11-11-2009, 10:15 AM
President Obama Urged to Support Chinese Muslim Human Rights
WASHINGTON, DC (MASNET) November 10, 2009 - MAS Freedom (MASF) as the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), strongly condemns the government of the People's Republic of China for carrying out the brutal execution of eight Chinese Uighur Muslims, and one Han, in the aftermath of the ethnic disturbances in western China on July 5, 2009. The July clashes, which took place inside a toy factory in Guangdong Province, led to the deaths of two Uighurs and a massive crackdown on the community by Chinese police and armed forces.
Chinese authorities, on announcing the executions, did not specify when or where they actually took place, saying only that they occurred 'recently'.
The executions are part of the larger, ongoing conflict between the Uighur ethnic community in Western China, which has experienced continuous violations of collective religious freedoms and human rights at the hands of the ethnic Chinese Han majority. Uighur leaders have also reported recurring instances of forced closures of mosques and religious schools, the imprisonment of activists, killings, and the forced resettlement of members of their community.
"MAS Freedom is shocked and dismayed by these killings, and by the fact that the Chinese government concealed the executions from the international press and the global human rights community. MAS Freedom and the Muslim-American community at-large, strongly condemn the continued violation of the basic religious rights of the Muslim community in China, which numbers some 20 million people," stated MAS Freedom Executive Director, Imam Mahdi Bray.
MAS Freedom Civil and Human Rights Director, Ibrahim Ramey, who previously met with Uyghur leaders exiled in the United States, stated, "The United States government, which stands on a high moral platform in condemning human rights violations around the world, should vigorously condemn the Chinese government for these executions, and for the continuous suppression of religious freedoms among the Uighur Muslim people."