Weekly brief: 22 May 2020
World Uyghur Congress, 22 May 2020
NEWS
WUC Holds a Week-Long Webinar in Uyghur Language
The WUC held a week-long webinar from May 15 – May 21, composed of seven different panels. This webinar aimed to provide the Uyghur audience with a high-quality virtual conference on different topics that might interest the Uyghur public, as well as give them a better understanding of today’s politics and its implications for the Uyghur movement.
Each session ended with a Q&A period. The seven sessions can be found on WUC YouTube channel.The 7 panels included experts from various backgrounds, to talk on different topics:
Panel 1: The Current Situation in China and East Turkistan.
Speakers: Dr. Erkin Ekrem, Ilshat Hesen and Orkesh Dolet.
Panel 2: COVID-19 and the Health of Uyghurs.
Speakers: Muhiddin Januyghur, Dr.Juret Obul and Dr. Memet Imin.
Panel 3: The Evolution of the US-China Relations and East Turkistan.
Speakers: Dr.Erkin Ekrem, Dr. Elise Anderson and Dr. Nury Turkel.
Panel 4: Canada, Australia and Japan-China Relations and East Turkistan.
Speakers: Ahmetjan Litip, Nurgul Sawut and Memet Tohti.
Panel 5: The Turkic-Islamic World and East Turkistan.
Speakers: Sirajidin Azizi, Dr. Atawullah Shahyar and Hidayettulah Oghuzhan.
Panel 6: EU-China Relations and East Turkistan.
Speakers: Nijat Turghun, Dr. Dilnur Rayhan and Dr. Rune Steenberg.
Panel 7: The Role of Youth in the Uyghur Movement.
Speakers: Yashar Yalqun, Bahtiyar Omer and Halmurat Uyghur.
Al Jazeera Live Stream on the Uyghur Human Rights Crisis
On May 18, Uyghurs joined the Al Jezeera Stream live stream to discuss how the lives of Uyghurs are being disregarded by the Chinese government. Speakers included Jewher Ilham, daughter of imprisoned scholar Ilham Tohti, Rayhan Asat, lawyer and sister of imprisoned Ekpar Asat, and Memetjan Juma, Deputy Director of Radio Free Asia Uyghur Service.
CCTV Seemingly Acknowledges the Mass Labour Transfer of Uyghurs
A report from Chinese state media CCTV from May 13th apparently acknowledges the mass transfer of more than 292,000 “labourers” from only four prefectures in the southern part of East Turkistan. Beijing’s scheme consists of four categories:
- The government will enforce ‘’cross-region employment’’ for Uyghurs by strengthening the labour coordination between the four aforementioned prefectures and other prefectures in the region;
- The government plans to establish satellite factories or business in each county or village, aiming to create 210 000 jobs within the region;
- The government will prioritize employment opportunities for graduates from ‘’vocation schools’’ or high school graduates, individuals from poor households who speak Mandarin and young people;
- Local authorities in ‘’Xinjiang’’ will double efforts on these labour transfer programs, in an effort to alleviate poverty.
This confirms the previous various reporting on the mass transfer of Uyghur youth workers to other parts of China.
Chinese Government Crackdown on Freedom of Religion
On May 19, Bitter Winter reported CCP’s attempts at eroding the Uyghur cultural and religious traditions. Bitter Winter received information from a government insider from a city in the province of Zheijiang that the municipality issued a document in Apil, stating the implementation of increased surveillance of local ethnic Muslims, especially during Friday prayers, the breaking of the fast and other Ramadan activities. This follows a recent reporting by RFA that Uyghurs in Makit county in East Turkistan have been ordered to report anyone discovered to be fasting.
The Chinese government is using the ‘’combatting extremism’’ agenda to justify its draconian laws to completely monitor the Uyghur way of life, by targeting the cultural, religious and historical traditions of the Uyghur people.
Rahila Dawut’s 54th Birthday
May 20th was the 54th anniversary of Rahile Dawut. To highlight the occasion, her US-based daughter Akide Pulat wrote a letter to her to celebrate her birthday, and to advocate for her freedom. Dawut is an internationally known Uyghur folklorist, who disappeared on December 12, 2017. Her daughter has been tirelessly advocating for her release ever since. You can take action by visiting the website.
The CCP Holds the National People’s Congress
On May 22, the WUC issued a press release regarding the Chinese Communist Party launching its National People’s Congress.
This week in Hong Kong, the Chinese government is pushing through legislation that will essentially dissolve any meaningful autonomy and destroy the ‘one country two systems’ principle and violating the terms of its treaty with the United Kingdom. The National Security law would ban “treason, secession, sedition and subversion”, a broad definition that would allow Chinese authorities to arrest and punish Hong Kong citizens for virtually any reason. It would also establish a branch of the CCP’s secret police in Hong Kong, putting activists at significant risk of torture, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances.
Decades ago, Uyghurs, Tibetans and others also helplessly watched as the CCP’s promises of rights and autonomy were broken and the people subjected to inhuman treatment.
PARTICIPATE!
SFT Live Stream
WUC Program and Advocacy Manager, Zumretay Arkin is joining the Students For a Free Tibet live stream on Facebook, on May 22, to discuss the politics of the pandemic, and how China endangers the world. She will be joining other youth activists from the Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Tibetan movements. Join here!
Humus and Human Rights
On 20 May at 6:30pm (GMT+1), the second session of Humus and Human rights organized by René Cassin is taking place. Rahima Mahmut, human rights activist and head of the WUC office in London, will be discussing the repression of Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region in China. For further information, please have a look here!