Day: June 9, 2023

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Beijing next week, Reuters and the Associated Press reported Friday, as the United States seeks to shore up strained ties with China.

Both Reuters and AP said Blinken would be in Beijing on June 18, next Sunday, citing anonymous American officials. AP said he would meet with Foreign Minister Qin Gang and possibly President Xi Jinping.

State Department officials would not confirm the reported plans.

In February, Blinken abruptly canceled a trip to Beijing just hours before he was set to depart Washington after officials said a Chinese spy balloon was found floating over the United States. China insisted it was a weather balloon that strayed off course.

Since then, an unofficial trip by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to New York and Los Angeles in March has further inflamed ties.

Relations between the world’s two major powers have been tense since August, when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan to the protests of Beijing, which regards the democratic island as a renegade province and has vowed to reunite it with the mainland.

There has also been an uptick in near-miss accidents between the two countries’ militaries in the past two weeks in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, with the Pentagon accusing China’s navy and air force of dangerous maneuvering in front of American vessels.

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday warned supporters of opposition leader Sam Rainsy that they will be prosecuted if they continue their association with him.

The longtime leader also said that supporters living in exile were welcome to return to Cambodia as long as they renounce Sam Rainsy, one of Hun Sen’s most prominent critics and rivals. 

“The movement of the opposition party members who left the party is like a broken dam,” the prime minister said at a meeting with factory workers in Kampong Chhnang province. 

“We are welcoming all parties’ inclinations to live with the CPP,” Hun Sen said on Friday, referring to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party. “But I won’t accept just one person: the traitor,” referring to Sam Rainsy. 

“Anyone who disassociates with him, I will pardon them but those who are associated with him will be prosecuted,” he said.

Hun Sen and the CPP have neutralized the political opposition ahead of the July 23 parliamentary election by threatening or co-opting activists. 

Additionally, members of the main opposition Candlelight Party have been arrested in several provinces in recent months, including two senior party officials in Tboung Khmum province who were charged this week with incitement. 

Some detained activists have received pardons, were released from prison and given government positions after they publicly switched their allegiance to the CPP. Some have made claims that they were cheated by Sam Rainsy.

Thailand and Vietnam

Once the head of the now-disbanded opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, Sam Rainsy fled to France in 2015 to avoid a series of charges that his supporters say were politically motivated.

His recent visit to Kuala Lumpur – where he spent time with Cambodian political activists living in Malaysia – angered Hun Sen, who threatened to attack him with a rocket launcher if he led workers from Thailand into Cambodia. 

In May, Sam Rainsy told Radio Free Asia that if a new pro-democracy Thai government is formed, he would look into traveling to Cambodia through Thailand. 

Hun Sen has asked Thailand to arrest Sam Rainsy if he travels there. This week, he said he has received information that Sam Rainsy has also considered traveling on a French passport to Vietnam, where he could walk across the border to Cambodia.

Last week, the prime minister threatened to arrest anyone who took part in a planned demonstration in Phnom Penh to protest against the National Election Committee’s decision – citing inadequate paperwork – to keep the Candlelight Party off the ballot for next month’s elections

“Please try me if you dare, you can come out now,” Hun Sen said. “I will handcuff you immediately and I won’t keep you in Phnom Penh.”

‘It is hard to accept’

Candlelight Party spokesman Kim Sour Phirith said party officials are working to collect information on this week’s arrests in Tboung Khmum and will provide defense lawyers.

“It is hard to accept [the arrests],” he told RFA. “The Candlelight Party can’t participate in the election and now many important activists have been arrested without proper reasons.”

Hun Sen is obviously worried that Sam Rainsy will return to Cambodia, where he continues to have support, said Duong Chantrea, an opposition party activist who fled Cambodia and is living in Bangkok. 

He said he won’t accept Hun Sen’s offer and will continue to associate with Sam Rainsy.

“People are struggling for freedom and a better economy like other countries,” he told RFA. “They won’t follow Hun Sen. They are waiting to get a good chance to change the dictatorial regime.”

Translated by Samean Yun. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.

More than 170 anti-junta paramilitary groups from Myanmar’s northern, embattled Sagaing region have held talks to deepen cooperation in their fight against the military and share strategies for administering areas under their control.

The “Sagaing Forum,” hosted online on May 30-31, provides a rare glimpse into the myriad of so-called People’s Defense Force, or PDF, groups that are fighting the junta but have not pledged allegiance to the shadow National Unity Government seeking to reestablish a civilian administration in the aftermath of the military’s Feb. 1, 2021, coup d’etat.

Speaking to RFA Burmese on Friday, Sagaing Forum spokesperson Chaw Su San called the gathering part of efforts to “strengthen the revolutionary forces” of the region, despite the absence of NUG-aligned PDFs.

“More than two years into the resistance against the military junta, we held the forum as we saw the need to unite all revolutionary groups, in order to keep up the momentum of the revolution,” he said. 

“The purpose of the forum is to make the anti-junta revolutionary groups in Sagaing more connected so that they will be able to continue fighting against the junta as part of a wider network,” he said.

