At Bishkek summit, East Turkistan Govt in Exile Slams Turkic States for Silence on China’s Genocide

The East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) issued a strong condemnation of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) following its recent summit in Bishkek.

In a scathing statement, ETGE officials expressed outrage over the OTS’s failure to acknowledge or condemn the ongoing genocide and brutal occupation of East Turkistan by China.

Mamtimin Ala, President of the ETGE, voiced his deep frustration, calling the OTS’s silence a betrayal of the unity and solidarity the organization purports to uphold. “East Turkistan, the cradle of Turkic civilization, is being systematically destroyed under Chinese colonial occupation,” Ala declared. “The silence of the Turkic States in the face of this atrocity is a betrayal of their own brothers and sisters who are facing genocide. History will not forgive those who turned their backs on their kin in their greatest hour of need.”

The people of East Turkistan, comprising Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Turkic peoples have endured more than 75 years of Chinese oppression. Despite their geographical, cultural, and linguistic ties to the region, the OTS has failed to take meaningful action, remaining silent while these atrocities continue.

Salih Hudayar, Foreign Minister of the ETGE, also condemned the OTS summit for addressing international issues while failing to acknowledge the plight of over 40 million Turkic people suffering just across their own borders. “The OTS addressed concerns from distant lands but turned a blind eye to the cries of our people, who are facing genocide,” Hudayar said. “We demand that the OTS break its silence and stand with its Turkic brothers and sisters.”

The ETGE has called on the OTS to unequivocally condemn the ongoing genocide against Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Turkic peoples in East Turkistan, and to take all diplomatic and economic measures available to end China’s occupation.

The ETGE also urges the OTS to recognize East Turkistan’s right to self-determination and independence by international law and principles of justice. Furthermore, the ETGE demands that the OTS halt all cooperation with the Chinese government and take concrete actions to liberate East Turkistan from Chinese colonization, genocide, and occupation, thereby safeguarding the sovereignty of all Turkic states.

The ETGE’s call comes at a critical juncture, with global attention focused on rising geopolitical tensions. The ETGE has vowed to continue its struggle for the freedom of East Turkistan and the protection of its people, and insists on the full support of the Turkic world in this fight for justice.

As a representative body of the people of East Turkistan, the ETGE works to raise global awareness of the genocide, occupation, and human rights abuses perpetrated by the Chinese government against Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Turkic peoples. It advocates for the restoration of the region’s independence and sovereignty, standing firm in its commitment to securing justice for East Turkistan.