On August 27, 2024, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued an update on the human rights situation concerning East Turkistan (so-called “Xinjiang”). This update marks a disturbing shift in the UN’s stance. Two years ago, the OHCHR’s report clearly identified the Chinese government’s atrocities in Occupied East Turkistan as crimes against humanity—against the Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and other predominantly Muslim Turkic peoples. Yet, in this latest update, these atrocities are downplayed as “problematic policies,” dangerously minimizing the severity of China’s ongoing crimes.
“The UN’s failure to hold China accountable for its genocidal actions is a direct betrayal of the principles of justice and human rights that the international community is supposed to uphold,” said Dr. Mamtimin Ala, President of the East Turkistan Government in Exile. “By downplaying genocide as mere ‘problematic policies,’ the UN risks legitimizing China’s crimes,” he added.
The Chinese government responded with false claims that its genocidal policies in East Turkistan are necessary to “combat extremism, terrorism, and separatism.” These false claims are nothing but a cynical attempt to justify its ongoing campaign of colonization, genocide, and occupation in East Turkistan. The reality is clear: China is actively working to erasing our identity, faith, and existence in order to ensure its occupation over our homeland.
It is crucial to highlight that the Chinese government’s actions have been recognized as genocide and crimes against humanity by the U.S. government and parliaments of over a dozen Western nations. These international recognitions demand urgent global action.
The timing of the UN’s latest update is particularly alarming, coming just hours after China announced plans to turn East Turkistan into a “strategic barrier against geopolitical risks.” This includes expanding repressive measures under the pretext of “social stability” and national security, further entrenching their occupation and genocidal campaign.
The East Turkistan Government in Exile condemns the UN Human Rights Office for its failure to fully acknowledge and act upon the gravity of these crimes. By reducing China’s crimes to mere “problematic policies,” the OHCHR is not only failing in its mandate but is also dangerously close to legitimizing China’s genocide and crimes against humanity in Occupied East Turkistan as lawful policy actions. This is a betrayal of the principles of justice and human rights that the UN is supposed to uphold.
“We demand immediate and uncompromising action from UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk and the international community,” said Salih Hudayar, Foreign Minister of the East Turkistan Government in Exile. “The Uyghur Genocide must be elevated to the top of the UN Security Council and General Assembly agendas; furthermore, we urge global support for East Turkistan’s legal efforts to demand justice through the International Criminal Court,” he added.
The ETGE reiterates that the restoration of East Turkistan’s independence is not just a regional issue; it is a global imperative. It is the only path to safeguarding the freedoms and existence of the Uyghur and other Turkic peoples. The world must no longer stand by in silence. The time for decisive action is now. History will judge those who fail to act in the face of genocide.
