The Muslim Lawyers have announced the founding of the German-Uyghur Friendship Association located in Munich, Germany. The purpose of the German-Uyghur Friendship Association is to provide specific support for the Uyghur people.
Uyghuristan, often referred to as East Turkestan, and currently known as the Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, is one of the oldest and most famous of the Muslim populated regions of Asia. The Uyghur have historically played a leading role in the spread and preservation of Islam among the people of Asia and have therefore been a main target of the communist Chinese oppression of the past decades. Due to their staunch commitment to the worship of Allah and their determination for independence from communist atheistic tyranny, the Uyghur are virtually imprisoned in their homeland by communist military and police supervision. In addition an information black-out has been imposed by the PRC authorities s o that few in the outside world know about the plight of the Uyghur. In the past two years alone, thousands of Uyghur suspected of supporting Islam have been imprisoned for activities which the communist government has ruthlessly outlawed even though they have been the normal life practices of the Uyghur for generations. Prayers, gathering in mosques and even studying or teaching the Qur'an are all cause for arrest and sometimes have led to executions. The communist authorities are especially ardent in their pursuit of those who are or may be active in trying to once again obtain independence for the Uyghur as a Muslim people. Such people can expect at the best long prison terms if not immediate execution.
In the face of this stark situation, Sidi Abdal Jalil Karkash, head of the East Turkestan Information Centre in Munich, and Hajj Abu Bakr Rieger, Amir of the Islamic Community of Germany and founder of the international Muslim Lawyer's Association, have together established the German-Uyghur Friendship Association.
The goals and activities of the association include plans to help the Uyghur through public relations, media work, legal and financial help and assistance.