation by 2024 to eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains to strengthen the import ban on goods produced using forced labour”.
Some coverage samples on FIRA and Forced Uyghur Slave Labor Force made by the media:
- Interview with CBC on foreign interference - Kayum Masimov of the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project is among those calling for a foreign influence registry. But he explains why the federal government should do more to protect Canada against foreign interference:
- Media - "L'ingérence politique de la Chine au Canada prend des formes diverses. Outre les possibles immixtions dans le processus électoral, elle se manifeste depuis longtemps aussi par la persécution des membres de la communauté ouïghoure"
- Media - National Post "O'Toole used to ask Justin Trudeau about repression of China’s Uyghur minority once or twice a week in Question Period – Parliament’s most high-profile forum" but Tohti said he’s yet to hear a Conservative leader ask the prime minister about the issue since the SEP 2021 election. “It was almost forgotten, All political parties just got the message – stay harsh on China and lose the election …That itself shows that interference is working.”
- Media report "Woo assisted in the blocking of a Senate result condemning the ongoing genocide of the Uyghurs. Praised by the CHN Embassy as a person of vision, Woo has consistently opposed Sen. Leo Housakos’ Bill S237, the Foreign Influence Registry and Accountability Act"
