We Commemorate the Baren Revolution, also known as the Baren Uprising or the Baren Massacre, which erupted on April 5, 1990 in East Turkistan’s Akto County.

Baren Township, near Kashgar, saw weeks of Chinese state terror and brutality in the spring 1990. As part of its deadly One Child Policy of population control, China’s government routinely forced millions of women in Occupied East Turkistan to abort their babies. But the villagers of Baren finally had enough. They’d just seen 250 local women robbed of their babies.

Villagers led by Zeydin Yusup went to the local Chinese government headquarter to protest China’s decades long brutal campaign of colonization, genocide, and occupation. Chinese officials answered their concerns. By sending in the People’s Liberation Army. It stormed in and occupied the region. Some locals — devout, God-fearing people — led by Zeydin Yusuf decided to take up arms to and fight against Chinese occupation with the goal of restoring East Turkistan’s independence.

Chinese authorities were enraged. They poured even more troops into Baren Township — more than 20,000 according to some sources — with artillery and helicopter gunships and air strikes. Intially, the freedom fighters led by Zeydin Yusuf strived to hold out against the Chinese military, hoping that the world would hear of the uprising and send help.

However, the Chinese army used heavy weapons and indiscriminately slaughtered villagers. Thousands of Uyghurs and other Turkic people were brutally slaughtered, and after 12 days, the rebellion was crushed. Following the Baren Uprising, the Chinese government arrested over 7,600 people, sentencing many to long prison terms while executing others.

The heroic sacrifices of the martyrs of the Baren Revolution serves as a symbol of our nation’s resolve to end China’s occupation and colonization of East Turkistan. Our martyrs sacrifices continue to serve as an inspiration for those striving for independence.