2014 Yarkand Massacre: East Turkistan National Movement call on US to act against China

East Turkistan National Movement, a non-governmental and non-profit organization based in Washington, has invited people to commemorate the 2014 Yarkand Massacre, during which thousands of Uyghurs were killed by Chinese government forces and since then the Genocide of Uyghurs started.

The organization calls for collective action to halt China’s ongoing efforts in East Turkistan, described as colonization, genocide against the Uyghurs, and occupation. The event is scheduled for Sunday, July 28, 2024, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

Taking to its official X handle, the East Turkistan National Movement posted, “Join us on Sunday, July 28, 2024, from 1-3 PM for a rally in front of the White House. We will remember the 2014 Yarkand Massacre that began on July 28, 2014, in Yarkand, Occupied East Turkistan, where thousands of Uyghurs were brutally massacred by Chinese government forces. This marked the start of the ongoing Uyghur Genocide. We will reiterate our calls on the US government to take meaningful action against China’s colonization, genocide, and occupation in East Turkistan.”

Demanding the appointment of a Special Coordinator for East Turkistani/Uyghur Issues and recognition of East Turkistan as a country occupied by China, like Tibet, the organisation in its post added, “Stand with us to demand the US government uphold its moral and legal obligations to prevent and punish China’s ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Occupied East Turkistan.”

The term “Yarkand Massacre” refers to an incident that occurred in July 2014 in Yarkand County (Shache County), located in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. According to various reports and accounts, including those from Uyghur activists and organizations, as well as international human rights groups, Chinese security forces conducted a violent crackdown on Uyghur protesters and civilians in the region.

Specific details vary, but reports suggest that several Uyghurs were killed during these events. The Chinese government has described the incident as a counter-terrorism operation against what they termed “violent terrorists.” However, critics and human rights organizations have labelled it as a massacre, arguing that excessive force was used against peaceful protesters and civilians and that it forms part of a broader pattern of human rights abuses against the Uyghur population in Xinjiang.

Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority group primarily residing in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, have been reported to face severe and widespread human rights abuses.

Reports from various sources including human rights organizations, leaked documents, and satellite imagery have indicated the mass arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in what China describes as “vocational training centres” or “re-education camps.” According to reports by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, U.S. government reports, and investigations by international media, Uyghurs are reportedly subjected to forced labour in factories across China under coercive conditions. There are also campaigns aimed at assimilating Uyghur culture, such as Mandarin language imposition and the separation of children from their families.