On Thursday, an international tribunal investigating claims of genocide against Uyghur Muslims in China confirmed to the world that such acts were indeed taking place. But of the big three networks that evening, it was only Olympics broadcaster NBC who dared to share the report with their viewers, a risky move considering the Beijing Winter Olympics was coming up.
Instead of taking a risk like their competitor, the CBS Evening News spent over three minutes (3:07) on anchor Norah O’Donnell touring a Los Angeles FedEx processing center and making jokes about them being Santa’s helpers. Over on ABC’s World News Tonight, anchor David Muir was busy stoking fear of the Omicron variant despite evidence the symptoms were mild.
But on NBC Nightly News, anchor Lester Holt was blunt. “China is facing international outrage after an independent tribunal accused the government of committing genocide against the Muslim Uyghurs in a new report out today,” he said.
The report was delivered by senior international correspondent Keir Simmons who immediately got to the point:
SIMMONS: In this court-like setting in London today, a judgment from an international tribunal.
SIR GEOFFREY NICE: The PRC has committed genocide.
“Uyghur Muslims, a minority group from western China, have been speaking out at the tribunal’s hearings. Witness after witness saying things like, ‘punishments including savage beatings, sleep, and food deprivation.’ ‘Police officers took the children away by force,’” he read, recalling one witness who “documented 232 re-education camps, 257 prisons.”
Simmons spoke with Uyghur exiles across the Mediterranean, some even showing how China’s actions against them reached well beyond their shores:
SIMMONS: We traveled to Istanbul where thousands of Uyghur refugees live in exile. Here, a recreation of a Chinese re-education camp the refugees say are being used in China right now. They call them concentration camps with torture rooms.
This is an interrogation room?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Yes. This is a tiger chair.
SIMMONS: A tiger chair?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: You call it a tiger chair.
SIMMONS: But even outside China, Uyghurs don't feel safe. Zenora’s husband was arrested in Morocco earlier this year. She is left with their young children and fears he will be sent to a Chinese prison.
“Families divided by Chinese authorities who accuse Uyghurs of trying to create a separate country,” Simmons said as he shared China’s complaints. “‘These issues are purely China's domestic affairs,’ the Chinese embassy in Washington told us. ‘We are firm in upholding national sovereignty, security, and development interests.’ Their statement ending, ‘stop making irresponsible remarks.’”
“The U.S. has already accused China of genocide. While this week more countries joined America's diplomatic boycott of the Beijing games,” he concluded.
Lately, Simmons has been all over the problems China was causing for the world. Last month, he was the only network reporter to give airtime to China trying to join and exploit INTERPOL.
The omission of confirmation of the Uyghur genocide was made possible because lucrative sponsorships from Salonpas on ABC and TD Ameritrade on CBS. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about the biased news they fund.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
NBC Nightly News
December 9, 2021
7:20:54 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: China is facing international outrage after an independent tribunal accused the government of committing genocide against the Muslim Uyghurs in a new report out today. Keir Simmons with more now from London.
[Cuts to video]
KEIR SIMMONS: Tonight, China’s human rights record condemned again just days after the U.S. announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing games. In this court-like setting in London today, a judgment from an international tribunal.
SIR GEOFFREY NICE: The PRC has committed genocide.
SIMMONS: Uyghur Muslims, a minority group from western China, have been speaking out at the tribunal’s hearings. Witness after witness saying things like, “punishments including savage beatings, sleep, and food deprivation.” “Police officers took the children away by force.”
Among the evidence the panel has reviewed, leaked documents alleging China's president authorized this treatment.
Uyghur [woman’s name] gave evidence. She has documented 232 re-education camps, 257 prisons.
UYGHUR WOMAN: There is a genocide going on. There are millions of people being locked up in this so-called re-education camps.
SIMMONS: We traveled to Istanbul where thousands of Uyghur refugees live in exile. Here, a recreation of a Chinese re-education camp the refugees say are being used in China right now. They call them concentration camps with torture rooms.
This is an interrogation room?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Yes. This is a tiger chair.
SIMMONS: A tiger chair?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: You call it a tiger chair.
SIMMONS: But even outside China, Uyghurs don't feel safe. Zenora’s husband was arrested in Morocco earlier this year. She is left with their young children and fears he will be sent to a Chinese prison.
ZENORA: I should stay strong. I have three children.
SIMMONS: While we were with her, she gets a call from him in prison.
What did he say?
ZENORA: He said he was really scared.
SIMMONS: Families divided by Chinese authorities who accuse Uyghurs of trying to create a separate country. “These issues are purely China's domestic affairs,” the Chinese embassy in Washington told us. “We are firm in upholding national sovereignty, security and development interests.” Their statement ending, “stop making irresponsible remarks.”
Are you scared?
UYGHUR WOMAN: No.
SIMMONS: Why not?
UYGHUR WOMAN: I think the worst is happening already and it can't be even worse than this.
[Cuts to video]
SIMMONS: The U.S. has already accused China of genocide. While this week more countries joined America's diplomatic boycott of the Beijing games. Lester?
HOLT: All right. Keir, thank you.
