Press Release on the 75th Anniversary of the Occupation of East Turkistan by China
Dear members of the press and participants,
Today, we have gathered here on the 75th anniversary of the occupation of East Turkistan by fascist China to once again condemn China’s occupation, colonialism, and oppressive policies in our region, to denounce the increasing genocide and ongoing human rights violations, and to reaffirm the determination of the people of East Turkistan for independence. At the same time, we are holding this press conference to honor the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for this struggle and to strongly express our resistance against the occupation.
East Turkistan, throughout human history, has been a free and independent land and the homeland of the Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples since time immemorial. This ancient geography, which has been the cradle of Turkish culture and civilization for thousands of years, has never been under Chinese cultural or political domination. East Turkistan has always existed as a sacred homeland where the Turkish nation preserved its spirit of independence. However, in 1949, the ruthless Red Army of the Chinese Communist Party barbarically occupied East Turkistan, usurping the independence of these ancient lands. From that day on, the right of the people of East Turkistan to determine their own destiny was brutally taken away, their freedoms and independence were disregarded. China’s occupation did not only seize our lands but also marked the beginning of a barbaric colonial and genocide project aimed at erasing the thousand-year-old Turkish heritage.
After China occupied East Turkistan, it launched a brutal colonial and genocide policy to economically and culturally dominate the region. The natural resources of the region were looted and transported to China, leaving the Uyghur people unable to benefit from their own wealth. Shortly after the occupation, fascist China implemented assimilation policies aimed at erasing the religious and national identity of the people of East Turkistan. Islamic worship was banned, tens of thousands of mosques were closed or destroyed, and religious leaders and scholars were imprisoned or executed. The Uyghur language was removed from education and public life, while the Chinese language and culture were forcibly imposed. Today, this systematic genocide being carried out by China in East Turkistan has become one of the greatest tragedies in human history. Millions of innocent people have been imprisoned in concentration camps, and as confirmed by a UN report, nearly one million children have been forcibly separated from their culture, religion, and language under the guise of state protection, subjected to indoctrination in China’s brainwashing camps. With millions of Chinese settlers being placed in the region, the demographics are being altered, and forced abortions, sterilizations, arbitrary detentions, and extrajudicial executions threaten the existence of the Uyghur and other Turkic peoples. All of this clearly shows that China is carrying out a genocide in plain sight of the entire world.
In this context, the international community must understand that China’s occupation of East Turkistan is not just a national issue but also a global threat to world order. Especially through its "Belt and Road" project, China is ruthlessly expanding its international economic hegemony and destabilizing the global economic balance. This project allows China to take control of global trade routes and strategic resources, particularly in Asia, while trapping countries in debt dependency. By financially indebting smaller countries in Asia and Africa, China uses this dependency to interfere in their internal affairs and political structures, violating the sovereignty of states. Moreover, China, as the world's largest emitter of carbon, is triggering a global ecological disaster that threatens the environment and human life. Additionally, China is strengthening its authoritarian regime and exporting the oppressive surveillance tools it uses in East Turkistan to the world. These surveillance technologies are not only used to control the Uyghur people but are also spreading despotism and a new form of fascism globally. Through these oppressive methods, China has become a global threat to freedom.
In recent years, the occupying China has shamefully staged a deceptive play to cover up its genocide policies in East Turkistan. Delegations from Muslim countries are taken on carefully orchestrated fake tours, and they are made to say that the people in the region are "happy and peaceful." Among the pawns of this dirty propaganda are academics, businessmen with vested interests in China, media organizations, journalists, celebrities, and even religious leaders. These treacherous collaborators, while trying to exonerate China’s genocide crimes, are complicit in the suffering and oppression of the Uyghur people. The people of East Turkistan, under occupation, will never forgive this betrayal by their religious and linguistic brethren who cooperate with China.
China’s occupation of East Turkistan is not only a threat to one region but a scourge and atrocity that threatens the entire world. This occupation, which has lasted for 75 years with massacres, assimilation, and genocide, has left an indelible stain on human history. This oppression will not end until the occupation ends. Ending China’s occupation in East Turkistan and standing against the ongoing genocide and human rights violations is not only the responsibility of the people of East Turkistan but a moral obligation for all of humanity. The international community must not remain silent in the face of this genocide. The United Nations, human rights organizations, and all people of conscience must raise their voices against China’s oppressive policies and take action.
As the International Union of East Turkistan NGOs:
We call on all states to recognize East Turkistan as occupied territory by China and to support our legitimate struggle for independence.
We urge the UN, the EU, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Turkic States Organization, and all other countries to take action to end China’s racist stance, its restrictions on human rights and freedom of belief under the guise of "terrorism and religious extremism," and its "Modern Nazi Torture Camp" practices, and to stop the ongoing genocide in East Turkistan.
We call on the UN General Assembly and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to appoint a special envoy for East Turkistan, to send an independent observation team, and to hold a negotiation session.
We call on governments and international organizations to apply diplomatic pressure on China to find a solution to the human rights violations and cultural repression in East Turkistan.
We encourage all consumers and businesses worldwide to be conscious of supply chains that may involve forced labor from East Turkistan and to take steps to ensure ethical sourcing of products.
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the occupation of East Turkistan, we once again condemn China’s colonialism, oppression, and genocide policies. China must be held accountable for the crimes it has committed against the people of East Turkistan and must immediately end its occupation in the region. Our struggle for the freedom and independence of East Turkistan will continue with determination. We extend our gratitude to all those who support the just cause of the people of East Turkistan and invite you to raise your voice even higher in support of our people's struggle for freedom.
Respectfully,
Hidayet Oğuzhan
International Union of East Turkistan Organizations
October 1, 2024
