PRESS RELEASE – For Immediate Release
East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE)
East-Turkistan.Net
contact@East-Turkistan.Net
19 January 2024
Today, January 19, the East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) solemnly observes East Turkistan Genocide Recognition and Remembrance Day. This day not only serves as a remembrance of the ongoing genocide but also as a stark reminder that, in 2024, the genocide against the Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Turkic peoples in East Turkistan remorselessly continues under the occupation regime of the People’s Republic of China.
Three years ago, on January 19, 2021, the United States, under the leadership of then Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, formally recognized China’s systematic atrocities against Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz and other Turkic peoples in East Turkistan as genocide and crimes against humanity. This historic recognition brought the plight of our people into the global spotlight, yet the genocide relentlessly persists to this very day.
As we stand in 2024, the grim reality remains that millions of Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Turkic peoples continue to be interned in concentration camps and prisons. Shockingly, millions more are enslaved in forced labor camps and factories across Occupied East Turkistan and throughout China, subjected to inhumane conditions and stripped of their basic human rights. The situation is further exacerbated by the forced separation of nearly a million Uyghur and other Turkic children from their families, interned in state-run camps to be assimilated.
ETGE Foreign Minister Salih Hudayar urgently calls on the international community, particularly the United States, to confront these continuing atrocities. “It is imperative to recognize that the genocide in East Turkistan is not a closed chapter in history but an ongoing nightmare in 2024. Recognizing East Turkistan as an Occupied Country is not just a symbolic gesture but a necessary step towards dismantling the root of this crisis and restoring the rights of our people.”
The ETGE is calling for the appointment of a Special Coordinator for East Turkistani Affairs within the U.S. State Department. This position would play a pivotal role in coordinating an international response and bringing sustained attention to the crisis in East Turkistan.
Furthermore, the ETGE emphasizes the importance of supporting East Turkistan’s legal complaint before the International Criminal Court and referring China’s ongoing genocide to the International Court of Justice. These steps are critical in holding the Chinese government accountable and preventing further atrocities.
ETGE President Dr. Mamtimin Ala underscores the need for continued global awareness and action. “The recognition by the United States of the genocide was a significant milestone. However, the struggle is far from over. We need sustained international pressure and concrete actions to end these atrocities. Our people’s resilience is strong, but global support is vital to bring about change.”
Vice President Sayragul Sauytbay, who has firsthand experience of the horrors faced in the concentration camps, makes a heartfelt plea: “As a witness to these heinous crimes and as vice president of the East Turkistan Government in Exile, I urge the global community to acknowledge and act against the continuing genocide in East Turkistan. Our plight is not just a regional issue, but a stark warning of the global threat posed by China. World peace and the future of humanity depend on stopping these crimes against humanity.”
In response to the ongoing crisis, the ETGE and East Turkistani diaspora are conducting events, including demonstrations, worldwide to educate the public and commemorate the victims. These events not only honor the victims but also aim to keep the international focus on the ongoing genocide in East Turkistan.
On this East Turkistan Genocide Recognition and Remembrance Day, the ETGE remains committed to its mission for justice, freedom, and the restoration of East Turkistan’s independence. We call upon governments, international organizations, and individuals to join us in our fight to end this genocide and restore peace, dignity, and freedom to the people of East Turkistan.