During ‘Captive Nations Week’ in the US which happens in the third week of July, the East Turkistan Government-In-Exile has voiced concerns about the people of East Turkistan’s oppression under China.
Considering the ongoing oppression, the ETGE( an organization established in Washington DC by the people of East Turkistan)in its press statement has urged the US and the global community to “remember the ongoing plight of the people of East Turkistan”.
“East Turkistan, Home to the Uyghurs, Kazakh, Kyrgyz and other Turkish people, remains a captive nation, enduring severe repression systematic genocide and crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Chinese government” the press statement reads.
Salih Hudayar, ETGE Minister for foreign affairs and security said “ The ETGE reiterate urgent call to the US government and US congress to formally recognize east Turkistan as a Country occupied by China”.
The ETGE has requested a special coordinator for Uyghurs urging the US senate to pass the Uyghur Policy Act.
ETGE had earlier stated, “Xi Jinping is directly responsible for Uyghur genocide.”
Uyghurs face restrictions on language, culture, and religious practices. Not just this, they find it extremely hard to find jobs or get contracts done. Authorities have even demolished religious and cultural places like Mosques, shrines and graveyards. Earlier this July, China even barred Haj Pilgrimage this year for Uyghurs.
On June 24, Salih Hudayar, raised his concerns on X ( formerly Twitter) account against the actions of China.
“China has inaugurated a ‘Children’s Organ Transplant Centre.’ As part of the Uyghur genocide, China has been harvesting Uyghurs’ organs and selling them as ‘halal organs.” he wrote on Twitter. Further stating, “Since 2014 nearly One Million Children in Uyghur have been forcibly separated from their families and are kept in internment camps.
According to Human rights groups, China has detained Uyghurs in a wide area called “re-education camps”.
A shocking revelation was made by experts at a US congressional committee in March: “Organs of Uyghurs are marketed as “halal organs” and considered to be the most expensive”.
The transplant industry makes approximately one billion dollars per annum and to meet the industry’s demands, Uyghurs are being killed for their organs. To identify potential donors, Chinese authorities are allegedly collecting medical data and performing tests on Uyghurs forcibly.
Investigations led by the human rights group leaked documents and based on several testimonies from former detainees, the allegations gained a stronghold.
Human rights groups Amnesty and Human Rights Watch have published reports accusing China of crimes against humanity. Countries like the US and UK and others have called the actions of China ‘a genocide’ and ‘crimes against Humanity’ China has, reportedly attempted to control the Uyghur population by using methods like ‘forced sterilization’
What does China want?
Making a majority before 1949, Uyghurs today make up a total of 42 percent of the Xinjiang population. Since Uyghurs do not recognise the name Xinjiang, instead, call it “East Turkestan’, they argue that it has to be independent from China, demanding liberty and justice. In the year 1955, the rebranding of East Turkistan as Xinjiang was seen as an attempt to gain authority and suppress the rights of the people. Rich in Natural resources, the area has one of China’s largest oil deposits. Chinese officials consider Uyghurs as a threat to the nation for their beliefs and call their religious practices ‘extreme’.
ETGE on its social media had revealed “China wants to integrate East Turkistan and its people into a single Chinese Nation”
All these years China in its statements has denied the allegations calling it “baseless” and “completely fabricated, claiming that the crackdown in Xinjiang is necessary to curb Islamist extremism.
