Senior Uighur leader dismayed over Erdoğan’s ’terrorism’ remarks in China
Today’s Zaman, 5 August 2015
Today’s Zaman – A senior representative of the Uighur diaspora community said Uighurs have been dismayed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan‘s remarks during his visit to China last week in which he described the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) as a terrorist organization.
German-based World Uyghur Congress (WUC) Deputy President Asgar Can expressed deep disappointment over Erdoğan’s statement while in Beijing, reflecting resentment among members of his community who praise Turkish efforts to host large number of Uighurs in Turkey.
Erdoğan, according to a news report which appeared in the official Chinese news agency Xinhua, stressed that “the Turkish government sticks to the one-China policy, supports China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and opposes the terrorist activities of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) aimed at China.”
“After this statement, an emboldened China will crack down on Uighurs and will intensify pressure. Mr. President was tremendously helpful in bringing our brethren from Malaysia and Thailand to Turkey, we are really grateful of that, but his recent statement really upset us,” Can told Today’s Zaman.
He said Erdoğan’s description of mass killings of Uighurs on July 5, 2009 as massacre is still fresh in their collective memory. Turkish people, recalled Can, collectively also stood by in solidarity with the Uighurs, who have been subject to repression and intimidation by Chinese authorities through nationwide protests across Turkey over the course of past few months.
However, Can stressed, Erdoğan’s remarks during his official China visit are an irreversible, historic mistake.
Referring to Turkey’s denial of a visa to WUC President Rabia Kadeer, Can said while Kadeer, who has lived in the US for years, is able to freely enter any country in the world, she is denied entry to Turkey. That, he emphasized, upsets the Uighur diaspora.