Freedom, Independence and Democracy for East Turkistan !

E-mail: etic@uygur.org

The sad truth

Central Asian Turkic speaking countries are preparing to mark their 10^th anniversary soon. Together with this they have put their “achievements” on display.

As the symbol of the unity of the “Shanghai Forum” and one of their biggest achievements - the Presidents of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kirgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan shake each other hand and pictures displaying presidents giving the loyalty oath to each other show in media up to hundred times on daily basis!!!…

When ten years ago when these states gained independence Uyghurs all over the world were happy and inspired by this. But today you would not observe such thing are more. The reason for this is that Uyghur expected positive things to be realized. But achieved nothing but grief. We expected that “as our Turkic brothers practicing the same religion will not only support our independence claims but will help us too”. Alas, those expectations did not realized! We witnessed nothing but betrayal. We grieved and our hearts are in pain.

Early at the beginning of 1990’s when Uyghurs in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan start organizing their organization we thought the governments of Central Asia following their brotherhood intentions indeed.

But those days did not last long. On contrary those temporary democratic “gesture” actions were taken in order to gain international help and domestic support.

In 1996 with Chinese initiative “Shanghai Five Organization” was organized.  The presidents of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan were quick to demonstrate their loyalty to China by denouncing Uyghur’s claim to seek independence from China. As the result Uyghurs went under the heavy political pressure both in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. And although Uzbekistan was not a member of  “Shanghai Five” at that time it was the first to acknowledge China of not supporting Uyghur’s independence case and never allowed their Uyghur population in participating or involving actively in any political and social organization.

Since 1998 the situation even get worst. Now China demanded from the Central Asian states to deport fled Uyghur political refuges and this demand was satisfied again. As the result of the financial awards the security agencies of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on frequent occasions imprisoned or deported Uyghurs back to China. For instance, in January of 1999, the Kazakh authorities have deported to China three Uyghur young Hemit Hemit Memet, Ilya Zordun and Meghpir Qasim who sought a political asylum in Kazakhstan. They were sentenced to death at the beginning of this year by Chinese court. Again in September of 2000 in Almaty city of Kazakhstan four Uyghurs were accused of murdering two Kazakh policemen and were killed by Kazakh’s security forces. This event was frequently showed on local Kazakh TV and in media where Uyghur in general were portrayed as the “terrorist”, “religious extremist” and created a negative public opinion on Uyghur.

Kirgyzstan, which once was known as “an island of democracy in Central Asia”, did not lag far behind of its Kazakh brother. For instance, the four Uyghurs Esqer Tohti, Behramjan Ehmet, Ehmet Gohen and Eli Mesum, who were arrested in Osh last year and accused in the bus bombing were found innocent by the decision of the district court. But in March of this year Osh city court reviewed the district’s decision and sentenced three of them to a death penalty and one to 25 years of imprisonment. Again in 1998 as in the case of Qeyserjan Jalal who was arrested and sentenced by Bishkek city court to 14 years imprisonment, the earlier decision was reviewed and more imprisonment was added to the previous jail term in relation to “organizing unconstitutional political organization” and “plotting killings of the political leaders”. What is the most shocking of the Kyrgyz court is that a person is accused of planning an assassination of the late Nigmat Bazakov at the time when he was in prison, meaning that the accused was carried out his plans while he was jailed already!

It is well known he was a real patriot who contributed his efforts for the nation and motherland and in fact Nigmat Bazakov helped o lot in trial over Qeyserjan Jalal in 1998 to at least soften the court’s decision.

And because of his outspokenness enemies murdered him. Afterwards the Chairman of the “Uyghuristan Liberation Organization” Hashir Wahidi, the representative of “Uchkun” newspaper in Central Asia Abdushukur Tewpiqler fell as the victims of assassinations. And now in May month we have lost our Motherland’s beloved    daughter Dilbirim Sarimsakova! And in Uzbekistan at the beginning of this year the famous writer and well-known social activist Emin Usman was tortured and killed by Uzbek police….

In short, our nation had lost five of its leaders within the last four years in Central Asia! It was indeed a real painful lost for us. We agonized and did nothing. The killers of victims are not found yet. And probably will never be found. And the reason for that is that China behind of all this. And it is not a secret.

But why are we upset the most behind all of this attacks on us in Central Asia remain our Kazakh, Kyrgyz and Uzbek brothers. If there are were not cooperation on their side with China the last will not be so successful in achieving its own cruel plans in the region! We did not expect such a betrayal from our brothers who not only betrayed their brothers but the principles of the humanism as well!

In short, the Central Asian states during the past ten years and especially the last four  to five demonstrated the complete betrayal towards us and proved that nor brother or friend will exist to us until we will have our own independent nationhood!

Uzbek President, Islam Karimov, said once “in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Uyghur are involved in separatism activity and if we will support them we can lose our face in front of our great Chinese nation”.

It is understood that oppressed nation does not have its own face and might be mistreated! To understand the real attitude of the Central Asian states towards us it is enough to quote mentioned words of Islam Karimov only!     

 Eastern Turkistan Information Center

 2001.08.31

© Uygur.Org  07/10/2001 19:10  A.Karakas