The
Eastern
Turkistan
Information
Center
report
For Immediate Release
(For More Information contact Anwar Yusuf 1-703-917-0514)
September 11, 1997
CONGRESSMAN TO INTRODUCE MUSLIM-UYGHUR AMENDMENT
Eastern Turkistan National Freedom Center Head Meets with Rohrabacher
On September 8, 1997 Anwar Yusuf, the President of Eastern Turkistan
National Freedom Center ( ETNFC), met with Congressman Dana
Rohrabacher. During the meeting Mr. Yusuf raised the cause of freedom
and independence for his homeland, Eastern Turkistan, which has been
under the illegal occupation of the People's Republic of China since
1949. In addition, Yusuf raised the issue of China's human rights
violations of the people of Eastern Turkistan, elaborating on China's
brutal religious persecution of Muslim-Uyghurs and presenting a video
tape of the two most recent large incidents which occurred between
1995 and 1997 in the Khotan and Ili regions of Eastern Turkistan. The
video shows China's arrest, questioning, sentencing for long term
imprisonment, and public execution of many Uyghur young men who were
trying to express their resentment against the government of China in
non-violent ways.
The meeting with Congressman Rohrabacher is the latest event in a two
year old campaign by the ETNFC to encourage U.S. government action on
be half of oppressed Uighur and others living under Chinese rule.
Congressman Rohrabacher informed Mr. Yusuf of his decision to offer an
amendment to House Resolution 1685 designed to protect the religious
freedom of Muslim Uyghurs. He will present the amendment next week.
The text of the amendment follows:
AMENDMENT TO H.R. 1685
OFFERED BY MR. ROHRABACHER
On page 4, insert the following after line 3 and redesignate the
succeeding paragraphs accordingly:
1 (7) In Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China,
2 formerly the independent republic of East Turkistan,
3 where the Muslim religion is inextricably linked to
4 the dominant Uyghur culture, the Government of
5 the People's Republic of China has intensified its
6 control over the Uyghur people by systematically re-
7 pressing religious authority, restricting religious
8 study and traditional practice, destroying mosques,
9 and increasing the persecution of religious clergy
10 and practitioners.
If Congressman Rohrabacher's amendment is approved, it will represent
an important statement of U.S. policy on behalf of Muslim Uyghurs and
could lead to economic penalties against China.