Chinese Muslims Still Cannot Make it to Mecca

The Hague, 10 December 2007 – China turns a deaf ear to an appeal sent by human rights organizations and members of the European Parliament on the right of Muslims to conduct the pilgrimage to Mecca. Each of China’s Muslims can go to Mecca – as long as s/he remains true to Communism and pays a hefty deposit.

This year again, large numbers of China’s Muslims will not be allowed to conduct the pilgrimage to Mecca. One of the five pillars of Islam, the Hajj is a fundamental duty for all able-bodied Muslims, but Chinese law, while theoretically protecting freedom of religion, operates a de facto selection of candidates to the Hajj on the basis of political beliefs and wealth.

Spearheaded by the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), the Vice-President of the European Parliament, prominent Parliamentarians as well as many human rights NGOs, an appeal for the right to conduct the Hajj was sent to Chinese authorities in October. Despite their acknowledged receipt of the document, they have failed to respond. Few days ahead of the Hajj (which will begin on 18 December) there is little hope left for China’s Muslims.

On 10 December 2007, human rights activists from all four corners of the world met in the Hague, The Netherlands. In order to underline the anniversary of the International Day of Human Rights, the UNPO, in conjunction with Rebiya Kadeer’s World Uyghur Congress, organized a group demonstration at the Dutch Parliament. By-passers merged with human rights defenders and activists alike to denounce the blatant impossibility of Chinese Muslims –Uyghurs– to participate to the Islamic pilgrimage to the Mecca. Hundreds of white roses were given before marching in solidarity to the Chinese Embassy. Once arrived, a traditional Islamic prayer was given by local Imams while followers bowed in sobriety towards the Mecca. 

Earlier that day, Dutch Foreign Affairs veteran, Harry van Bommel, was invited to discuss with the UNPO and exiled Uyghurs from The Netherlands. A number of sensitive, China-related subjects were addressed. Among other topics, the current human rights violations regarding religious freedoms were raised. Mr. van Bommel replied that there is nothing that “shouldn’t be discussed in a dialogue with China”, including the situation of the Uyghurs and their travels to Mecca. Furthermore, van Bommel stated that he would make sure to discuss this issue with the Dutch Ambassador for human rights.

 

 

Signatories to date:

 

 

 

Marco Cappato MEP

Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Human Rights 

 

Edward McMillan-Scott MEP

Vice-President of the European Parliament and member of the Subcommittee on Human Rights

 

Agnoletto Vittorio MEP

Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Human Rights

 

Ana Maria Gomes MEP

Committee on Foreign Affairs, Vice-Chairwoman Subcommittee on Security and Defence

 

István Szent-Iványi MEP

Committee on Foreign Affairs

 

International Society for Human Rights

 

Dr Willy Fautré

Human Rights Without Frontiers

 

World Uyghur Congress 

 

Giorgio Schultze

President of the European Humanist International

 

Union of European Turkish Democrats    

 

Wei Jingsheng

Chinese Dissident & Sakharov Prize Winner

 

Federatie van Idealistisch Democratische Turkse Organisaties Nederland 

 

Contactorgaan Moslim en Overheid         

 

Uyghur American Association

 

Eastern Turkistan Foundation in Istanbul 

 

Eastern Turkistan Culture and Solidarity Association        

 

Eastern Turkistan Culture and Solidarity Association

Ankara Section      

 

Isa Yusup Alptekin Foundation   

 

East Turkistan Union in Europe  

 

East Turkistan Union in Europe

Frankfurt Section

 

Uyghur Canadian Association    

 

Swedish Uyghur Committee      

 

Uyghur UK Association           

 

Netherlands Eastern Turkistan Foundation          

 

Norway Uyghur Committee

 

Ittipak Uigur Society of the Kyrgyz Republic        

 

Bishkek Human Rights Committee    

 

Uyghur Youth Union in Kazakhstan  

 

Society Union of Uyghur National Association (Kazakhstan)     

 

Australian Uyghur Association   

 

Kazakhstan Representative of World Uyghur Congress     

 

Turkey Representative of World Uyghur Congress

 

Stichting Selam Netwerk 

 

Stichting Avrasya     

 

Sweden Uyghur Education Centre

 

International Pen Uyghur Centre

 

Per Engstrom

Amnesty International, Sweden

 

Netherlands Turkish Youth Association

 

World Uyghur Congress Committee

 

Turkevi Research Centre

 

Kuriren Newspaper (Sweden)

 

Turkish-Dutch Student Association

Stichting Khorlo

 

Niccolo Figa-Talamanca

Program Director, No Peace Without Justice

 

Mr Bob Fu

China Aid Association

 

Nederlandse Azerbeidzjaanse Turkse Culturele Vereniging

 

Elisabetta Zamparotti

Hands Off Cain

 

Ohad Shem Tov

Green Leaf Party, Israel

 

Arnold Trebach

Drug Policies Foundation

 

Sergio Stanzani

President of the Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Khastani Abdollahi

Parti Democratique du Kurdistan d'Iran

 

Boladai Nasser

Balochistan Peoples Party

 

Ciping Huang

Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition

 

Ali Salem

Panorama Center, Israel

 

Nfor Ngala Nfor

Southern Cameroons National Council

 

Vanida Thephsouvanh

Mouvement Lao pour les Droits de l'Homme

 

Annalisa Chirico

Luca Coscioni Association

 

Giannandrea Dagnino

Hands Off Cain

 

M. Gigliolatoniollo

CGIL Nazionale- Settore Nuovi Diritti

 

Mohammed Daar

Ambassador of Somaliland in Brussels

 

A. Anselmi

Union of European Federalists

 

Boaz Wachtel

Green Leaf Party, Israel

 

Adrian Karatnysky

President, Orange Circle

 

Giorgio Silfer

Esperanto Civito

 

Maxim Gunjia

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia

 

Vien Thach

Khmer Krom Federation for Europe

 

Rene Morfaw

Southern Cameroons National Council

 

Mr Belleloni MP

Radical Party (Italy)

 

Nila Orsi

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Sergio Puguoli

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Pieru Capone

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Werther Casali

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Claudio Cherardissi

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Rita Benandini

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Lorenzo Strik Lievers

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Mr. Spadaccia

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Giuseppe Rippa

Associazione Arabi Democratici Liberali

 

Matta Pisetta

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Romano Scozzafava

University La Sapienza, Roma, Italy

 

Silvia Lenzi

Research Center and Consultancy, Pisa, Italy

 

Luca Perelo

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Enver Can

Honorary President of the World Uyghur Congress

 

Alessandro Rosasco

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Alfredo Cortese

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Franco Cupini

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Marola Luca

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Lucchari Maria Carzali

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Biancardi Guido

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Also Signori

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Giulia Simi

Nonviolent Radical Party

 

Francesco Napoleoni

Nonviolent Radical Party