The WUC has published its newsletter for the month of April, detailing a number of stories that have featured prominently over the last month. The newsletter will continue monthly through 2016.
lham Tohti Nominated for Martin Ennals Human Rights Award
Imprisoned Uyghur academic, Ilham Tohti, was nominated for the 2016 Martin Ennals Award for human rights defenders alongside Syrian human rights lawyer and activist, Razan Zaitouneh, and the Zone 9 bloggers in Ethiopia, on April 27th. The award stands to recognize those who “who have shown deep commitment and courage in the face of personal risk” and to “highlight their work and protect them through increased visibility”.
Ilham Tohti is a Uyghur economist, writer, intellectual and former professor at Minzu University in Beijing, China. He is one of the most prominent scholars on Uyghur issues and was the founder of the website Uyghur Online – a platform launched to promote conciliation between Uyghurs and Han Chinese. For his work attempting to bridge the divide between Uyghur and Han throughout China, he wasdetained by police back on 15 January 2014, oninitial charges of “inciting separatism”, tried from 23-24 September in Urumqi, convicted of “inciting separatism”, and sentenced to life in prison.
Immediate condemnation was offered by governments and international organizations around the world in the days and weeks following Tohti’s trial in Urumqi. Amnesty International called the sentence “deplorable” with “no basis in reality” with Human Rights Watch stating that his trial has been a “travesty of justice”. The PEN American Center called Tohti’s trial “a farce” and that “[he] should have been a welcome ally in China’s efforts to build a harmonious society” and awarded him with thePEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award in 2014, which honours writers who have fought courageously in the face of adversity for the right to freedom of expression.
Speaking of the award nomination, Amnesty International China researcher Patrick Poon explained that, “We believe that [Ilham Tohti’s] case is very representative of China’s treatment of ethnic minorities, as well as its suppression of freedom of speech.” His nomination stands as a positive step in the campaign for his release and will reinforce action taking by the WUC and many other actors working for the same cause into the future.
Patigul Ghulam Tried Behind Closed Doors in East Turkestan
Patigul Ghulam, the mother of Imammemet Eli who was disappeared by Chinese authorities back in July 2009, was put on trial on April 7th on charges relating to her search for information on the whereabouts of her son. Very little is now know about the case, as China retains strict control over access to information, but many fear that she may have been more severely reprimanded for criticising the state.
Imammemet Eli was initially disappeared in the days following unrest in Urumqi in 2009 and has not been seen since. His disappearance came amid the capricious round-up of Uyghurs who were suspected to have been involved in violence. Human Rights Watch documented the disappearance of 42 men and teenage boys in the aftermath between July 6th and the end of August 2009, though it was also stated that the actual number was likely much higher.
This is not the first time Ms. Ghulam has been harassed by Chinese authorities, as she wasdetained for nearly a month back in June, 2014, allegedly for “incitement” after raising the same issue. Authorities at the time were quoted as saying that, “[she] incited the people against [the] government by raising an outcry in public”.
A number of families came forward in the years following the unrest in 2009 with accounts of missing family members. Amnesty International published an article on the third anniversary of the unrest quoting a family member at the time who had said “…there are more than two hundred families in one county in Hotan prefecture alone with disappeared relatives. Many of these families have been afraid to come forward out of fear of retribution by the authorities”.
This fear of retribution has likely prevented many others from speaking out about these crimes. The use of enforced disappearances has been condemned by much of the international community for its clear disdain for the legal rights of the accused. Six years and a half years is far too long for anyone to wait to receive answers about the fate of loved ones. The resulting trial of Patigul Ghulam stands as a further insult to a deeply concerned parent who has worked for years looking for answers.
WUC Holds International Conference on Uyghur Refugees & Asylum Seekers
From 25-26 April in Berlin, Germany, the World Uyghur Congress, along with the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization and the Society for Threatened Peoples, held an international conference focusing on the plight of Uyghurs fleeing East Turkestan. The two-day conference allowed for productive, in-depth discussions, regarding past and current issues affecting Uyghur refugees and asylum seekers.
The conference brought together participants from around the world including academics, experts, activists and members of civil society to face the issue from their own unique perspectives. As a result, valuable insight was gained through themed panel discussions and interactive dialogue with audience members who wished to participate. The conference itself also acted as a means to gather together recommendations from the participants so as to tackle specific problems continually faced by Uyghurs who have left their homeland.
The conference began with opening statements from WUC President, Rebiya Kadeer, along with senior representatives from the UNPO, Society for Threatened Peoples, and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). The first day continued with an introduction to the WUC’s forthcoming report on Uyghur refugees in Turkey and panel discussions which focused on the question of why Uyghurs are fleeing East Turkestan and a history of the Uyghur diaspora around the world.
The second day was aimed at discussing the Uyghur flight from East Turkestan within the past four years in particular and the legal berries and implications of this migration. Panellists spoke directly about the role of the UNHCR and the failure of the international asylum system generally – specifically in relation to Uyghur forced returns over the past decade from states bordering China. Once the context and facts were firmly established, panelists were able to then focus on looking for a way forward with regards to interested states, the UNHCR and international civil society.
The final two panels allowed for more open discussion about these issues and gave both the panelists and the participants ample time to make substantive recommendations and to provide a strategic way forward for the WUC and other organizations. The conference built upon previous events held by the WUC and stressed the importance of focusing on concrete solutions that will now be built into the comprehensive report that will be released in the coming weeks.
Dolkun Isa Denied Visa to Attend Human Rights Conference
The Executive Committee Chairman of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), Dolkun Isa, was denied a travel visa to attend the 11th annual Interethnic Interfaith Leadership Conference which took place in Dharamsala, India, from April 30 to May 1. The conference stands as a vital forum through which ethnic and religious communities, as well as statesmen, scholars and activists are able to meet openly to discuss and exchange ideas, promote peaceful dialogue, and reinforce bonds between disparate communities.
