A Muslim and Uighur activist has told Radio Islam a bill calling on President Donald Trump’s administration to toughen its response to China’s crackdown on the Uighur Muslim minority has not received much coverage in the US or anywhere in world.
The bipartisan bill, introduced by Republican Senator Marco Rubio, calls for “visa and property-blocking” sanctions against Chinese officials responsible for the repression of Uighurs and other Muslim groups in the country’s western region of Xinjiang.
The legislation comes amid criticism of China’s internment of more than a million Uighurs and other Turkic Muslim groups in camps that China says provide vocational training.
Speaking to Radio Islam, Aydin Anwar says the news of the bill should have received more coverage to create awareness about the plight of the Uighurs.
“Here in the US, I know there’s been a couple of news sites who have talked about it and covered it. But it’s not something that I see like in the midst of this Coronavirus and it’s not getting that much coverage that it should be.”
Anwar says the Rubio does not really care for the Uighur Muslims, and his actions smacked of political motivations.
“People like Marco Rubio and the Republican Party are in many ways not really concerned the Muslim population here in the United States. When Islamophobia occurs, they themselves promote and propagate Islamophobic policies.”
Anwar says the Republican Party and Trumps administration is using the Uighur issue to “bring down China.”
China has denied mishandling the COVID-19 outbreak and has condemned the US move to pass legislation in support of the Uighurs as malicious attacks and a serious interference in its internal affairs that would affect bilateral cooperation.
Faizel Patel
Listen to the interview with Aydin Anwar
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