Independent Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) and other lawmakers yesterday inaugurated the Taiwan Parliament Group for Uyghur.
“Our initiative is to show solidarity and support for Uighurs, as well as to network with legislators of other nations,” Lim said.
It is also to defend democracy and human rights as universal values,” he added.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
China has stepped up its oppression against Hong Kongers, Tibetans and Uighurs, he said, adding that “Taiwan cannot ignore these developments, because we are at the frontline of the Indo-Pacific region.”
World Uyghur Congress chairman Dolku Isa attended the inauguration event at the legislature in Taipei through videoconferencing.
“The Chinese Communist Party conducts severe crackdowns and brutal torture against Uighurs. We must draw attention to it for the international community to take action against these horrible crimes,” he said.
“We must also stand together in solidarity to fight against China’s human rights abuse and atrocities against Tibetans, Southern Mongolians, and the people of Hong Kong and Taiwan,” he said.
Dolku Isa said that during his trip to Taiwan in 2006, then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said that he would promote ties between Taiwan and Uighurs.
However, China in 2009 began to put pressure on him, and he has since been unable to visit Taiwan, he said, expressing the hope to do so in the near future.
Uighurs face genocide, he said, adding that “people must not keep silent on this anymore.”
Dolku Isa said he appreciates the lawmakers’ effort at this important point in time.
The event was also attended by Taiwan East Turkestan Association director Ho Chao-tung (何朝棟) and democracy advocate Wuer Kaixi, an exiled Uighur.
So far, 30 lawmakers have joined the group. Lin is to head the group, and Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) is to act as deputy head.
CALL FOR PEACE: Czech President Petr Pavel raised concerns about China’s military maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait and its ‘unfriendly action’ in the South China Sea The leaders of three diplomatic allies — Guatemala, Paraguay and Palau — on Tuesday voiced support for Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN on the first day of the UN General Debate in New York. In his address during the 78th UN General Assembly, Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr urged the UN and all parties involved in cross-strait issues to exercise restraint and seek a peaceful resolution. “The well-being and prosperity of nations and their economies are intrinsically linked to global peace and stability,” he said. He also thanked partner nations such as Taiwan, Australia, Japan and the US for providing assistance
CROSS-STRAIT CONCERNS: At the same US Congress hearing, Mira Resnick said a US government shutdown could affect weapons sales and licenses to allies such as Taiwan A Chinese blockade of Taiwan would be a “monster risk” for Beijing and likely to fail, while a military invasion would be extremely difficult, senior Pentagon officials told the US Congress on Tuesday. Growing worries of a conflict come as China has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan, holding large-scale war games simulating a blockade on the nation, while conducting near-daily warplane incursions and sending Chinese vessels around its waters. US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner said a blockade would be “a monster risk for the PRC [People’s Republic of China].” “It would likely not succeed, and it
AMPHIBIOUS EXERCISES: The defense ministry said that it had detected 24 Chinese PLA Air Force planes entering Taiwan’s air defense zone over the previous 24 hours Chinese movements around Taiwan were “abnormal,” Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) said yesterday, flagging recent amphibious exercises in addition to drills Taipei has observed in China’s Fujian Province. Taiwan has reported a rise in Chinese military activity over the past week as dozens of fighters, drones, bombers and other aircraft, as well as warships, have operated around the nation. “Our initial analysis is that they are doing joint drills in September, including land, sea, air and amphibious,” Chiu told reporters at the legislature in Taipei. The “recent enemy situation is quite abnormal,” he said. The comments followed a statement from the
IN MOURNING: Tsai visited the site and spoke with family members of those killed, while all the major presidential candidates said they would temporarily halt campaigning A fire and subsequent explosions at a golf ball factory at Pingtung Technology Industrial Park (屏東科技產業園區) killed at least seven people, including four firefighters, and injured 98, while three were still missing, authorities said yesterday. The blaze at Launch Technologies Co’s (明揚國際) plant on Jingjian Road raged for more than 12 hours after it started at about 5pm on Friday, officials said. The Pingtung County Fire Bureau early yesterday used large excavators to search for missing people, while family members waited at the scene. Pingtung County Fire Bureau Director Hsu Mei-hsueh (許美雪) said the bureau received a call about the fire at 5:31pm
RSS