Issue 3, Volume 19 Anonymous *Content warning: genocide, sexual assault, racial violence, anti-China sentiment.* From the early 1960s, until the end of Apartheid in 1991, governments, institutions, and individuals stood against the disgusting racism of a white supremacist South African system. Something that I did not know until I started researching this article was that this University was at the forefront of the anti-apartheid movement in Australia, with an activist group called Student Action founded after the Sharpeville massacre. It was recognised that apartheid was an abomination, and that every civilized human being had a moral responsibility to resist it in whatever way they could. Students and faculty boycotted South African cricket matches and South African economic products. Universities and academic journals around the world prevented South African participation in their institutions and publications. Of course, they were accused of politicising sports, and science, and art. However, it was not the anti-apartheid movement politicising the world – it was the South Africans, by politicising our common humanity. The brave activists who walked through these halls ahead of us did this even when the Australian Government cravenly supported South Africa. However, over the decades, their few voices rose to a crushing volume, and eventually forced a change here and around the world. It is now recognised that the political pressure exerted on South Africa, particularly from close trade partners, was essential in ending apartheid, in the last country in Africa under white minority rule. It is my belief that a similar situation has arisen in the world today. Before I make the argument I am about to make, let me get a few things out of the way. I know some random commie in the comments is going to scream ‘bUt IrAq!’ or some bullshit. As a citizen of a country other than Australia, I’m not really affected by such blatant whataboutisms, but still. The Invasion of Iraq by the West was bad, but at least it arguably had good intentions. Toppling a brutal dictator, and staying for years afterwards to try to build a better country, are not the actions of the stereotypical villain. I can acknowledge that, while still opposing the war and its consequences. Anyway, as I was saying, there is a similar moral outrage happening today, as happened with apartheid. The People’s Republic of China, under the leadership of the evil CCP, is committing a genocide of the ethnic minority Uyghurs of Xinjiang. Now, I know some asshole is going to be in the comments, calling me a shill for the CIA. However, most people would agree that the genocide is proven. The Chinese Government isn't even really trying to hide it. I know we are all familiar with what is going on. Still, I think I should talk about some of it, so that people remember just how awful it is. There are huge camps in the countryside, where Muslim prisoners are separated from their families and children. They are brainwashed to love Xi Jinping and the Communist Party. They are forced to work to make things that are then exported to the rest of the world for cheap. One case covered recently by the BBC concerned a woman who reported she was kept in an all-women part of the prison. Every night, women would be taken to special rooms built in the prison camps, where there are no cameras. They were then raped and sexually tortured by guards and other men who came to the prison to have sex with the prisoners. This is genocide. One of the worst crimes in the world in recent decades, and yet the world does nothing. Why? Money, of course. Most people and institutions are willing to admit that this genocide is going on. But think of how expensive it would be to do anything about it! How pathetic. I almost can’t believe my ears when people say this to me. It is time for the world to find its backbone again! I am not advocating an attack against China or anything like that. Instead, I am advocating the same thing as the world came together to do to oppose apartheid: it is time to boycott China. We’re always told by our business interests that this is an impossible solution, and that we depend on China for our way of life. However, until the 1990s much of the world (including Australia) did no business with China. Many people aren’t aware of this. Perhaps I only know because I’m an outsider. Back then, the lot of most working people was actually better than it is now. Yes, people had less plastic crap everywhere, but there was wage growth and less inequality. Most of the benefits of doing business with China have gone straight to the big end of town. Now we get to the part of the article where I am going to get myself cancelled, and why I chose to write this anonymously. I am calling not only for my fellow students to rise up and boycott Chinese products. I am also calling for Melbourne Law School and the University of Melbourne to do so. That means, not collaborating with Chinese universities, not accepting money from the CCP (which they do through the Confucius Institute), and not accepting Chinese students. Now, I have nothing against my Chinese classmates. I am friends with lots of them. Still, the CCP needs to learn that by committing genocide, there will be consequences for the Chinese people. Only the people of China can fix this problem – it is their responsibility. I don’t think the rest of the world should intervene directly. However, Australia should also not give access to the CCP and pretend like everything is okay. Education is a valuable commodity – why should we trade it with a country that is doing such evil? Do I have faith that things will change? Not really. Institutions like the University of Melbourne are greedy for Chinese money. The Australian Government too, even though China won’t allow a transparent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. Maybe this will be the final straw, but I would not bet on it. Still, I have some hope. Things cannot keep going the way they are going. We need to show the strength shown by the anti-apartheid activists, and that starts right here at Melbourne Law School. *** *** *** The views in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of De Minimis or its Editors.
