NGO appeal on the occasion of Habeck’s visit to China

An alliance of human rights organizations is demanding German Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck to use his visit to China to take a clear stand against China’s inhumane policy. “Mr. Habeck, use your visit to address the human rights violations of the Communist Party of China and to emphasize that Germany’s foreign policy will not be dictated by companies such as Volkswagen or BASF,” the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP), the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), the Ilham Tohti Initiative, and the Association of Critical Shareholders appealed to the Minister of Economics.

“In China, Robert Habeck should emphasize that he is not indifferent about human rights as soon as economic interests come into play. The disastrous human rights situation in East Turkestan / Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia should not be hushed up by yet another German politician,” demanded Jasna Causevic, expert on genocide prevention and the Responsibility to Protect. During their recent trips to China, Bavaria’s Minister President Söder and Chancellor Scholz had clearly subordinated human rights issues to other topics.

The German supply chain law should have concrete consequences – especially regarding trade relations with China – as there is evidence of human rights violations in the supply chains of large German corporations that have partners in the Uyghur region of East Turkestan / Xinjiang,” the organizations demanded. “We are calling on the German Federal Government to take specific measures to not only minimize forced and child labor – but to end it completely and rule it out for the future. Further, we demand that German corporations take their responsibility seriously and stop undermining the human rights-oriented values in German foreign policy and foreign trade purely for profit reasons.”

In the long term, paying mere lip service to human rights in foreign policy will inevitably lead to a significant problem regarding Germany’s external perception as a country of double standards. “German politicians would lose credibility if they reaffirm their commitment to human rights, but everything remains ‘business as usual’ for the economy,” Causevic criticized. “It is not enough for German politicians to discuss these topics within a close circle of critics, without taking action. Inaction will lead to a victory of Chinese propaganda.”

"Forced labor in East Turkestan / Xinjiang and the genocide crimes against the Uyghurs and other Turkic Peoples must not be pushed to the background; they must be at the center of German foreign policy," stated Gheyyur Kuerban of the Uyghur World Congress (WUC). The German state has the responsibility under international law to consistently work towards an immediate end of the genocide against the Uyghurs.

In 2014, professor of economics and Uyghur human rights activist Ilham Tohti was imprisoned because of his criticism of China’s policy in East Turkestan. In talks with Chinese politicians, Mr. Habeck should thus request information about Tohti’s whereabouts and his health condition. In 2019, Tohti was honored – in absentia – with the Sakharov Prize of the European Parliament.

Contact

Jasna Causevic (STP): j.causevic@gfbv.de or 49 551 49906-16

Gheyyur Kuerban (WUC): kuerban@uyghurcongress.org or 49 176 80569329

Enver Can (Ilham Tohti Initiative): +49 173 8912048