KASAKISTAN GOVERNMENT DEPORT POLITICAL REFUGEES TO CHINA

___East Turkistan Information Center appeal to international organizations to stop China from deporting political refugees to China.

The graveness of human rights violation in Chinese occupied East Turkistan ( Xinjiang ) is evidenced in the fact that peaceful demonstrations are brutally crashed, hundreds of ethnic Uyghurs are arrested, put into prison or even executed. The plight of ethnic Uyghurs seeking independence in E.T.is beginning to catch the attention of international media some of which call region "Second Kosovo". A special 92-page report by Amnesty International has once again proved the seriousness of the human rights abuse in the region.

According to the reliable information gathered by E.T.I.C., in the months of January to June .1999, nearly 100 Uyghur political prisoners were sentenced to death or life imprisonment. In fact, in the last 10 years E.T. has become the only province in China where execution of political prisoners was carried out. Since the "Northern Territory Uprising " in 1989, no other provinces in China ( including Tibet ) have seen Political prisoners executed.

As China intensifies its campaign of repression against ethnic Uyghurs in the region, some Uyghurs dissidents had to flee their homeland and try to seek refuge in neighboring Kazakistan. Regrettably, however, the Kasak government have rejected their applications for political asylum. Instaed, they have been arresting these refugees and handing them over to the Chinese authorities.

In February 1999, the Kazakistan authority arrested Hammit Muhammed, Ilyar Zordin and Khasim Mahpur after rejecting their application for political asylum. The three young Uyghurs were wanted by the Chinese for their "seperatists activities". Upon their deportation, they were arrested and sentenced to death after a hasty trial. The copy of their arrest warrants issued by the Chinese government in 1998 was also included in the Amnesty International’s special report.

The decision by the Kazak government has angered the Uyghurs community living abroad many of whom took to the streets to demonstrate against Kazakistans’s cooperation with the communist regime in China. Amnesty International also issued a petition with regard to the situation. But the Kasak authority has so far ignored these protests and petitions. According to a Kazakistan newspaper "Uyghur Solidarity " , since April 1999, the Kazakistan government has arrested the following Uyghurs who had to flee E. T. because of their involvement in the independent movement there:

Sabir Rozih, Umit Abdusattar , Roze Semet, Shahilyar Shahmansur, Azat Semet, Seypidin Shemshidin, Zordun.

Presently they are being detained by the Kasak authority and will soon be deported back to China.

Over the recent weeks , the world has witnessed human compassion extended to Kosovo refugees by neighboring countries like Albania , Meccedonia as well as many western countries .

The governments of Albania , Meccedonia, though economically disadvantaged, had sheltered more than half million Kosovo refugees. And many other countries, in spite of their different religious affiliations and roots , have demonstrated good-will and compassion by helping Kosova Albanians.

In contrasts, Kazakhstan have failed to protect a few Uyghurs who share border with them as well as same religion and roots. Instead, they openly cooperated with the repressive government of China and subjected these refugees to the fate of certain imprisonment or even death ! This is a gross humanitarian tragedy !

The action taken by the Kasakistan government not only leaves deep wounds in the hearts of nearly one million Uyghurs who live in Kasakistan and other countries in Middle Asia but also anger the Uyghur population in E. T.

More than one million and two hundred thousand Kazaks live in E. T. while more than five hundred thousand Uyghurs live in Kazakistan. If the Kazakistan government continues to cooperation with the Chinese in their repression of the Uyghurs in E. T. , the good-will and harmony that exist between the Kazaks and Uyghurs may be destroyed. As a result, discontent and even conflicts may intensify and the stability of Middle Asia will be in danger.

Therefore, on behalf of the Uyghur community abroad, we appeal to international organizations to put pressure on the Kazakistan government so that they will reverse the wrong course they have taken and abide by the international laws.

East Turkistan Information Center

June 1, 1999 .