Press Release – For Immediate Release
January 4, 2024
ETGE: East-Turkistan.Net
Contact@East-Turkistan.Net
The East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) vehemently condemns the recent meeting between the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, and Mr. Ilzat Ahmatjan, Permanent Member of the Chinese Communist Party Committee in Occupied East Turkistan, held on January 3, 2024, at the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah.
This meeting, which discussed further cooperation and the strengthening of relations between the OIC and the People’s Republic of China, comes amid China’s ongoing campaign of colonization, genocide, and occupation in the predominantly Muslim nation of East Turkistan. Since 2014, China has waged a relentless campaign against the Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and other predominantly Muslim Turkic peoples in East Turkistan. This has involved the destruction and shutting down of over 16,000 mosques, banning Islamic practices, such as prayers, fasting during Ramadan, and even Islamic greetings and names, and the mass internment of millions of Muslims in concentration camps and prisons.
Adil Ablimit, Minister for Culture, Education, and Religious Affairs of the ETGE, stated, “The East Turkistan Government in Exile vehemently condemns the OIC’s cooperation with the atheistic Chinese Communist Party and their puppets in occupied East Turkistan. This flagrant betrayal is a stark violation of Islamic principles, human rights, and moral decency.” He further added, “We demand an urgent reassessment and action by OIC and its member states to address the humanitarian crisis in Occupied East Turkistan. The Muslim World must not remain silent in the face of such gross injustice.”
Following increased international condemnation of its campaign of colonization, genocide and occupation in East Turkistan, China has been expanding its diplomatic outreach to Muslim nations and organizations like the OIC, in an effort to whitewash and deny its ongoing campaign in East Turkistan.
Dr. Mamtimin Ala, President of the ETGE, expressed deep concern regarding the OIC’s engagement with representatives of the CCP. “This meeting is alarming and represents a concerning direction in the OIC’s approach to the crisis in East Turkistan. The OIC should be a voice for the oppressed Muslims, not an enabler of their oppressors. The plight of East Turkistani people under Chinese occupation warrants urgent and sincere attention, not diplomatic engagements that serve to legitimize their suffering,” he said.
The ETGE again calls upon the OIC and its member states to reconsider its stance and engagements with the CCP and to align its actions with Islamic principles and values of human rights and justice. The ETGE remains steadfast in its commitment to the cause of independence, freedom and justice for Turkic peoples of East Turkistan and calls upon the international community to join in condemning and acting against China’s ongoing campaign of colonization, genocide, and occupation in East Turkistan.
