The East Turkistan Government-in-Exile marked the 12th anniversary of what it terms China's genocide against Uyghurs. Citing millions in camps and forced labor, it called for international action to restore East Turkistan's independence.
The East Turkistan Government-in-Exile (ETGE), along with the East Turkistan Parliament-in-Exile, the East Turkistan National Movement and the East Turkistan National Fund, commemorated the twelfth anniversary of what they describe as China's genocide against the Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz and other Turkic communities of East Turkistan, according to an ETGE report.
According to the ETGE, twelve years after Beijing initiated its so-called "People's War Against Terrorism" on May 23, 2014, the genocide has now entered its thirteenth year. The organisation stated that the situation in East Turkistan is not merely a human rights concern but represents the intentional destruction of a nation under colonial rule.
Historical Claims and Colonial Accusations
East Turkistan, referred to by China as "Xinjiang", meaning "New Territory", was described by the ETGE as an independent state before the People's Republic of China invaded it on October 12, 1949. The report further stated that in the seventy-six years since the occupation, colonisation has evolved into genocide.
Allegations of Genocide and Human Rights Abuses
The ETGE asserted that the evidence is firmly established and undeniable. Referring to Beijing's 2020 white paper, the organisation stated that nearly eight million people were sent to concentration camps, officially termed "vocational training camps" by China, between 2014 and 2019. It also cited China's five-year plan, which projected 13.75 million forced labour transfers between 2021 and 2025.
According to the ETGE, UN Special Rapporteurs warned in January 2026 that the real figures may have already surpassed those projections and could constitute enslavement as a crime against humanity. The report further claimed that an estimated 25,000 to 50,000 Uyghur and other Turkic youth are killed annually for organ harvesting, with conservative estimates suggesting that between 300,000 and 600,000 people have been killed since 2014. It also stated that more than one million Uyghur children have been separated from their families and that hundreds of thousands of Uyghur women have allegedly been forcibly sterilised.
"The world has acknowledged this crime, yet no meaningful action has been taken to stop it," said Salih Hudayar, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Security of the ETGE and President of the East Turkistan National Movement. He added that the genocide cannot end as long as Chinese colonial occupation continues.
Geopolitical and Economic Implications
The ETGE further argued that East Turkistan is not simply a humanitarian issue but a central element of China's economic, military and geopolitical ambitions through the Belt and Road Initiative. The organisation claimed that the region's oil, gas, uranium and rare earth resources are being exploited to strengthen Beijing's military power and threaten free nations globally.
Call for International Action and Independence
According to the ETGE, restoring East Turkistan's independence is both a moral obligation and a strategic necessity. The organisation called on the international community to recognise East Turkistan as an illegally occupied territory, impose binding economic and diplomatic sanctions on China, ban imports produced through forced labour, and support the ETGE's petition before the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation as well as its complaint before the International Criminal Court.
"Inaction will not stop this evil; it will only encourage China further," said Dr Mamtimin Ala, President of the East Turkistan Government in Exile. He stated that any government committed to a rules-based international order and serious about ending genocide and colonialism has legal, moral and strategic grounds to support the people of East Turkistan.
The ETGE reiterated that the restoration of East Turkistan's independence remains the only assurance for the survival of its people and asserted that governments choosing silence are effectively siding with colonialism and genocide, according to the ETGE report. (ANI)
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