Comment from the Melbourne China Law Society: The Melbourne China Law Society acknowledges the discrimination that international students, particularly those from China, have faced in Australia in recent times. We all have a right to feel safe, especially at our University. Being separated from families and friends back home, Chinese international students deserve a support system within the JD community here and it is our obligation to foster that support system. We believe we speak on behalf of the MLS student body when we say that we do not support discrimination of any kind, nor do we support the use of public platforms at the school to spread messages of discrimination. We would like to express our support for the Chinese international students going through a difficult time due to the racism they have faced, especially in the midst of the pandemic. We hope that Chinese international students do not feel alienated by the anonymous author’s sentiments and would like to extend our support to the international student body at Melbourne Law School. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the MCLS if you have been affected by the article and need someone to talk to. We are here for you. Finally, we would like to remind all students at MLS of our responsibility under the Student Charter to create a safe, supportive, inclusive and diverse study environment. We all deserve to be treated with respect, equity, fairness and consideration by all members of the University community, and to treat each other as such. Melbourne Law School declined to comment on this article.
?
18/3/2021 07:20:51 pm
comments bouta get spicy yall
De Minimis Editer
18/3/2021 07:34:40 pm
"we moderate the comment section and delete comments that display prejudice as to race, sexuality, gender, sex, religion, creed or social origin."
De Minimis Editor
18/3/2021 07:36:20 pm
happily however we may post and circulate articles that display prejudice as to race, sexuality, gender, sex, religion, creed or social origin
?
18/3/2021 07:44:24 pm
LMAOOOOOOO
CWN
18/3/2021 07:41:11 pm
There is an important conversation to be had about the atrocities being committed in Xinjiang, and this is not the way to have it.
X
18/3/2021 09:42:11 pm
Blatant racism? Where?
Cerises
2/4/2021 01:22:11 am
I would like to acknowledge that the situation in Xinjiang is worth concerning. However, I do believe that the word of “genocide” is being inappropriately used here and it is genuinely inaccurate.
k c
3/4/2021 11:30:00 am
there is no point in arguing about this,
Samantha
8/4/2021 03:51:16 pm
Yes, thank you for raising these important points. I think we can both be sympathetic to the author’s intention and point out the shortcomings of this argument. Irrespective to age and experience, we’re all students, and so this is also a chance to learn from each other and communicate respectfully.
Yuck
18/3/2021 07:49:15 pm
Very unsettling that this person is amongst my peers at MLS... pls do better and educate yourself, develop some empathy and maybe work on your writing skills too !!! x
Not kevin rudd
18/3/2021 07:59:47 pm
I mean this in a sincere and non-provocative way - what do you mean by 'educate yourself?'
not kevin rudd
18/3/2021 07:56:31 pm
OP and others kevin rudd is an excellent source on how to talk about china with the nuance it deserves.
Also not Kevin Rudd
18/3/2021 09:47:56 pm
I really agree with your comments. We’re all privileged and educated people - we should be able to separate condemnation of China’s actions from condemnation of Chinese people. It seems totally disingenuous to suggest that this conversation can’t take place without hurting the feelings of Chinese people in Australia (many of whom, I feel safe in assuming, would be likely to agree with the proposition that the Chinese government needs to be strongly deterred from their current path, and that given China’s lack of democracy this work may be better done by trade partner boycotts than citizens protestations).
Not kevin rudd
19/3/2021 09:34:04 am
its a rly difficult question to answer: how do we, as a (maybe) middle power affect change in the worlds second most powerful country?
Good intentions
18/3/2021 07:59:54 pm
Maybe the evil CCP is also with good intentions and trying to build a better country, so I guess they are not a stereotypical villain either.
Genocide = stereotypical villain
18/3/2021 09:50:47 pm
Jesus Christ, a genocide is being committed on our watch and we’re thinking about China’s intentions?
GOOD INTENTIONS
18/3/2021 10:09:12 pm
If you missed the sarcasm, sorry I forgot to highlight the 'good intentions' with inverted commas.
Lachlan
1/4/2021 08:17:58 pm
Genocide? Are you talking about Aboriginal people here in Australia, or Native Americans or Jewish in Europe???
Anon
18/3/2021 08:03:57 pm
Shit article but don't blame de min - just refute this guy's points and move on. Good job de min, the content warnings are great and seeking comment from mcls was a good call.
de minimis chef editers
18/3/2021 08:12:15 pm
thank you so much for supporting us and our efforts to spread discrimintaory content. we will continue doing our best . who wouldve thought slapping on a content warning was all it took in order to post saucier articles
3rd Party
18/3/2021 08:07:31 pm
Disgusting viewpoints, clearly this person has not evolved through time and is still living in the past. Come on, we are in the 21st century. You don’t deserve to study law and serve the justice system with this narrowed and tiny brain of yours.
