Peadar Tóibín 
Meath TD Peadar Tóibín has called on the Government to condemn the “barbaric measures” the Chinese government are using against the Uighur Muslim population in China.
In a letter sent to prominent Government figures, the Aontú leader referred to the ‘demographic genocide’ being carried out on China’s Uighur population, spoken of by international experts. He said that Aontú were “deeply concerned about the ‘detention camps’ to which women are being sent if they have more than the ‘permitted’ number of children”.
The letter also referred to the practices of forced pregnancy tests, forced birth control, forced sterilisation and forced abortions, as well as to the footage obtained of Uighur Muslims being blindfolded and led onto trains in remote China.
Protest
Speaking at a protest outside the Chinese embassy on Ailesbury road, Mr Tóibín commented on the response he received to the letter.
He said, “I was very impressed with the support from across political parties and across the political spectrum for my letter… Simon Coveney’s response to me was wishy-washy. He talked about how statements from the UN, of which Ireland is a member, had previously been issued. Talking about the ‘concerns’ the Irish government had, and how they will ‘monitor’ the situation.
“Now is not the time for small talk, now is not the time for complacency. These approaches don’t work when dealing with authoritative, dictatorial, oppressive regimes. We need strong condemnation from this government, we cannot stand idly by in silence,” he concluded.