Isa initially applied for a tourist e-visa to travel to India, but his visit was widely reported in the Indian press. Following numerous reports, Indian authorities then proceeded to rescind the visa on April 23rd, along with the visa of another WUC representative. The reason for this action likely lies in pressure from Chinese authorities as a number of other activists and representatives from civil society were alsobarred from attending the meeting.
This is not the first time that Isa has faced difficulty travelling abroad in such a capacity. In September 2009, he detained briefly and denied entry to South Korea while travelling to attend the World Forum for Democratization in Asia, to which he was an invited guest. Additionally, the Chinese government hasworked hard to block or interfere with his human rights work at the UN in Geneva and in other fora.
Conference on Ilham Tohti and ethnic harmony to be held in Brussels
The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), along with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) and the Ilham Tohti Initiative will convene a conference at European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, on May 25th. The conference will invite high-level panellists with a twofold objective: to raise awareness of the overall situation endured by Uyghurs in China – especially precarious following Beijing’s ‘anti-terror’ policies passed in 2001 – and to gather international support for the case of Ilham Tohti. The event will bring together academics, human rights experts, policy-makers and members of the Uyghur diaspora and will be open to anyone interested in the global struggle for freedom and justice.
Uyghur American Association will hold elections in May
The Uyghur American Association (UAA) will be holding upcoming elections on May 29th to re-elect representatives to continue to build upon past successes of the organization. The UAA remains the most prominent Uyghur advocacy group in the United States and has acted since its founding in 1998 to support Uyghurs in China and abroad.
WUC will attend 32nd Session of the Human Rights Council
The World Uyghur Congress will again send delegates to the 32nd session of the Human Rights Council to take part in dialogue with state missions, NGOs and other like-minded international organizations. The WUC will submit a written statement prior to the session and also make an oral intervention for Item 3 that will focus on the Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development. Representatives may also participate in side events during the session focusing relevant issues to the Uyghur community.
WUC will hold 5th General Assembly in July
The WUC will hold its 5th General Assembly in Paris, France, from 11-13 July 2016. The WUC will be expecting around 120 elected Uyghur delegates from 20 countries to attend the event, as well as other activists, interested members of civil society and political figures, who are to be invited to the Opening Ceremony, which will be open to the public. The meeting will prove to be the most important since the founding of the organization back in 2004 with the merger of the East Turkestan National Congress and the World Uyghur Youth Congress. Past General Assemblies have been held in Munich in April 2004, Munich again in November 2006, Washington DC in May 2009, and Tokyo in May 2012.
WUC affiliates organize commemorative events for Barin uprising
On the 26th anniversary of the Baren Uprising, Uyghur organizations in Turkey, Germany, and in a number of other European countries met on April 5th to commemorate the events and to speak about current challenges to human rights for the Uyghur community. The meetings allowed for productive dialogue about the situation in East Turkestan and for representatives and members of the community to come together to remember those that were killed during one of the most brutal uses of force against civilians to date.
WUC holds international conference on Uyghur refugees in Berlin
The World Uyghur Congress, along with the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization and the Society for Threatened Peoples, and with financial support from the National Endowment for Democracy, held an international conference focusing on the plight of Uyghurs fleeing East Turkestan, that took place from April 25-26 in Berlin, Germany. The two-day conference provided a forum to bring together academics, experts, activists, members of civil society and witnesses together to discuss the problem and its underlying sources, as well as to develop a concrete strategy in terms of the remedial approach that must be taken.
WUC Executive Committee Chairman attends UNPO Presidency meeting
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the UNPO, WUC Executive Committee Chairman, Dolkun Isa, attended the UNPO’s Presidency meeting in Stockholm, Sweden from April 28-29. The meeting allowed for dialogue between members of the organization and to share emerging and developing strategies among unrepresented peoples working alongside governments and civil society. As Dolkun remains a Presidency member representing Uyghurs from East Turkestan, the WUC stands with a number of other strong delegations within the UNPO.
WUC representatives meet with Turkish organizations in Berlin
WUC president, Rebiya Kadeer and vice-president, Seyit Tumturk, met with several Turkish community groups in Berlin, Germany, from April 28-30. The meetings allowed for closer cooperation to between members of civil society among the Turkish and Uyghur communities.
Initiatives for China conference goes ahead in Dharmsala, India
Despite visa cancellations for WUC Executive Committee Chairman, Dolkun Isa, and vice-president, Omer Kanat, the Interethnic Interfaith Leadership Conference took place in Dharmsala, India, from April 28-May 1. One Uyghur representative, however, was able to make it to the meeting – Ilshat Hassan – current president of the Uyghur American Association. The conference looked to strengthen the alliance between activists and representatives from many different faith and ethnic backgrounds.
WUC Executive Committee Chairman meets with Uyghur Education Union
WUC Executive Committee Chairman, Dolkun Isa, met with board members of the Uyghur Educational Association in Stockholm, Sweden. Isa spoke to representatives and discussed future cooperation between the two groups as well as issues of maintaining Uyghur culture and education within the diaspora.
WUC representatives meet with Member of European Parliament
WUC Executive Committee Chairman, Dolkun Isa, along with vice-president, Asgar Can and East Turkestan Union in Europe president, Enver Can, met with Member of European Parliament,Barbara Lochbihler, on May 6th in Munich, Germany. The meeting was intended to discuss the most current issues facing the Uyghur community including the effects of enforced disappearances and the new legislation on counter-terrorism in China. The meeting also allowed for discussion about the case of Ilham Tohti and some of the strategies available to engage with European Parliament on the issue.
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