Uyghurs in Canada fear deportation after China's crackdown on Turkic Muslims
'My life is over if I go back to China,' says 18-year-old Uyghur refugee claimant
Ethnic Uyghurs who have made refugee claims in Canada fear deportation after a Human Rights Watch report detailed a crackdown on China's suppression of Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang.
The HRW says they have "new evidence of the Chinese government's mass arbitrary detention, torture, and mistreatment."
This comes after last month's claim by the UN that a million ethnic Uyghurs in China were in what they referred to as a "massive internment camp that is shrouded in secrecy."
A., an 18-year-old Uyghur woman, left China four years ago with her mother to go to the United States. CBC Radio is identifying her by her first initial only.
When her father in China fell ill, her mother flew home to take care of him — and due to threats there, her parents ended up flying to Canada and making a refugee claim.
A. came to Canada last year and made her own refugee claim. In July, she received a deportation notice.
"My life is over if I go back to China. I don't have any family back home, and if I go back they're definitely going to put me in the camp," she told The Current's producer Allie Jaynes.
"I'm still worried about my mom's claim because if they reject us again, we're definitely going to send back to China."
After activists brought A's case to Global Affairs Canada, she was allowed to stay in Canada until her mother's refugee appeal is decided.
She says her family can't sleep through the night out of fear of deportation.
"My dad, he's depressed every day. You can't see any happiness in his face," she said, adding her mom's hair is falling out.
"We just want somewhere to protect us. We just want somewhere to welcome us. We just want a home."
When asked whether the Canadian government plans to continue to deport Uyghur refugee claimants to China, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada replied that "Canada has not considered any special program for Uyghurs."
Chinese officials have denied accusations of "arbitrary detention" and insist there are no "re-education centres." According to the HRW report, China characterizes the facilities in question as "vocational education and employment training centres."
But Mehmet Tohti, the founder of Uighur Canadian Association, characterized them as "concentration camps."
He wants to see the UN and other international allies mobilize together to stand up against "these 21st-century atrocities" and "urge the Chinese government to release the victims."
In a statement to The Current, Global Affairs Canada wrote: "Canada has consistently called on the Chinese government to address concerns about the widespread restrictions on freedom to worship and observe religious traditions, and about repressive state policies and coercive police actions against Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang province."
According to Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian Ambassador to China, Canadian officials are aware of developments on the ground in China.
He explained that a judge considers each person's story when it comes to deportation cases like A's.
"The individual has to demonstrate why he or she fears [they] could be subject to detention," he said, adding that given the situation in China in the last two years has gotten worse, a judge most likely will take this into account.
Listen to the full discussion near the top of this page.
March 7, 2024 update: This story has been updated to remove the Uyghur woman's name due to safety concerns.
With files from Reuters and CBC News. Produced by Allie Jaynes.