Persecuted Uyghur's of East Turkestan express condolences to the American People for the September 11 Tragedy

Eight years after the September 11 terror attacks, the Uyghur American Association (UAA) mourns the loss of thousands of lives that took place on that tragic day. UAA offers its support and condolences to the friends and loved ones of the victims of September 11, and to all people around the world who have been affected by terrorism.

“Uyghur people around the world remain steadfast in their support of the United States, the American people and the global fight against terrorism,” said Uyghur democracy leader Rebiya Kadeer. “Acts of violence and terror can never bring positive change, only sorrow. The international community must continue to work together to strive peacefully for democracy and human rights in every corner of the world.”

Since the events of September 11, the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has manipulated the “global war on terror” to persecute Uyghurs in East Turkestan. September 11 marked the beginning of a new wave of oppression and injustice at the hands of the Chinese regime, which re-branded its repressive actions against peaceful Uyghurs as “anti-terror” efforts. The Chinese government has manipulated the “anti-terror” label to persecute and harass Uyghur refugees who have fled the PRC for other countries. The Chinese government also frequently attempts to influence overseas Uyghur activists by harassing family members who remain in East Turkestan.

The Chinese regime continues to attempt to portray the Uyghur people’s struggle for the recognition and protection of their fundamental human rights as being motivated by violent and ‘terrorist’ intent. In the wake of serious unrest in the regional capital of Urumchi in early July of this year, which has resurged in recent days, the Chinese government has actively sought to inflame ethnic tensions between the Han Chinese and Uyghur residents of Urumchi. An already deteriorating human rights situation in East Turkestan has drastically worsened since July, as untold numbers of Uyghurs have been arbitrarily jailed and tortured, and executions loom for those detained in an environment lacking any form of judicial transparency or accountability.

“The Chinese government must end its exploitation of the anti-terror label to persecute Uyghurs, especially those who have been arbitrarily detained since July 5,” said Ms. Kadeer. “Instead of fanning the flames of fear, nationalism and hatred in East Turkestan, Chinese officials should work to promote true harmony in the region, and address the legitimate concerns of the Uyghur people. The Chinese government should end its misuse of a very sad occasion, the tragedy of September 11, to carry out political persecution.”

Since East Turkestan was incorporated into the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Uyghurs, who make up the region’s largest ethnic group, have lived without the freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and religion, and without the freedom to use and develop their language, all rights that are guaranteed under PRC law and in the PRC Constitution.

The Uyghur American Association (UAA) works to promote the preservation and flourishing of a rich, humanistic and diverse Uyghur culture, and to support the right of the Uyghur people to use peaceful, democratic means to determine their own political future.

The UAA has undertaken the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) for the purpose of promoting improved human rights conditions for Uyghurs and other indigenous groups in East Turkestan, on the premise that the assurance of basic human rights will facilitate the realization of the community’s democratic aspirations.

Uyghur Human Rights Project
Uyghur American Association
1701 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20006
Tel: +1 (202) 349 1496
Fax: +1 (202) 349 1491
info[at]uyghuramerican.org
www.uhrp.org
www.uyghuramerican.org