Uyghur activist highlights parallel struggles of Uyghurs, Baloch at international conference

At the 5th Balochistan International Conference organised by the Baloch National Movement (BNM), Rahima Mahmut, a Uyghur human rights activist, highlighted the ongoing struggles of both the Baloch and Uyghur peoples.

She drew parallels between China’s genocide of the Uyghurs and the exploitation of Balochistan through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Mahmut opened with a personal account, stating, “There are striking similarities between the atrocities and tactics used by dictators and oppressors throughout history. I left my country in 2000, after 1997, and have been in exile ever since. Since 2017, I’ve been unable to return and have been banned from speaking to my family. You can imagine the pain and suffering I have endured, along with my people.”

In focusing on CPEC–a project often praised by Pakistan and China for promoting economic development–Mahmut warned of its detrimental effects. She emphasised that the initiative exacerbates exploitation, displacement, and environmental destruction in Balochistan, benefiting China at the expense of local communities.

“CPEC has primarily served China’s interests while plunging Pakistan into deeper economic dependence,” she said, highlighting that regions like Balochistan remain impoverished despite their vast natural resources.

Drawing from historical comparisons, Mahmut illustrated how China’s occupation of East Turkestan (referred to as Xinjiang by China) mirrored Pakistan’s colonisation of Balochistan in the mid-20th century. Both regions are rich in resources yet have seen little benefit for their local populations, as their lands are exploited by their central governments.

The genocide of the Uyghurs in East Turkestan, marked by mass internment camps that have imprisoned over a million Uyghurs since 2014, is part of China’s broader agenda to dominate the region through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), of which CPEC is a major component.

Mahmut condemned the Chinese Communist Party’s actions against Uyghur Muslims, stating, “The genocide is not just about the Uyghurs asserting ownership of their land but about China’s larger ambitions.” She also discussed the environmental and social costs incurred by Balochistan as a result of CPEC, echoing the devastation seen in East Turkestan.

“Local communities are losing their land and livelihoods to Chinese companies under the guise of development,” she noted, adding that the economic corridor has led to large-scale displacement and further impoverishment of the Baloch people, much like the stripping of Uyghur lands for Chinese exploitation.

In her call to action, Mahmut urged oppressed nations–including the Baloch, Uyghurs, and Tibetans–to unite, asserting, “We share common enemies.” She emphasised the need for collaboration against oppressive regimes that continue to exploit their lands and insisted that the international community must not overlook these interconnected struggles.

In her closing remarks, Mahmut called for accountability for China’s human rights abuses and Pakistan’s complicity in these violations. “Acting alone, our voices may be weak; however, I believe that if we unite, we can be much stronger,” she concluded, leaving attendees with a powerful message of solidarity and resistance.