Press Release – For immediate release
14 March 2011
Contact:  World Uyghur Congress www.uyghurcongress.org
0049 (0) 89 5432 1999 or [email protected]

We, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), offer our sincere condolences for the loss of life and damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

“I was shocked about the news of the earthquake and the subsequent tsunami, resulting in hundreds and probably thousands of people killed, hundreds injured and destroying the houses of thousands of people. And if this was not enough, now a nuclear crisis is putting in danger not only Japan, but the whole world,“ said WUC President Rebiya Kadeer today. “I extend my deepest condolences to those who have been affected by this terrible natural disaster and wish the Japanese people a lot of strength during the recovery process.”

The Uyghurs and Japanese people are sharing a long historic relationship. Japan has been very supportive in helping the Uyghurs to restore cultural legacy of the past and also today, Japan is hosting more than 1000 Uyghurs students, post doctors and academics in the country. Also, on a political level, the Japanese people are supporting an end of China´s oppression of the Uyghur people, e.g. through the recent creation of a Uyghur friendship group in the Japanese parliament.  We highly value such support and friendship that the Japanese people have offered to us, and our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Japan during this difficult time.