Chaw Su San said that topics at the forum focused on regional issues related to politics, the military and regional administration. A statement issued by forum organizers on June 1 said other themes included ending military rule, self-governance, self-administration and the organization of regional anti-junta forces.

While NUG-aligned PDF groups were absent from the forum, the shadow government sent a message to the forum at its conclusion, expressing hope that the talks could foster progress on issues related to local needs, “without unwanted external pressures.”

The National Unity Consultative Council – an advisory body to the NUG made up of various ethnic armed organizations and majority Bamar groups – was present and delivered a speech to attendees.

Captain Htut Khaung, the leader of the Yinmarbin township 28th Battalion of the Dar Ma Saing Army under the NUG, told RFA that he did not receive an invitation to the forum, but was briefed on the topics covered.

“The forum attendees pledged to continue the revolution as a united front and they discussed their goals, including what they want and how they will carry it out,” he said.

A person who attended the forum as an observer confirmed to RFA on condition of anonymity that he did not see PDF groups under the NUG’s Ministry of Defense in attendance.

NUG rival?

Critics of the forum have suggested that the groups that attended intend to present an alternative to the NUG and gain political advantage.

However, forum spokespersons dismissed the allegations, calling it a “platform for all revolutionary groups to meet and confer.”

Thein Tun Oo, the executive director of the Thayninga Institute for Strategic Studies, which is made up of former military officers, said he viewed the gathering as a sign of disunity among anti-junta actors.

“It is natural that, after a time, groups with different directions and preferences part ways, leading to fragmentation,” he said. “We will have to wait and see if that is what’s happening, but it’s a possibility.”

Thein Tun Oo said it is “highly probable” that there will be further splits between the groups going forward, although he did not elaborate.

Kyaw Zaw, spokesman for the office of NUG President Duwa Lashi La, denied speculation that the shadow government’s absence was proof of a split within anti-junta forces and said the NUG supported the gathering.

“The people of Sagaing region and their revolutionary and political groups need to come together and discuss how to jointly implement a new federal democratic state in the Sagaing Forum,” he said, elaborating on the NUG statement sent last week.

Kyaw Zaw said that discussions at the forum pertaining to the right to self-determination and self-governance were “in line with the Federal Democratic Charter,” adding that the NUG was “satisfied” with the results of the meeting.

Local support

RFA spoke with residents of Sagaing who also welcomed the gathering, including a person from Pale township who said he hopes for additional meetings that promote unity between the region’s anti-junta groups.

“I welcome these forums as a citizen,” said the Pale resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing security concerns. “My only hope is that they collaborate with scholars and other experts to ensure that they don’t go astray.”

Sagaing Forum organizers told RFA that the next gathering will allow participants to drill down on topics raised in May and said they plan to invite additional groups to increase participation.

A date has yet to be decided for the second forum.

Translated by Myo Min Aung. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.

U.S. lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill in Congress that would grant priority refugee status to Uyghurs fleeing persecution in China.

It designates Uyghurs and other ethnic groups persecuted by the Chinese government as priority 2, or P–2, and expedites their ability to apply for asylum in the United States.

“The horrific atrocities that Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities are facing at the hands of the Chinese government are a global human rights emergency, and the United States cannot turn our back to those fleeing this persecution,” said Rep. Jennifer Wexton, a Democrat from Virginia, one of the sponsors of the Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act.

In addition to Wexton, representatives María Elvira Salazar, a Florida Republican, Gregory Meeks, a Democrat from New York, Don Beyer and Gerry Connolly, both Virginia Democrats, introduced the bill on Wednesday.

The P-2 designation is for Uyghurs oppressed by China for expressing political views and religious beliefs or attending political, religious and cultural activities. Those given the designation will receive special humanitarian help and will receive assistance with resettlement and the U.S. asylum process.  

The bill also seeks to protect Uyghur refugees who have fled to countries outside China besides the United States, by prioritizing U.S. diplomatic efforts in those nations which usually face great pressure from the Chinese government to extradite Uyghurs back to China.

The move comes at a time when Uyghur rights groups have called on the international community to take concrete action against China for committing severe rights abuses against the mostly Muslim group in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

China’s repression of the Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in Xinjiang has been well documented, with first-hand reports of detention in “re-education” camps and prisons, torture, sexual assaults, forced labor and the separation of Uyghur children from their parents.

Allegations of genocide

The American government and the parliaments of several Western countries have said the abuses amount to genocide or crimes against humanity.

“The United States cannot simply condemn Beijing for its genocide and pat itself on the back,” Meeks said in the statement. “We have a moral and international responsibility to offer aid and assistance to those that are trying to escape the PRC’s [People’s Republic of China] atrocities in Xinjiang. 

“Providing expanded refugee protections to Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities is the right thing to do and a clear way to demonstrate that America walks the talk when it comes to human rights.”

Rushan Abbas, executive director of the human rights group Campaign for Uyghurs, said the introduction of the bill is a crucial, though overdue, step forward in addressing the plight of the Uyghurs.

