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UNPO Resolution on East Turkestan

UNPO, 29 May 2010

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The UNPO General Assembly,

Recalling the 2008 Berlin Declaration and the 2010 Brussels Declaration adopted by the World Uyghur Congress and the UNPO, reiterating their call for the application of the Chinese Constitution and the Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law by Chinese authorities in East Turkestan and elsewhere;

Noting the public call made in September 2009 by Rebiya Kadeer, leader of the Uyghur people, before the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights for the opening of a meaningful dialogue with Chinese authorities;

Noting the public call made in April 2010 in Brussels by the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) on behalf of the Uyghur community, assembled in Brussels on the occasion of the conference “Uyghurs Call for Dialogue with China – Implementation of the Chinese Constitution to Safeguard and Protect the Rights of the Uyghur People”, to start an open and meaningful dialogue between the Uyghur people of East Turkestan and the Chinese authorities;

Rejects all allegations made by the government of China labeling the Uyghur people and their legitimate and just cause as “separatist” or “terrorist,” underlining in this context the continued commitment of the World Uyghur Congress to principles of democracy, human rights and nonviolence;

Reaffirm the entitlement of all peoples’ basic right to self-determination, as enshrined in many of the central documents of international law, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

Concerned deeply of the ongoing human rights violations committed against Uyghurs and the suppression they are facing by Chinese authorities;
Convinced that freedom for the Uyghur people would contribute and strengthen also the freedom and peaceful living together of all those living within the borders of China.

Therefore, we, the UNPO General Assembly:

Urges the Chinese government to ensure that the articles of the Chinese Constitution protecting the rights of nationalities in China and its commitments to international law on minorities are observed in full, without exception or qualification, to ensure that Uyghur grievances are addressed in accordance with Chinese rule of law;

Urges the Chinese authorities to implement the 1984 Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law allowing Uyghurs to manage the internal affairs of East Turkestan in accordance with the Chinese Government’s belief that this is to the benefit of all Chinese citizens;

Urges the Chinese government to allow an independent international investigation into the events of July 2009 in East Turkestan when gross human rights violations through Chinese authorities had been committed during and in the aftermath of the 5 July 2009 protests;

Urges the Chinese authorities to ensure that those accused of crimes related to the events of July 2009 are afforded due process, tried in an open and fair court, and given access to legal representation of their choice and immediately and unconditionally release all those who are only alleged to have protested peacefully on 5 July 2009;

Requests the Chinese Government to maintain internet/e-mail access and international phone calling/text messaging capabilities open in East Turkestan and to not repeat a communication blockage like the one following the 5 July 2009 events and to allow foreign and national media to work independently, and without restrictions throughout East Turkestan;

Requests the Chinese Government to make known the whereabouts of twenty Uyghurs extradited from Cambodia in December 2009 and whose whereabouts and wellbeing remain a grave concern;

Urges the European Union as well as other international organisations like the UN to pressure the Chinese government to immediately release the imprisoned sons of Ms. Rebyia Kadeer as well as other Uyghurs arbitrarily sentenced and imprisoned and to end arbitrary detentions in East Turkestan;

Urges the Chinese authorities to stop torture and other forms of ill treatment of detainees and prisoners, and bring those suspected of using torture and ill treatment to justice, a part from stopping implementing executions and the imposition of death sentences;

Urges the Chinese authorities to protect the right to freedom of religious expression and the unique Uyghur language and culture throughout the People’s Republic of China, and East Turkestan in particular, as enshrined in the Chinese Constitution;

Urges the Chinese authorities to assure the right to freedom of movement of Uyghur people throughout the world;

Urges the Chinese authorities to stop interfering in other sovereign countries’ decisions to establish relations with representatives of the Uyghur community;

Calls upon the Chinese authorities to open a meaningful dialogue with Uyghur leaders from the World Uyghur Congress acknowledged to represent the Uyghurs of East Turkestan and urge representatives of the international community to support such a dialogue for the peaceful and permanent settlement of the East Turkestan issue.