CFU Press Release
For Immediate Release
March 2, 2021 5:30 p.m. EST
Contact: contact@campaignforuyghurs.org
www.campaignforuyghurs.org
Campaign For Uyghurs (CFU) initiated a meeting with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held on March 1, 2021, in order to brief her on updates and legislative priorities relating to stopping the Uyghur genocide.
Dr. Rishat Abbas, Senior Advisor to CFU and the World Uyghur Congress presented Speaker Pelosi with a gift sent from the Uyghur community in Turkey to show appreciation for her work on the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act. Dr. Abbas spoke to Speaker Pelosi saying “Uyghurs are facing unprecedented atrocities, so horrific that the United States and the Canadian Parliament declared China’s actions against the Uyghurs as genocide…Your continuous support for our community is much needed.”
Mr. Abdulhakim Idris, an Uyghur human rights activist and Inspector General of the World Uyghur Congress, presented his upcoming book to the Speaker. CFU also welcomed USCIRF Commissioner Nury Turkel to attend the meeting and to share remarks on the current situation. He affirmed in the meeting that “the U.S. sanctions are creating negative effects on the Chinese economy.” He encouraged the administration and Congress to continue to seek meaningful actions to hold the Chinese regime accountable.
CFU discussed the reporting by CNN and BBC on the hellish situation for Uyghur women, and the affirmed support of a push to move the Olympics or alternatively a diplomatic boycott as suggested in House Resolution 162, as well as for the swift passage of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. The issue of Uyghur refugee asylum cases was also discussed, with emphasis placed on assigning P-2 status.
During the meeting, Speaker Pelosi expressed her solidarity and support for Uyghurs and the families facing these atrocities and affirmed her view that the United States has an obligation to address the genocide. In a tweet posted on her social media following the meeting, she expressed appreciation for the meeting with CFU and stated that “If we don’t speak out clearly for human rights in China because of commercial interests, we lose all moral authority to speak out for human rights any place in the world.”
CFU is thankful for Speaker Pelosi’s outspoken commitment to stopping the CCP’s human rights abuses and looks forward to furthering impactful action.
