WEBVTT - Colum Murphy on UN Report (Audio)

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<v Speaker 1>We've been talking about this report from the U N

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<v Speaker 1>Human Rights Office. It has accused China of actions that

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<v Speaker 1>make constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity. It

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<v Speaker 1>stems from China's massed attention of wagers and other predominantly

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<v Speaker 1>Muslim groups in the far western region of shian Jung.

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<v Speaker 1>We're going to take a closer look now with Colin Murphy.

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<v Speaker 1>He is China government reporter based in Beijing. Colum, thank

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<v Speaker 1>you for joining us this. It was a long awaited report.

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<v Speaker 1>Give me a sense of why it was released today. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>very long awaited, I mean it's One of the reasons

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<v Speaker 1>for the delay was the the High Commissioner wanted to

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<v Speaker 1>visit Shinjian in person, and while the invitation was extended

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<v Speaker 1>a couple of years ago, getting her to Shinjian, getting

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<v Speaker 1>on the ground was held back for a number of reasons,

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<v Speaker 1>including of course, COVID. So she finally met that trip

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<v Speaker 1>in May of this year, one that was criticized at

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<v Speaker 1>the time by human rights advocates. And yesterday, the thirty

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<v Speaker 1>onet of August, was her final day in office, and

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<v Speaker 1>she had pledged to get the report out on the

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<v Speaker 1>final day, and and sure enough right down to the wire. UM,

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<v Speaker 1>the report came out, so it's been long anticipated. But

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<v Speaker 1>I would say most people are are are saying it

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<v Speaker 1>was worth the weight in some respects because there's a

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<v Speaker 1>lot in here that definitely needs to be discussed, unpacked

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<v Speaker 1>and considered going forward. Yes, crimes against humanity. I'm referenced

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<v Speaker 1>that now some countries, including the US, have accused Beijing

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<v Speaker 1>of committing genocide in Shan John, does this report address

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<v Speaker 1>the issue of genocide? Known from what we've gone through

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<v Speaker 1>the report, there's no reference to genocide, but you know,

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<v Speaker 1>there is a lot of other damning things in there,

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<v Speaker 1>and basically, you know, everything from the involuntary detention of

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<v Speaker 1>people in the re education centers to denial, denying people

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<v Speaker 1>the right to religious freedom, to force labor and onto uh,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, birth control policies. I mean, it basically covers

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<v Speaker 1>the whole range of possible UM human rights violations without

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<v Speaker 1>directly arriving at a conclusion that genocide is in place.

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<v Speaker 1>Has there been a response to the report from Beijing? Uh?

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<v Speaker 1>The report itself does contain some of the sort of

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<v Speaker 1>viewpoints from Beijing. UM, but nothing since the report published.

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<v Speaker 1>But yesterday, a day ahead sort of in I guess,

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<v Speaker 1>in hindsight what looks like a preemptive attack on the

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<v Speaker 1>report from the Chinese Foreign Ministry. They described it as

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<v Speaker 1>a political stunt and that it had been unduly influenced

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<v Speaker 1>by the United States and other Western countries. So we're

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<v Speaker 1>looking for more response today and it's obviously not going

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<v Speaker 1>to be favorable. Um. And it is a big problem

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<v Speaker 1>for Beijing because you know, typically they have held up

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<v Speaker 1>the United Nations as this sort of beacon of multilateralism

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<v Speaker 1>and have been constantly sort of urging other countries, including

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<v Speaker 1>the US, to follow the U n Charter. So it

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<v Speaker 1>will be interesting to see how they reconcile this report

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<v Speaker 1>from the same body that they have held up in

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<v Speaker 1>such high esteem up to now. So in fewer than

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<v Speaker 1>well or in less than two weeks, I should say,

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<v Speaker 1>the Human Rights Council will meet, the General Assembly will

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<v Speaker 1>be convening here in New York City. Does this open

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<v Speaker 1>the door for meaningful action by Member States? Well, it

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<v Speaker 1>definitely gives people a very solid base with which to

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<v Speaker 1>work with. The problem, of course, is that the High

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<v Speaker 1>Commissioner herself has just left office, so a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>this will fall on the desk of her successor, but

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<v Speaker 1>there could also be actions taken by activist groups. Now

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<v Speaker 1>that people are sort of re invigorated, shall we say,

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<v Speaker 1>on the Shinjiang issue, we now have the you know,

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<v Speaker 1>more sort of discussion and more evidence and the backing

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<v Speaker 1>of the U N of course on this or the

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<v Speaker 1>this sort of the report that came out, uh, sort

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<v Speaker 1>of supporting a lot of research and a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>the um, you know, positions that have been taken by

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<v Speaker 1>activists in the past. So I will say that the

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<v Speaker 1>pressure is definitely on now again UM to re up

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<v Speaker 1>this topic and and to bring some meaningful changes, if possible,

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<v Speaker 1>try to influence China's behavior to bring about some meaningful change.

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<v Speaker 1>In xin Jong column, thank you so much for joining

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<v Speaker 1>us and helping us understand the story. Uh. We're talking

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<v Speaker 1>about the UN Human Rights Office accusing China of actions

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<v Speaker 1>that may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity. Uh.

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<v Speaker 1>It stems from the mass attention of weaker Muslims in

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<v Speaker 1>xian Juan. Colin Murphy is China government reporter from Beijing,

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<v Speaker 1>joining us here on Bloomberg Daybreak Asia