Double standards
27/3/2021 09:19:36 pm
I'd like to say the same to CCP: "Come on, we're in the 21st Century."
Lachlan
1/4/2021 08:20:25 pm
Come on SCOMO! White supremacy is not working anymore in the 21st century!
DIU
18/3/2021 08:09:14 pm
As a Chinese Muslim person who grew up in China, I find this article very disturbing and disgusting. As a person who belongs to a minority ethnicity group, I have never ever experienced any mistreatment by the Chinese government, instead, I have felt very supported in many ways (which I am too lazy to explain here because I feel it is a waste of time to explain to someone who has such a prejudice on China).
little brother
18/3/2021 08:45:23 pm
Yes I too am a very happy Chinese Muslim. The glorious CCP has never harmed or hurt anyone that I know.
DIU
18/3/2021 09:04:05 pm
U r the author of the disgusting article right?
Tee Betan
18/3/2021 08:51:33 pm
As a Tibetan, I too relish the steps the glorious CCP has taken to improve my livelihood. Local party members shower us with gifts and treat us with the utmost respect. Once, the esteemed local party members even let us see the kidnapped and totally not dead Panchen Lama! Thank you CCP, and my cousin in Hong Kong also thanks you for restoring order and real people's democracy!
Diu
18/3/2021 09:04:40 pm
Educate urself ‘law student’
@DIU
18/3/2021 09:06:44 pm
ahh I see the CCP brigade have arrived!
Real Tibetan
18/3/2021 09:39:30 pm
The Dalai Lama were literally slave owners
This ain’t it
18/3/2021 08:15:32 pm
This look is not cute on you, OP
CIA Shill
18/3/2021 08:18:19 pm
Thank you for your excellent article citizen.
n
18/3/2021 08:19:31 pm
There is a fine line between simple bigotry and outrage fuelled by a sense of moral righteousness.
wtf
18/3/2021 08:26:33 pm
I’m going to put in as much effort into this comment as OP put into their “research”
Random commie in the comments
18/3/2021 08:33:10 pm
You insinuate that China is an authoritarian, anti-democratic dictatorship under the "evil CCP", but you also claim that every Chinese person is somehow responsible for the CCP's actions?
DIU2
18/3/2021 08:38:51 pm
PS: but Iraq 😈
De Minimis Chef Etidor
18/3/2021 08:41:07 pm
Dear "Random Commie in the Comments"
J. H.
18/3/2021 08:45:04 pm
'historic genocide' =/= ongoing genocide. Nice try tho
@ J. H.
18/3/2021 08:50:50 pm
bigotry justified on the basis of a technicality = true intellectualisticness, so smort
Adrian Zenz @ J.H
18/3/2021 09:21:46 pm
Alrighty now read post below you shrimp of an intellectual
bUt CHInA aPoloGist
18/3/2021 10:00:33 pm
Sorry, how does this author conflate the actions of the Chinese government with the actions of Chinese citizens?
Point - Missed
18/3/2021 10:44:25 pm
Specifically target and ban Chinese international students from coming to the University of Melbourne - is that your "arsenal"? Stopping them from getting an Australian education and permanent residency? Stopping them from being able to flee the CCP's dictatorship? Of all the tools, this is the one you'd pick up and use? Great work.
Stu Dent
18/3/2021 08:35:07 pm
I love that de min allows articles like this - we actually get exposed to the real sides of the people we go to MLS with, the actual good, bad, and the ugly. This is ugly, but it's great! People that can barely form a cohesive sentence go to MLS with us! It's a shame that this article probably damages valid anti-genocide movements. Whilst advocating for the boycotting of companies that use Uyghur labour is probably wise, suggesting that we punish young Chinese students is just ridiculous. Fuck the CCP, but this just ain't it chief.
XX
18/3/2021 08:39:13 pm
I am a Chinese student. I agree with you that CCP is evil and we should be allowed to have open and honest discussion about that. But CCP ≠ Chinese people. CCP and Xi are not elected by us. Chinese people are the victims of CCP.
ZZ
18/3/2021 10:06:54 pm
100% agree with this.
Hmm
18/3/2021 08:43:45 pm
MCLS criticising the article but not even acknowledging the substance ... ... ...
hmmm
19/3/2021 12:11:16 pm
You providing zero value and substance to this comment section .... .... ....
