World Uyghur Congress Remembers Yarkand Massacre 10 Years Later
The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Yarkand massacre, a tragic event where Chinese security forces suppressed a large peaceful protest, resulting in numerous Uyghur deaths.
Remembering the Victims
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Yarkand massacre. WUC members recalled the victims and highlighted the ongoing struggle for justice and transparency. WUC President Dolkun Isa stated, “Ten years later, the situation on the ground hasn’t improved; it has drastically deteriorated over the past few years.”
Background of the Protests
The protests in Yarkand began in response to the Chinese government’s actions in Bashkent Township, where a Uyghur family of five was extrajudicially killed during house-to-house searches. This led many Uyghurs to flee to nearby Elishku Township, where they participated in the protests.
Conflicting Reports
Chinese state media labelled the incident a “premeditated terrorist attack on a police station in Xinjiang.” Despite the attack occurring on July 28, state media took a full day to release any official reports. Uyghur groups rejected these claims, stating that residents were protesting against the “Chinese security forces’ heavy-handed Ramzan crackdown and extrajudicial use of lethal force in recent weeks.”
Casualties and Lack of Transparency
According to Chinese government statistics, 96 civilians, including 59 Uyghurs, were killed when police and security forces clashed with protesters. However, Uyghur sources estimate that up to 3,000 Uyghurs might have been killed during and after the protests. The full number of those arrested, killed, and disappeared remains unclear due to a lack of transparency and judicial accountability.
Calls for International Solidarity
On the 10th anniversary of the Yarkand massacre, the WUC has called for international solidarity to honour the victims. The WUC has renewed its demands for the Chinese government to immediately and transparently disclose the whereabouts and fate of the missing and deceased to their family members and the wider Uyghur community.
Doubts Revealed
World Uyghur Congress -: The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) is an organization that represents the Uyghur people, who are a minority ethnic group in China. They work to protect the rights and culture of Uyghurs.
Yarkand massacre -: The Yarkand massacre happened 10 years ago when Chinese security forces stopped a peaceful protest by Uyghur people. Many Uyghurs were killed during this event.
Dolkun Isa -: Dolkun Isa is the President of the World Uyghur Congress. He speaks out for the rights of Uyghur people and wants justice for those who were hurt or killed.
Uyghur -: Uyghurs are a group of people who mostly live in the Xinjiang region of China. They have their own language and culture, which is different from the majority of people in China.
Chinese security forces -: Chinese security forces are like the police and military in China. They are responsible for keeping order but sometimes use force to stop protests.
house searches -: House searches are when police or security forces go into people’s homes to look for something. In this case, it led to the killing of a Uyghur family, which started the protests.
transparency -: Transparency means being open and honest. The WUC wants the Chinese government to be clear about what happened to the missing and deceased Uyghurs.