Statement on the passage of Motion 62 in the Canadian Parliament.

The Uyghur American Association (UAA) is encouraged by the unanimous passage of Motion 62 in the

Canadian Parliament. This motion, introduced by Canadian MP Sameer Zuberi, requests leveraging the

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship portion of Canada’s Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement

Program to expedite the resettlement of 10,000 Uyghurs over a period of two years.

The motion recognizes that “many of these in third countries face continued diplomatic and economic

pressure from the People’s Republic of China to detain and deport Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims

leaving them without a safe haven in the world”.

The motion also dictates that within 100 sitting days of adoption, a report on the implementation of the

refugee resettlement plan will be tabled in the House.

We are deeply grateful to Mr. Zuberi, as well as our hard-working colleagues in Canada, from the Uyghur

Rights Advocacy Project, as well as the World Uyghur Congress, who have been diligent in raising the

plight of the Uyghurs to policy makers and civic society alike.

UAA President Elfidar Iltebir stated that “This motion grants hope to the Uyghur people. Many of them

have escaped China’s genocide only to be left in vulnerable states in countries like Turkey and

Kazakhstan. We are profoundly moved that they can anticipate finding a home in Canada.”

The Uyghur American Association encourages the Canadian government to implement the motion

without delay, and to move forward with setting a precedent for Western democracies that confronting

Uyghur genocide must also involve tangibly assisting those who have survived.

The Uyghur American Association also calls on the government of the United States to grant Priority 2

refugee status to Uyghurs. Such action is a reflection of American values, and a complement to national

security priorities. Uyghurs who are facing deportation and limited resources, cut off from their

homeland, should be able to seek safe haven in the United States. This was previously introduced in

Congress via the Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act. The Uyghur American Association will continue to

press that the United States House of Representatives and Senate push forward upon the reintroduction

of this relevant legislation while encouraging the State Department to do what is necessary to save the

remnant who have escaped the camps and Chinese prisons.