Since May 2014, China has been systematically committing genocide against the Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples in East Turkistan, and yet, the international community has largely failed to take decisive action. Despite numerous symbolic recognitions, condemnations, and minor sanctions, the Chinese government persists with its campaign of genocide and crimes against humanity, highlighting a severe humanitarian crisis and the largest genocide of an ethnic or religious group since the Holocaust.
Millions of Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Turkic people remain imprisoned in concentration camps, while millions more are subjected to forced labor. This ongoing crisis underscores the global community’s failure to honor the promise of “Never Again,” as these atrocities unfold in real-time in Occupied East Turkistan.
On August 14, the Uyghurs commemorated the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of Abdulqadir Abdulwaris, also known as Abdulqadir Damolla, a revered leader of the East Turkistan National Movement who was executed by Chinese forces. This anniversary serves as a poignant reminder of the historical and continuing struggles of the Uyghur people.
Genocide in East Turkistan
Historically, East Turkistan was an independent country until its invasion and annexation by China in 1949. Since then, the region has endured relentless colonization, systemic oppression and cultural genocide. The recent abduction of over a million Uyghur children, forcibly removed from their families and placed in state-run facilities, represents a calculated effort to dismantle Uyghur identity at its core. These children are being stripped of their language, culture, and faith, and are being moulded into instruments of the state’s assimilationist agenda.
Human rights organizations, including the United Nations Human Rights Council, as well as governments and individuals worldwide, are urged to demonstrate their commitment to human rights by calling for an immediate investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into China’s ongoing genocide. Support for East Turkistan’s pursuit of justice, freedom, and independence is crucial.
Despite the Chinese authorities’ efforts to erase the identity and existence of the East Turkistani people, resistance remains strong. Advocates call for global solidarity under the banner of #StandForEastTurkistan and for humanity. It is imperative to send a clear message to China and the international community that the struggle for East Turkistan’s freedom and sovereignty will continue until justice is achieved.