Mulan: Disney’s Complicity in China’s Uyghur Genocide

Despite the ongoing genocide against Uyghurs in East Turkistan, Disney’s remake of “Mulan” was filmed on the same territory which has erected concentrations camps aimed at eradicating Uyghurs. Moreover, casting actress Yifei Liu as the lead for Mulan; an actress who expressed support of China’s brutal crackdown on Hong Kongs protesters. Credit: Greg Baker/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

CFU Press Release
For Immediate Release
September 8, 2020 2:00 p.m. EDT
Contact: contact@old.campaignforuyghurs.org
www.campaignforuyghurs.org

Campaign for Uyghurs is appalled by the latest revelation of a Western corporation that not only ignores China’s genocide, but rather directly profits off of it. Disney was revealed to have chosen to film Mulan in East Turkistan.

The end credits of the film include a thank you to the Turpan Public Security Bureau (PSB), the entity that is directly responsible for the mass detention of Uyghurs in concentration camps, as well as numerous other genocidal crimes. They also thank the publicity departments of Turpan and “Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region”, which are the committees responsible for producing state propaganda about the Uyghurs, in other words, those responsible for disguising the PRC’s genocidal crimes.

This latest information, when combined with the already despicable statements from the film’s lead actors, Liu Yifei, and Donnie Yen regarding their public support for the Hong Kong police crackdown on pro-democracy protests, stands in clear opposition to Disney’s espoused company values. Mulan is the story about a girl who fought against the persecution of her people and for the freedom of her country. It seems hypocritical that the movie casts an actress who supports those who brutally oppress the people of Hong Kong, those who are fighting for freedom as Mulan did. Disney’s willingness to disregard China’s murderous regime and its crimes, reveal a need for further corporate accountability. 

CFU Executive Director Rushan Abbas stated, “ A Disney movie being filmed in the same location where millions of Uyghurs are imprisoned, tortured, and killed based on their ethnic identity, is deeply disturbing. This is normalization of genocide, and Disney must end the practice of profiting off of this murderous Chinese regime.” Campaign for Uyghurs calls on Disney as a corporation that has brought joy to so many, to do the right thing and correct this enormous affront to human rights. It is our hope that Disney will demonstrate repentance and end its complicity in this genocide. Chinese blood money cannot make up for the stain on the conscience of humanity, and Disney should be the first to demonstrate strong leadership and respect for human rights. Blatantly choosing to profit off of the destruction of the Uyghur people, homeland, and culture is unacceptable and we call on Disney to refuse to kowtow to the CCP and to end this inexcusable support of a genocidal regime.