The World Uyghur Congress, an international organisation of exiled Uyghurs, which will hold its general assembly in Sarajevo from October 24-27, alleged in a statement ahead of the event that Chinese representatives staged an “coordinated and aggressive campaign” against its members and delegates.
The organisers claimed that the Chinese embassy in the Bosnian capital exerted pressure to cancel the general assembly, and that Isa Dolkun, president of the World Uyghur Congress, was threatened with arrest and extradition to China.
Zumreta Arkin, spokesperson and director of the World Uyghur Congress, told BIRN that before the general assembly, delegates from Australia, Germany, Turkey and Ireland also received threats from the Chinese authorities intended to discourage them from participating in the general assembly.
“As a result, five of our elected delegates have resigned from their positions. In Uzbekistan, government officials visited our elected delegates and threatened them not to participate in the general assembly,” said Arkin.
The World Uyghur Congress also claimed that on October 21, hackers broke into its computer system, stole private data about its officials and used the information for attempted blackmail.
The Chinese embassy did not respond to BIRN’s request for comment.
Miao Dake, the embassy’s chargé d’affaires, said in an interview with Radio-Television Republika Srpska said that the Congress is using Bosnia to carry out “anti-Chinese separatist activities” and spreading falsehoods about the situation in the Chinese province of Xinjiang.
The majority of Uyghurs, a Turkic ethnic group who are mainly Muslims, live in Xinjiang, where they have alleged widespread repression by the Chinese authorities. China denies claims of human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
“Issues related to Xinjiang are China’s internal issues. We strongly oppose anyone or any force that attacks and smears China under the guise of fighting for freedom of religion or respect of human rights,” Miao said.
On Monday, Miao also met the Serb member of tripartite Bosnian presidency, Zeljka Cvijanovic, and described the gathering of Uyghurs in Sarajevo as gross interference in China’s internal affairs, according to a presidency statement.
The statement said Cvijanovic “assessed as unacceptable and harmful any activities that question China’s right to sovereignly decide on its internal affairs”.
Human rights organisations estimate that about 14 million Uyghurs live in Xinjiang, and that several million of them have endured detention in camps, political indoctrination, forced labour, family separation, and limits on the practicing of their Muslim faith.
In 2021, Bosnia and Herzegovina signed a joint statement at the United Nations expressing concern that rights of the Uyghurs were being violated. Bosnian Serb political leader Milorad Dodik, who was a member of the Bosnian presidency at the time, later requested the withdrawal of the country’s signature.
Bosnia has been accused of not protecting Uyghur refugees passing through the country towards Western Europe. In the last four years Bosnia has returned to China at least ten Uyghurs, while two others, including a former camp detainee, left the country after waiting for asylum status.
Source: Balkan Insight