Washington

As the United States marks Captive Nations Week, the East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) is urging both the US and the global community to pay attention to the ongoing suffering in East Turkistan under Chinese occupation. The ETGE pointed out that on October 12, 1949, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) invaded East Turkistan. By December 22, 1949, the independent East Turkistan Republic was dismantled after the assassination of its leaders, a plot supported by the Soviet Union to facilitate the PRC’s takeover.

In 1955, the PRC renamed much of East Turkistan as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, a move viewed as an attempt to legitimize its occupation and stifle the East Turkistani people’s quest for freedom. For the past 74 years, the people of East Turkistan have persistently resisted this occupation, seeking to reclaim their independence.

The Captive Nations Law, enacted by the US on July 17, 1959, emphasizes the importance of supporting the freedom aspirations of captive nations. East Turkistan, alongside Tibet and others, is included in this list. This region, home to Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and other Turkic groups, suffers from severe repression, systematic genocide, and crimes against humanity committed by the Chinese government.

Salih Hudayar, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Security of the ETGE, reiterated the urgent need for the US government and Congress to formally recognize East Turkistan as a nation under occupation by China. He emphasized that condemning this occupation is essential for achieving justice and freedom for their people.