“It should have already happened back in 2020 when [former U.S. Secretary of State] Mike Pompeo acknowledged that China was carrying out the Uyghur genocide and committing crimes against humanity,” she said.

“At the very least, it is of utmost importance to have a bill that will help expedite asylum cases for Uyghurs who have been residing in the U.S. for years, enduring a prolonged wait for their cases to be resolved,” she said. 

Dolkun Isa, president of the World Uyghur Congress, said the bill’s passage would be a “significant milestone” following the Canadian government’s acceptance of 10,000 Uyghur refugees and serve as encouragement for Uyghurs who have fled China for other countries. 

Canadian move

In February, the Canadian parliament unanimously passed a motion to resettle the Uyghur refugees in Canada in response to the Chinese government’s efforts to forcibly return members of the mostly Muslim group back to China, where they are at risk of persecution. 

With a focus on Uyghurs from other countries rather than directly from China, the resettlements are expected to begin in 2024.

“Moreover, for future generations, this event would be etched in history as a testament to the United States’ unwavering commitment to defending the rights of the Uyghurs, potentially inspiring other nations to take similar action,” Isa said. 

“From a moral and international law standpoint, it will exert pressure on countries that are attempting to repatriate Uyghurs to China, serving as a deterrent against further crimes.”

Tursunay Ziyawudun, who was previously detained in a “re-education” camp but now lives in the United States, said the bill is significant for Uyghurs whose asylum applications remain unresolved in the U.S.

“There are numerous Uyghurs who have been in the process for over a decade, and their cases still linger in uncertainty,” she said, adding that when she stayed temporarily in Kazakhstan and Turkey before reaching the U.S., she lived in constant fear of being forcibly sent back to China.

Translated by RFA Uyghur. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.

A social media news channel set up by former journalists from shuttered pro-democracy media outlets in Hong Kong has put out an emergency call for new subscribers, citing the imminent threat of bankruptcy.

Channel C, which was founded by former journalists from the Apple Daily and other pro-democracy news outlets forced to close amid aggressive “national security” investigations, used its Thursday night broadcast to announce a financial emergency, citing monthly running costs of around HK$600,000 (US$76,500).

If supporters are unable to raise enough money in the next month, the channel — which currently boasts an audience of some two million people across Facebook, Instagram and YouTube — expects to shut down on July 12, two years after it was founded, it told viewers in an announcement.

At least eight pro-democracy news organizations have folded since Beijing imposed a draconian national security law on Hong Kong in 2020, banning public criticism of the authorities as “subversive.” Police and prosecutors have also used colonial-era sedition laws to target some journalists and publications.

While Channel C commands the biggest audience among the handful of Cantonese pro-democracy news outlets still operating outside Hong Kong, its viewing figures have struggled to take off since its launch to a degree that would keep it solvent, multimedia production director Ronson Chan told Radio Free Asia.

Chan, who also heads the Hong Kong Journalists’ Association, said the channel only had around 600 subscribers when it made the announcement, but had received offers of assistance from around 80 more sources in the wake of the announcement.

“We will definitely be able to keep going for this month and next, but it’s hard to say how things will be in 18 months from now,” Chan said. “It’s too far ahead to say.”

“If people aren’t able to keep us afloat, then we’ll have no choice [but to shut down],” he said. “There’s a limit to the number of times you can cry ’emergency,’ after all.”

Will they get support?

Current affairs commentator To Yiu-ming said the fact that many pro-democracy Hong Kongers are scattered around the world could make it hard for Channel C to hold all of their attention.

“Will they still care about current affairs in Hong Kong as much as they did back then [during the 2019 protest movement]?” To said. “Enough to support media like this?”

“There are a lot of independent outlets [for Hong Kongers] but they are all in different places, and they are trying to make themselves unique,” he said. “But they are all competing for the attention and support of the same group of Hong Kongers … overseas.”

“So it’s inevitable that they will run into difficulties.”

Since jailed media mogul Jimmy Lai’s Apple Daily newspaper was forced to close in 2021, when its assets were frozen by national security police, similarly independent and hard-hitting outfits like Stand News, FactWire and Citizen News have also been forced to close by the ongoing crackdown on dissent.

Former members of Hong Kong’s once-freewheeling press corps responded by launching their own media outlets aimed at covering the city from overseas, including The Chaser, Commons, Photon and Channel C.

They have warned that Hong Kong journalists still working in the city are being reduced to the status of government stenographers, as a climate of fear leads to widespread self-censorship.

To believes some independent outlets will survive, due to sheer dedication, however.

“These independent online media organizations really care about this, so I believe they’ll find a way to adapt … to meet the needs of their audiences,” he said. “The worst-case scenario will be that we see some mergers and reorganization.”

International press freedom groups say the ruling Chinese Communist Party under supreme leader Xi Jinping has “gutted” press freedom in the formerly freewheeling city amid an ongoing crackdown on dissent in the wake of the 2019 protest movement.

Meanwhile, journalists who fled the city continue to campaign for press freedom for the city from overseas.

Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster.