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The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) and its allies will hold protests and memorial ceremonies around the world on February 5 to mark Ghulja Massacre anniversary.
These events are intended to raise awareness of the ongoing genocide in East Turkistan and to pay tribute to the victims of the Ghulja Massacre. By taking these steps, the World Uyghur Congress hopes to foster global unity and highlight how crucial it is to protect democratic values, freedom of speech, and cultural heritage, according to a post shared on X by the WUC. The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) reiterates its demand for justice and responsibility for the victims of the violent suppression of peaceful Uyghur protestors by Chinese security forces on the 28th anniversary of the Ghulja Massacre. The post stated that the terrible events of February 3-5, 1997, when thousands of Uyghurs came together to peacefully protest decades of prejudice and the prohibition of Meshrep, a beloved Uyghur cultural custom, serves as a sobering reminder of the Uyghur people's continued suffering in East Turkistan. At least 100 people were killed, several others were injured, and around 4,000 demonstrators were arrested by the violent response of Chinese authorities, while more than 200 people received death sentences, as per a report by the World Uyghur Congress. "The world community needs to learn from Ghulja," stated World Uyghur Congress President Turgunjan Alawdun. "This tragedy highlights the urgent need for international cooperation to safeguard fundamental freedoms and hold the Chinese government accountable" according to a report by WUC. In 2010, UNESCO listed Meshrep, a traditional Uyghur community gathering that includes storytelling, music, and informal legal proceedings, as part of the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. Meshrep has been criminalized by Chinese authorities in spite of this acknowledgement, and its true cultural importance has been erased through its use as a propaganda tool, said the WUC report. The Ghulja Massacre is a series of repressions by the Chinese government before and following 1997, rather than a singular incident. In 2017, more than a million Uyghurs were mass-detained as a result of this repression, the WUC said. Uyghurs experience forced labour, arbitrary incarceration, and cultural identity erasure in their own country. Additionally, exiled Uyghurs are not exempt from persecution; they face ongoing threats and transnational repression, which makes it impossible for them to live freely even outside of China. The Ghulja Massacre is a worldwide call to action against oppression and injustice, not just a chapter in Uyghur history. WUC reported that to put a stop to the Uyghur people's suffering and guarantee that the lessons learned from Ghulja are never forgotten, the WUC calls on governments, international organisations, and civil society to respond forcefully. (ANI)
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