Mass-scale human rights violations by the Chinese government against Uyghurs indicate that genocide has been committed, the majority of Dutch lawmakers stated in the resolution on Thursday.

During the late winter in the capital of the Netherlands usually blows cold wind mixed with some rain. But yesterday the sun broke through partly cloudy skies over the city's central square with the monument of Pater Patriae, that is Father of Fatherland Willem van Oranje. Dutch prince who defended religious freedom in the Netherlands against imperial Spain.

Few feet from the monument stood a man wearing a striped prison-like shirt. His face covered with a mask, and a long white fabric on the top of his head splashed with red paint imitating blood. On his arms metal chains. "Free Uyghurs" words written in red on his chest stood out. He stood in silence. His eyes revealed a profound sadness.

Few dozens of men and women with faces covered with a mask accompanied him on the square. In their hands, white and blue flags. Some carried a photo of their loved ones imprisoned by Communist China. On the front of the protesters a banner: Freedom and Independence for East Turkestan.

The protest organised Uyghurs whose country has been occupied by Communist China. According to the US government, the Chinese Communist Party imprisoned more than three million of their countrymen in the concentration camps. They are subjected to physical and mental tortures. Survivors leave the camps raped, impaired, and psychologically harmed.

East Turkestan freedom fighters are demanding that the Dutch Parliament would call an unimaginable and mass-scale crimes against their people by the name - the genocide.

Early afternoon lawmakers made the decision.

Whereas mass-scale human rights violations by the Chinese government against Uyghurs and the reports about forced birth control measures against Uyghur women indicate that genocide has been committed according to the definition of this term in UN Resolution 260, the authors of the motion emphasised.

The majority of Dutch Parliamentarians agreed. Among them representatives from Green, Left, centre and national parties: GroenLinks, PvdA, CDA, Party for the Animals, Denk, ChristenUnie, 50Plus, SP and D66.

"Mass-scale human rights violations by the Chinese government against Uyghurs
indicate that genocide has been committed according to the definition of this term in UN Resolution 260."

It is about terrible abuses against the Uyghur Muslim minority. We should not mince words and call it genocide, stated Mr. Sjoerd Sjoerdsma from D66 party in an interview with NOS radio on Wednesday.

The detention camps where it is estimated that more than 1 million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities are locked up are so big that you can see them from space, he reminded. The lawmaker called the Chinese prison camps for Uyghurs the largest mass incarceration of ethnic minorities since World War II.

Ban Import involving Slave Labor from Xinjiang, Take 2022 Olympics From Beijing

But the Dutch Parliamentarians not only condemned the genocide but called the government to action. To oblige Dutch firms to cut their possible links to the supply-chains involving slave labor of Uyghurs imprisoned in the concentration camps.

The lawmakers also called upon Hague to reject the EU-China Investment Treaty if Beijing does not allow for free access of independent observers to Xinjiang.

They requested the government to lobby the International Olympic Committee to relocate the 2022 Winter Olympics from Beijing.

Some party leaders including Mr. Gert-Jan Segers from ChristenUnie and Mr. Sigrid Kaag from D66 called for a total boycott of a tournament.


Prime Minister voted against the resolution

Among the opponents of the motion was Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and his minister foreign affairs Stef Blok.

Mr. Blok has criticised a proposal of an import ban from Xinjiang and any measures against Dutch companies.

But Uyghurs whose voice was amplified by the most recent evidence of witnesses, satellite photos, camera footage of the camp prisoners' convoys did not hide satisfaction.

It is one more big news for us today, commented President of World Uyghur Congress Dolkun Isa for The Owner.

The majority of Dutch Parliamentarians with this bold decision confirmed that the Netherlands has been faithful to the legacy of William van Oranje. Nearly 460 years ago he decided to oppose the tyranny. I cannot agree with a kingdom that wants to rule over the conscience of its people and take away their freedom of religious belief, he stated.

His descendants who have been enjoying their liberties uplifted the spirit of those who trust that the day of freedom for East Turkestan is near.

THE RESOLUTION OF DUTCH PARLIAMENT


Parliament of the Netherlands:

Whereas mass-scale human rights violations by the Chinese government against Uyghurs, including
the birth control measures enforced on women, as recent reports suggested, indicate that the genocide
as defined by UN 260 Resolution has been committed,

Convinced that this finding should lead to an increased economic and diplomatic pressure on China:

Requests the government to call on all Dutch companies operating in China to review the supply
chains for possible links to the oppressed Uyghurs and requests that all their business ties
with Xinjiang be terminated;

Requests the government to reject the EU-China Investment Treaty under any circumstances
as long as there is no access for independent observers to Xinjiang;

Calls on the government to press the European Commission for a temporary import ban of products
from China with a high risk of being linked to the oppression of Uyghurs, such as clothing, as long as
there is no access for independent observers to Xinjiang.

Proposed and initiated by Mr. Sjoerd Sjoerdsma