Senator Rónán Mullen. Senator Rónán Mullen has challenged the Government over what he has said is its failure to properly address the Chinese abuses of its Uyghur Muslim population.
His motion condemning the persecution of the Uyghurs passed in the Seanad without opposition from the Government.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Senator Mullen said about motion, “It’s historic that the motion passed without opposition from the Government in the Seanead because it typically calls on the Government to use all trade and diplomatic channels to put pressure on China.”
The motion in question called on the Government to condemn the Chinese abuses of the Uyghur people, and “to use all available trade and diplomatic channels, including the United Nations Security Council, to insist on the observance of basic human rights protections for the Uyghur Muslim population and for all citizens of the People’s Republic of China.”
Describing the Government’s response as “mealy-mouthed”, Mr Mullen continued, “it is up to us now to hold the Government’s feet to the fire on this because with so much happening in the country I even notice that, you know, media coverage of the motion and its outcome was scant enough, now…so, you know, I’ll be looking at ways in which I can continue to build awareness on this”.