Stu Dent
18/3/2021 08:46:03 pm
How many weeks until the lss attempts to shut down de min again lmao D R A M A
Tin foil hat
18/3/2021 10:55:04 pm
Lmao ok, Stu
Adrian Zenz
18/3/2021 09:08:15 pm
This article reeks of a confused and misguided 19 year old white male struggling and desperately trying to piece a coherent worldview with a subpar understanding of politics and history.
MM
18/3/2021 09:19:23 pm
Ahhh, the DM comment section. Not only do you find genocide denial, but rape victim blaming as well! Classy, little brother.
Genocide denial
18/3/2021 09:20:03 pm
Oh great, the genocide deniers are here... Do you feel better than everyone else because you see through the western media's "lies"?
Adrian Zenz @Braindead Denial
18/3/2021 09:29:04 pm
Haha yes the ad hominem attacks when you can't refute any single point.
Okay dude...
18/3/2021 09:44:27 pm
Caring about human rights is normal - scrambling to find sources to debunk human rights abuses is not that normal dude. Are you okay?
Adrian Zenz
18/3/2021 10:36:20 pm
Fair enough, I agree its normal to care about human rights.
Mmmm
18/3/2021 10:44:29 pm
Wait so your response to some high school hang-up is to....deny genocide? Am I missing something in your sob story?
Adrian Zenz
19/3/2021 07:19:31 pm
Yeah you're missing the part where you can address any of my real points and give me some evidence of a genocide occurring.
Converted
20/3/2021 12:25:59 am
Hi Adrian,
Adrian Zenz
25/3/2021 09:42:13 am
No problem.
converted
25/3/2021 11:29:17 am
Thank you for confirming my suspicion.
Adrian Zenz
28/3/2021 02:03:33 pm
Nice one, you got me! Haha! That's right I'm a government employed CCP bot. Not one bit of valuable argument or debate. Painting every opposing view as 'morally-bankrupt' and using outdated anti-communist jingoistic terms. Classic example of an intellectually bankrupt idiot. Counter the arguments not the person, then you won't have to stretch your brain to defend your empty ideals.
@ Adrian Zenz
31/3/2021 07:40:20 pm
The irony of claiming ad hominem and then proceeding to ad hominem
Rupert's Henchman
18/3/2021 09:33:04 pm
In a 2018 report submitted to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination – often misrepresented in Western media as a UN-authored report – CHRD “estimate[d] that roughly one million members of ethnic Uyghurs have been sent to ‘re-education’ detention camps and roughly two million have been forced to attend ‘re-education’ programs in Xinjiang.” According to CHRD, this figure was “[b]ased on interviews and limited data.”
KP
18/3/2021 09:34:08 pm
Impeccable timing of this article. Whilst the world reels in response to the mass shooting of 8 Asian women spurred by anti-Asian racism, De Minimis in its infinite wisdom decides to publish this. Very nice.
disappointed duck
18/3/2021 09:58:03 pm
feels intentional almost
infinite wisdom
18/3/2021 10:46:46 pm
all signs point to it being intentional.
disappointed duck
18/3/2021 09:57:03 pm
First off, way to piss off a demographic that basically makes up half our uni and funds your degree. This is also a terribly written article. The author needs to get a grade 2 English lesson. He is grossly misinformed. Discourse about the Xinjiang situation is fine, but it is a complex discussion and this is not the way to discuss it. This article is clearly and inherently a racist piece that has no intention of informing or encouraging proper discussion, but a glorified and long prejudiced reddit comment.
basic grammar test centre
18/3/2021 10:53:41 pm
i would think that all articles are vetted, edited, and readed by prestigious members of the de monumis before they are posted.
dumas
18/3/2021 11:20:05 pm
I guarantee that de min would post an article about white supremacy if you could be bothered writing it
Seriously?
19/3/2021 09:39:21 am
Seriously? Just because many students are 'left-leaning' that implies any student with a non-conventional view (or, heaven forbid, a 'right-leaning' view :O) is wrong? Tell me how that's consistent with being an informed law student
Stalinist Gulag-Master
18/3/2021 10:23:18 pm
Nobody's engaged with the premise - why is CCP oppression of muslim minorities any different to South African apartheid?
Because they're not segregated you idiot
18/3/2021 10:40:04 pm
Get off reddit
4Chan Bro
18/3/2021 10:43:04 pm
They're literally being detained in mass incarceration camps, fuckhead
Uyghurs
18/3/2021 10:58:28 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C83eSHHG4vk
Stalinist Gulag-Master
18/3/2021 10:33:14 pm
Well done to the De Minimis editors for publishing this, freedom of speech and the free flow of debate is the life-blood of democracy.
point - missed
18/3/2021 10:41:35 pm
Specifically target and ban Chinese international students from coming to the University of Melbourne, so that they can't get an Australian education and permanent residency in order to FLEE the CCP's dictatorship. That'll show the CCP what you're made of! Good play!
