China has been repressing the Uyghur Muslim minority for years. But the outcry from the West has so far largely failed to materialize. Only now has the EU imposed the first sanctions. The president of the World Uyghur Congress explains why this is not enough.
WELT AM SONNTAG: In March, the European Union imposed sanctions on four Chinese officials for oppressing the Uighurs. These are the first sanctions for human rights violations in more than 30 years. What do you think of the move?
Dolkun Isa: We welcome the sanctions. They are a clear signal that the Chinese state cannot simply commit genocide and get away with it. But the sanctions are not enough. The four sanctioned officials are only remotely connected to the crimes. The main culprit, Xinjiang Party chief Chen Quanguo, is not on the list. He belongs on the list more than anyone else. We also applaud the efforts of the German government in Germany. It has helped behind the scenes to bring about the European sanctions. But when you look at Germany's overall position on the oppression of the Uyghurs, it's disappointing. The U.S., Canada and the Netherlands now refer to the crimes as "genocide." We call on the German government to do the same to these countries. But Chancellor Angela Merkel is unfortunately silent on this issue. In 2007, she met the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetans. In 2018, we requested a meeting with the Chancellor. To date, she has not met with us. read more