Uyghur activist condemns China’s Tarim Basin drilling as colonialism and genocide

Rushan Abbas, Executive Director of Campaign for Uyghurs, has condemned China’s recent announcement about completing the deepest vertical well in Asia, located in the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang.

Abbas highlighted the exploitation of the Uyghur homeland, describing the drilling project as part of a broader colonial agenda by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In a post on X, Rushan Abbas stated, “The CCP announced that it has drilled the deepest vertical well in the Uyghur homeland, a new frontier for oil and gas resources, while continuing its genocide against the Uyghur people. This is a form of colonialism driven by control and subjugation, abusing the land and its people who have lived there for centuries”.

Rushan’s reaction followed an article by AsiaNews, which reported that the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) had successfully completed the drilling of Asia’s deepest vertical well. Located in the Tarim Basin, a desert region in Xinjiang province, the well reportedly reached a depth of 10,910 metres. making it the second deepest vertical well on land globally.

AsiaNews reported that more than 300 wells, each drilled deeper than 8,000 meters, have already been developed in the Tarim Basin, underscoring the significant role of this oil field in advancing technologies for ultra-deep oil and gas exploration. The report highlighted that all of this is happening in Xinjiang province, the homeland of the Muslim Uyghur population, who continue to endure Chinese repression. AsiaNews emphasized that China’s expanding oil industry in the region serves as a powerful tool in the ongoing process of sinicization. Furthermore, state-owned mining companies have faced accusations of utilising forced Uyghur labour, often concealed under the guise of “poverty alleviation” initiatives.

The situation regarding China’s Uyghur population, primarily based in Xinjiang, has drawn significant international attention. Reports indicate widespread human rights abuses, including forced labour, arbitrary detentions in so-called “re-education” camps, and surveillance. The Chinese government asserts these measures are necessary to combat extremism and promote stability. However, critics, including various governments and human rights organisations, describe these actions as systematic repression aimed at eradicating Uyghur culture, language, and religion. Accusations of genocide, forced sterilisations, and mass indoctrination have intensified debates over China’s treatment of its minority population, sparking global condemnation and sanctions.