Xi Xinping
18/3/2021 10:47:05 pm
Education is one of our biggest exports to China. We have the ability to leverage it to the advantage of a population experiencing a genocide - which means we have the obligation to do so.
Starlin Joseph
18/3/2021 10:49:36 pm
Who is Xi Xinping? Did you mean Daddy Xi?
Ban the indians
18/3/2021 10:55:56 pm
Bro we gotta ban the indian students too, turns out 250 million indian farmers were on strike and the government fucked em in favour of the corporations!!! Gotta show Modi they can't do that to their own people, lets chuck on the tariffs ban THE INDIAN STUDENTS
Strawman
18/3/2021 11:01:39 pm
Man of Straw
TRX
18/3/2021 10:51:57 pm
Thanks De Minimis for publishing this. I imagine there was a lot of pressure not to do so, but the decision to do so was the right one. Debate is critical to the functioning of democracy and as we know from the Apartheid example the author gave, condemnation of genocide by trade partners can be hugely impactful.
Protect Islam
18/3/2021 11:02:55 pm
Can you defend the millions of muslims in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen first bro? From the freedom bombs?
Protect Islam
18/3/2021 11:04:33 pm
But free Xinjiang tho. Free Tibet too while we're at it.
Student101
18/3/2021 11:05:33 pm
Why this article is still on? Clearly the author is a bigot white supermacist who uses his “political standpoint” to spread his supermacy and discrimination! Do not talk about if him being rational or not, he just wanted to target hatred toward Asian students and show off his superior white race! Take the article down!
J Edgar Hoover
19/3/2021 11:42:52 am
Censorship of political dialogue is not a business we deal in as a liberal democracy. We'll leave that up to the CCP and their fanboys.
reminder
19/3/2021 12:08:31 pm
casual reminder that liberal democracy has worked wonders in australia. scott morrison doing the lords work/business for refugees asylum seekers but of course with the caveat that christians, christian priorities and christian values come first.
Long live the ‘democracy’
2/4/2021 01:59:36 am
The glorious western democratic system is evidently much more civilised than the barbaric authoritarian CCP.
White Supermacist Not Cool
18/3/2021 11:12:01 pm
Prisoner descent white people, what right do you have to comment on another country and another race? You are here merely because you families are criminals and got kicked out of Europe. Your food is prisoner’s food for god’s sake. So shut up and be humble
Fight racism with racism?
13/4/2021 12:50:04 pm
Is this the best argument Chinese CCP shills at unimelb can come up with? Your food is "prisoner food' l o l okay big fella
J
1/4/2021 07:36:39 pm
I do agree with the argument against the CCP, however, your choice of retaliation unfortunately involves many innocent students who do not deserve to be denied education for their ethnicity. Perhaps this is simply because as an MLS student you felt that the MLS should take a specific action. Any economic retaliation, which I do support, should be commodity-based, e.g. iron ore, in order to avoid this issue.
De minimis bias
1/4/2021 10:01:40 pm
People who have never been to Xinjiang and China should not publish an article like this. Not true and totally rubbish. Melbourne Law School and Deminimis suck and are really low to allow this kind of discrimination punished. Free speech does not mean free expression of discrimination. This article is much beyond the free expression. The author is a racist! Demininimis should not allow this published. Never use free speech as an excuse to present fake information and your narrow view to this world!!!!
Who was in front of the tank?
2/4/2021 03:48:59 pm
Hi! It seems a valid and perhaps interesting point: to argue that people can’t comment on a topic if they have “never been” personally to the place.
False equivalence
13/4/2021 12:51:32 pm
I've never been to the USA, should I not have an opinion on trump? CCP shills out in full force
Some Additional Views on Xinjiang Issues
1/4/2021 10:34:18 pm
Just saw a video regarding Xinjiang Genocide issues released by a YouTuber a few hours ago. This video might provide us with additional perspectives on Xinjiang situation: https://youtu.be/WU3cpoodpIg
LOL
1/4/2021 11:22:44 pm
Yeah I've also seen something similar lol:
A tale of two cities ( aka London and Paris )
4/4/2021 10:49:47 am
Hi there,
a concerned student
8/4/2021 02:23:38 pm
I'm curious as to on which side the anonymous author and possibly the editor(s) are. China’s Ministry of Education has issued several warnings against its students studying in Australia. It seems that the author and the Chinese government are utterly united.
ha, true
8/4/2021 04:06:26 pm
and in general, oof - Comments are closed.
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