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The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has called on the international community to take sustained action over what it described as severe human rights abuses against Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hongkongers and Southern Mongolians, as China prepares to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC).
In a press release issued, the WUC said it would join Uyghur, Tibetan, Hongkonger, Southern Mongolian and Chinese human rights defenders in protests in cities including Germany, Belgium and Trkiye to raise awareness about what it called Chinas ongoing repression. According to the press release, the WUC views October 1 as a symbol of loss of freedom and human rights for Uyghurs, while accusing the Chinese government of repression, cultural assimilation and religious persecution in East Turkistan. Today marks an important moment to stand united against the PRC and its brutal repression of our fundamental human rights, WUC President Turgunjan Alawdun said, according to the press release. Alawdun alleged that the Chinese government had maintained policies that systematically violated the rights of millions and weakened their cultural and religious identity. The WUC further alleged that China's adoption of a new Ethnic Unity Law demonstrated an escalation of policies aimed at assimilating ethnic communities. The organisation also referred to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) assessment on the human rights situation of Uyghurs, which stated that reported abuses may constitute international crimes, particularly crimes against humanity. The press release also called on the Chinese government to release Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz and other Turkic people whom the WUC said had been arbitrarily detained, and to end what it described as genocidal policies in East Turkistan. The WUC urged governments to establish clear and measurable human rights goals in their engagement with China and called for targeted sanctions against individuals and entities it alleged were involved in human rights violations. In its press release, the organisation also called for support for the Uyghur people's right to self-determination and urged continued dialogue between governments, civil society organisations and communities affected by China's policies. (ANI)
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