Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Politics

Canadian lawmakers back resettlement of 10,000 Uyghur Muslims

Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser attends a press conference with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada April 6, 2022. REUTERS/Blair Gable

The Canadian parliament on Wednesday unanimously voted in favor of a non-binding proposal for the resettlement of 10,000 Uyghur Muslim refugees from China's Xinjiang region into Canada over two years.

The House of Commons voted 322-0 for Liberal member of parliament Sameer Zuberi's bill, which also called on the government to recognize that Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims who have fled to third countries face "pressure and intimidation" by China to return.

While the passage of the bill does not compel Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government to follow the proposal, the undivided support is likely to put pressure on his minority government to take action.

Container trucks are seen at the Urumqi China-Europe Railway Express Hub in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China July 14, 2021. Picture taken July 14, 2021. cnsphoto via REUTERS

"Canada will always do its part in helping those in need of protection," Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said in a statement. "I am committed to working with members of all parties to advance the measures outlined in the motion adopted by the House of Commons today."

Rights groups accuse China of widespread abuses of Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority that numbers around 10 million in the western region of Xinjiang, including the mass use of forced labor in internment camps. Beijing vigorously denies any abuses.

In 2021, Canada became one of the first countries to label China's treatment of the Uyghurs genocide. Canada was also among the countries that unsuccessfully tried to hold a debate at the United Nations last year about alleged human rights abuses by China against Muslims in Xinjiang.

A Canadian flag flies in front of the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, March 22, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Wattie

The Chinese embassy in Ottawa had no immediate comment.

(Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.