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Letter to UNESCO General Secretary
Mohemt Tohti
February 20, 2003
Dear Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura,
My name is Mohemet Tohti, President of World Uyghur
Youth Congress. I am writing this letter on behalf of
the Uyghur people in East Turkestan (a.k.a.: Xinjiang
Uyghur Autonomous Region of People’s Republic of
China) with regard to the recent destruction of Uyghur
cultural heritage by the Chinese government.
The Uyghur Diaspora is deeply shocked to learn the
recent destruction of Uyghur Cultural Heritage in
Kashgar followed by the burning the millions of Uyghur
Books throughout East Turkistan. According to sources
from Kashgar, Chinese authorities have decided to
destroy all of the historical Uyghur buildings, which
reflect the rich architectural characteristics of
Uyghur Culture, starting from 26th of February. Local
state-run TV has already begun to show the so-called
new face of Kashgar City, and how it would look after
the destruction of those centuries-old houses. Kashgar,
as an ancient Uyghur city located on the historical
Silk Road, is the center of Uyghur culture, religion,
and history.
Since Communist China occupied East Turkestan in 1949,
Beijing authorities attempted to eliminate the Uyghur
identity by destroying historical Uyghur sites and
cultural heritage of the Uyghur people in Eastern
Turkestan, especially during China’s notorious
Cultural Revolution. Now as a part of the so-called "Strike
Hard Campaign", the Chinese authorities are doing
their best to destroy the Uyghur cultural heritage all
over East Turkestan, violating the relevant
constitution and charters of UNESCO that China signed
on December 12, 1985.
The UNESCO Convention regarding the protection of the
World Cultural and Natural Heritage adopted in
November 1972 put the historical and cultural
architectures of the Uyghur people in Kashgar City as
historical sites for protection for their universal
values. Article One considers ancient buildings and
monuments as cultural heritage. Article Four urges
each State Party to ensure the identification,
protection, conservation, presentation and
transmission to future generations of the cultural and
natural heritage. Therefore, the intentional
destruction of ancient Uyghur buildings and sites in
Kashgar City by the Chinese authorities runs counter
to the spirit of the convention adopted by UNESCO and
signed by China.
The Uyghur Diaspora is convinced that the destruction
of traditional Uyghur architectures in Kashgar City by
the Chinese authorities is part of a systematic
assimilation of Uyghur people into greater Chinese
culture. Traditional Uyghur architectures in Kashgar
City have been preserved and valued by the Uyghur
people as part of their culture, history and national
identity. These ancient architectures are the
reflections of Uyghur history, culture, and art. Most
importantly, they have been preserved by the Uyghur
people as the unique symbols of ancient Silk Road
culture. Those historic architectures, houses and
sites about to be destroyed by the Chinese government
in Kashgar City have been serving both domestic and
foreign tourists as the reincarnation of this ancient
culture.
Therefore, we, as the representatives of the Uyghur
Diaspora and the Uyghurs in East Turkestan:
Considering that Uyghur cultural heritage and the
natural heritage are increasingly threatened with
destruction by the Chinese authorities to eliminate
the Uyghur identity.
Considering that deterioration or disappearance of any
item of the Uyghur cultural or natural heritage
including the destruction of ancient Uyghur
architectures in Kashgar city and other ancient relics
of Uyghur history constitutes a harmful impoverishment
of the world heritage,
Considering the importance of protecting the Uyghur
cultural heritage at the international level as part
of world civilization,
Considering that Uyghur cultural or natural heritage
are of outstanding value, and therefore need to be
preserved as part of the world heritage of mankind as
a whole,
Strongly and respectfully urge UNESCO to put pressure
on the Chinese authorities to immediately halt the
destruction of ancient Uyghur architectures in Kashgar
City in order to insure the survival of this unique
history and cultural heritage, which has been
preserved by the Uyghur people for centuries.
We also call upon UNESCO and its respective members to
send a formal delegation to Kashgar City before the
destruction of valuable historical relics and symbols
of the ancient Silk Road culture. We also sincerely
ask to you hold talks with the Chinese authorities
regarding this issue so that the Uyghur cultural
heritage as part of world heritage can be saved from
eternal destruction.
Thank you for helping the Uyghur people and preserving
their cultural heritage!
Yours truly,
Mohemat Tohti
President,
World Uyghur Youth Congress
Cosigners:
Uyghur American Association
Uyghur Canadian Association
Eastern Turkistan (Uyghuristan) National Congress
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