The article below is published by THE PRINT.
Washington, DC [US], July 29 (ANI): The Uyghur community, led by the East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) and the East Turkistan National Movement (ETNM), gathered in Washington, DC to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 2014 Yarkand massacre.
The event called for urgent US action against China’s ongoing persecution of Uyghurs. Yarkand massacre occurred on July 28, 2014, when Chinese security forces brutally suppressed peaceful Uyghur protesters in Yarkand , East Turkistan.
In a recent post on X, the East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) highlighted the significance of the commemoration, stating, “Uyghurs in DC, led by ETGE and ETNM, commemorated the 10th anniversary of the 2014 Yarkand Massacre, in which 3,000 to 5,000 Uyghurs were killed by Chinese forces, and called on the US Government to take action to end China’s ongoing Uyghur Genocide.”
Reports indicate that between 3,000 and 5,000 Uyghurs were killed by Chinese forces during the violence and/ is a stark reminder of the ongoing genocide faced by the Uyghur people at the hands of the Chinese government.
The Yarkand massacre exposes the multifaceted oppression enforced by the Chinese government against the Uyghurs. Indiscriminate force is routinely abused, they are branded as “gangs” and “separatists.” Moreover, the Chinese government covers up the death count and arrests netizens who aim to expose the truth.
At the commemoration event, Uyghur leaders and activists called on the US to adopt a more robust stance towards China, akin to its approach towards Tibet.
They advocated for the passage of the Senate’s Uyghur Policy Act and the appointment of a Special Coordinator for East Turkistani issues within the State Department. The speakers emphasized the critical need for US support in restoring East Turkistan’s independence, underscoring the importance of international intervention to halt the persecution and ensure justice for the Uyghur people.
The East Turkistan National Movement (ETNM) is a non-profit organization dedicated to human rights and political advocacy. Established in Washington, DC, in June 2017 by Salih Hudayar, a Uyghur American consultant and graduate student, ETNAM has been at the forefront of raising awareness about the plight of Uyghurs.
Investigations by human rights organizations and international media indicate that over one million Uyghurs have been detained in so-called “re-education camps” or “vocational training centers” described by the Chinese government as measures to combat extremism.
Cultural and religious repression is also evident, with the destruction of Uyghur mosques and cemeteries, and stringent restrictions on religious practices. (ANI)
