Dianne Abbott must take responsibility for 'legitimising' deniers of Uighur atrocities
15 November 2020, 15:55
Oz Katerji reflects on Dianne Abbott conference scandal
This journalist declared that Dianne Abbott must accept responsibility for validating the voices of Uighur persecution deniers, despite having apologised for attending an online conference hosting such views.
"Dianne Abbott has previous with issues like this," pointed out Oz Katerji, citing issues of her association with Serbia during the Bosnian war, or silencing Syrian protesters as a spokesperson for Stop The War.
"I don't know what it is that makes this keep happening but there needs to be responsibility taken for this kind of thing," said Mr Katerji.
Dianne Abbott MP appeared on Saturday at an online meeting which included appearances from guests who denied the atrocities committed by the CCP against Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang.
Mr Katerji pointed out that "she wrote two apologies saying she condemned the views of the genocide revisionists in the show beforehand and she didn't know about them."
The point the journalist tried to get across is Ms Abbott must "take responsibility for going on a platform like that and legitimising it," instead of just apologising for her participation in the event.
"This was a vehicle for atrocity revisionism," he said.
On Saturday I took part in an online meeting entitled “Uniting against racism and the new cold war”I had no idea that there were people on the call who denied Chinese harassment and massacres of Muslims in Uyghur. The treatment of these communities is a human rights violation.
— Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) November 15, 2020
Both I and the Labour Party condemn the human rights violations in Uyghur. I apologise if my involvement in Saturdays event sent a different message. I continue to campaign against racism and for human rights internationally.
— Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) November 15, 2020
Maajid pointed out that Canada classifies the Uighur atrocities as genocide and any revisionism, or association with revisionism "is a revision of genocide."
"The Chinese government is doing its absolute best" to keep the atrocities under wraps Mr Katerji noted, and Ms Abbott's participation in the event helps that narrative.
"Everything's fine in Xinjiang and it's a racial utopia, those were the things that were being said at the event Dianne Abbott spoke to."
"I think there's a responsibility for politicians to not appear to legitimise positions such as this, it's incredibly harmful."
