Statement on behalf of International Human Rights Day
Today is International Human Rights Day, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 to review the international achievements in the field of universal respect, promotion, and protection of human rights and fundamental liberties that are the core principles of the International Bill of Human Rights. While it is a day of memorandum for many countries around the world where fundamental human rights are protected and guaranteed, in East Turkistan has it been 73 years of occupation and a plethora of colonial crimes accompanied by repression, violence, killings, terror, and genocide.
Since China’s forceful invasion of East Turkistan in 1949 human rights situation has been one of the gravest issues in the world and torture, repression and arbitrary detention have unabatedly continued, and the beginning of 2017, the Chinese government stepped up its colonial repressive policies against Uyghurs and other Turkic people in East Turkistan, imprisoned approximately three million people in concentration camps, where they are being systematically indoctrinated and their language, religious and cultural identity is being erased and homogenized.
Today not only human dignity, freedom, justice, and human rights for the people of East Turkistan have been under a sustained assault, but they also are disgracefully facing an ongoing genocide. The people of East Turkistan have persistently endeavored in support of the values of freedom, human dignity, and justice to tear down the Chinese colonization, reinforce their right to sovereignty, and end the continued occupation.
Human rights are the key to ensuring peace, security, and sustainable development. Unfortunately, China's ongoing genocide of Uyghurs and other Turkic people violates international law, peace, order, and security and undermines the international system. Which has undeniably become a case that must be taken into account and action taken.
The people of East Turkistan believe in the values and principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The international community has to uphold its legal and moral obligations towards the people of East Turkistan to ensure accountability for alleged violations of international law. The international community must also assert pressure on China to end its occupation of East Turkistan.
The International Union of East Turkistan Organizations calls on the international community and governments to act to hold the Chinese government accountable for its crimes and the ongoing genocide. We call on governments to realize their responsibilities under the 1948 UN Genocide Convention and take all necessary measures to end the ongoing genocide against Uyghurs and other Turkic people in East Turkistan. Finally, we call on the free world to recognize and support East Turkistan's struggle to regain its independence to end ongoing genocide and ensure survival for the people of East Turkistan.
International Union of East Turkistan Organizations
10122022
