The East Turkistan Government in Exile issued a statement expressing concerns over UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, what it called a ‘major deviation in the UN’s stance’ on the ongoing genocide in East Turkistan.

The ETGE in its statement on Thursday mentioned that the OHCHR has ‘downplayed’ the worsening situation in East Turkistan as “problematic policies” which it said is dangerously minimizing the severity of China’s ongoing crimes.

🗞️📢 The ETGE strongly rejects @UNHumanRights @volker_turk‘s attempt to whitewash #China‘s crimes as mere “problematic policies.” China’s atrocities in #EastTurkistan are nothing less than genocide and crimes against humanity. #UyghurGenocidehttps://t.co/y6I1Etv2wm

— East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) (@ETExileGov) August 29, 2024

Stating his concerns over the matter, Mamtimin Ala, President of the ETGE said, “The UN’s failure to hold China accountable for its genocidal actions is a direct betrayal of the principles of justice and human rights that the international community is supposed to uphold. By downplaying genocide as mere ‘problematic policies,’ the UN risks legitimizing China’s crimes.”

The statement by the ETGE further stated that the Chinese government has been making false claims that its genocidal policies in East Turkistan are necessary to “combat extremism, terrorism, and separatism”.

But, these statements are nothing more than a cynical attempt to justify its ongoing campaign of colonization, genocide, and occupation in East Turkistan, the statement said.

The ETGE stated, “The reality is clear China is actively working to erase our identity, faith, and existence to ensure its occupation over our homeland”.

The ETGE also stated that it is crucial to highlight that the Chinese government’s actions are recognised as genocide and crimes against humanity by the US government and parliaments of over a dozen Western nations. These international recognitions demand urgent global action.

The statement further mentioned that it condemns the UN Human Rights Office for its failure to fully acknowledge and act upon the gravity of these crimes. It said that by reducing China’s crimes to mere “problematic policies,” the OHCHR is not only failing in its mandate but is also dangerously close to legitimizing China’s genocide and crimes against humanity in Occupied East Turkistan as lawful policy actions. This is a betrayal of the principles of justice and human rights that the UN is supposed to uphold.

Additionally, Salih Hudayar, Foreign Minister of the ETGE mentioned, “We demand immediate and uncompromising action from UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk and the international community. The Uyghur Genocide must be elevated to the top of the UN Security Council and General Assembly agendas; furthermore, we urge global support for East Turkistan’s legal efforts to demand justice through the International Criminal Court.”

The ETGE also demanded that the restoration of East Turkistan’s independence is not just a regional issue; it is a global imperative. “It is the only path to safeguarding the freedoms and existence of the Uyghur and other Turkic peoples. The world must no longer stand by in silence. The time for decisive action is now. History will judge those who fail to act in the face of genocide,” it said.