NZ Slams China For 'Severe Human Rights Abuses' Against Uyghurs

New Zealand's parliament on Wednesday termed China's treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang province as "severe human rights abuses."

All parties supported the motion that was tabled by ACT Party deputy leader Brooke van Velden. It was allowed for debate after dropping the word "genocide" from the text following an objection from the ruling Labour Party.

"Our conscience requires that we support this motion, we know that a genocide is taking place ... genocide does not require a war, it does not need to be sudden, it can be slow and deliberate and that is what is happening here," Velden said.

Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said that while the government has not described the treatment of the Uyghurs as genocide, it has directly addressed their concerns about the situation with the Chinese government.

"Genocide is the gravest of international crimes and a formal legal determination should only be reached following a rigorous assessment on the basis of international law. International courts have required fully conclusive evidence before reaching a conclusion," she said.

The foreign minister called on China to uphold its human rights obligations, and to respond to the "well-founded" concerns of the international community.

China has been accused of discrimination against the Muslim minority group in its northwestern autonomous region.

Right groups say it has held up to a million Uyghurs in detention centers, which the state calls "re-education camps." Several western countries have sanctioned Chinese officials for the alleged abuses.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid -