The Australian Strategist Policy Institute reported signs of new construction at China's detention camps for Uyghur Muslims. The disturbing report once again raised alarms for the international community on the ongoing human rights violation by Beijing. At least 61 suspected detention centres saw traces of new construction between July 2019 and July 2020 according to the report.
The recently expanded camps have greater security features, suggesting a shift toward more prison-style facilities. "The findings of this research contradict Chinese officials' claims that all 'trainees' from so-called vocational training centres had 'graduated' by late 2019," Said Nathan Ruser, researcher of the report.
He further added, "Available evidence suggests that many extrajudicial detainees in Xinjiang's vast "re-education" network are now being formally charged and locked up in higher security facilities, including newly built or expanded prisons, or sent to walled factory compounds for coerced labour assignments."
The researcher identified more than 380 detention camps using survivor accounts, other projects tracking internment centres, and satellite images. ASPI said nighttime images were particularly useful, as they looked for areas that were newly illuminated outside towns; often these were the sites of freshly built detention centres, with daytime images giving a clear picture of construction.
A new detention centre in the much smaller historic Silk Road city of Kashgar, opened as recently as January this year, has 13 five-storey residential buildings spread over 25 hectares (60 acres), surrounded by a 14-metre-high wall and watch-towers, the report said.
The apparent shift in focus to higher security detention centres fits with reports and survivor testimony that “a significant number of detainees that have not shown satisfactory progress in political indoctrination camps have been transferred to higher security facilities, which expanded to accommodate them”, the report said.
Chinese state-controlled newspaper Global Times, however, has reported that ASPI contributors Clive Hamilton and Alex Joske have been banned from entering the country.
Chinese authorities had initially denied the existence of internment camps, they later-described them as vocational training and re-education programmes to alleviate poverty and counter terrorism. Last week they released a statement that "vocational training" was increasing job opportunities and combating poverty in Xinjiang. Thereby unequivocally denying any claims of human rights violation or allegations of detention centres in China yet again.
Meanwhile, a Uyghur Muslim, a victim of China's atrocities spoke at the UNHRC. He raises concerns over what is happening in China and asks why other nations are not taking steps.
By Team RSP
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