Imagine passing through Uyghur Court, walking along Hong Kong Road before walking up Tibet Hill. For people in London, this might soon be a reality.
The Chinese government plans to open a huge new embassy, the largest in Europe, in the London borough of Tower Hamlets.
A few members of Tower Hamlets Council have raised concerns about the move, cautiously welcoming the embassy but making it clear that human rights concerns will also be raised, particularly since a number of Tibetans live in the community, along with Uyghurs and people from Hong Kong.
A bold proposal has been put forward by Councillor Rabin Khan. She has proposed a motion to rename nearby streets to reflect the heritage of those living in Tower Hamlets. The motion will be debated by Tower Hamlets Council this Wednesday 17 March. It needs our urgent support.
Take action today by signing the petition to Tower Hamelts councillors and demand that they vote yes to the motion.
Petition text:
Dear Councillor,
I am writing to request your support for the Motion 12.3, proposed by Councillor Rabina Khan and which will be debated at the Tower Hamlets Council meeting this Wednesday 17 March.
The Motion proposes renaming roads in Tower Hamlets to reflect the borough’s heritage, the solidarity between the Hong Kong, Tibetan and Uyghur people, as well as recognising the Chinese citizens who bravely call for democracy in their country.
As you will be aware, the Chinese Embassy is due to relocate to Tower Hamlets. While the council has made it clear that it will welcome its new Chinese neighbours, it is also important to recognise the concerns of constituents in Tower Hamlets, including Hongkongers, Tibetans and Uyghurs, who justifiably want to ensure that China’s human rights record is addressed.
The huge security crackdown and erosion of civil liberties in Hong Kong, the systematic destruction of Tibet’s culture and appalling treatment of its peaceful protesters, and the treatment of the Uyghur people, which is increasingly being recognised as a genocide, demand a vocal and decisive response. Motion 12.3 reflects these concerns, explicitly highlighting the borough’s heritage and sense of inclusivity.
For this reason, I urge you to back Motion 12.3 on 17 March.
The Motion can be found here
I am looking forward to your positive response.
Your sincerely,