East Turkistan group to protest at White House over China’s Uyghur genocide

The East Turkistan National Movement (ETNM) is staging a demonstration outside the White House on Sunday, marking 76 years since China’s invasion of East Turkistan in 1949. The rally is a stark reminder of the ongoing genocide of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, or what the Uyghur diaspora calls East Turkistan. The Uyghurs, a Turkic-speaking Muslim minority, once made up 90% of Xinjiang’s population but now account for just 44%, due to Chinese migration policies.

The Chinese government’s brutal repression of Uyghurs intensified after the 9/11 attacks. By 2017, China began its genocidal crackdown, detaining over a million Uyghurs in “re-education camps.” Forced labor, mass sterilizations, and a strict Sinicization policy aimed at erasing Uyghur culture and religion have been reported. China’s denial of these crimes continues, labeling Uyghurs as “terrorists” while the international community remains largely silent. The new “Ethnic Unity” law only promises more government control and repression. The world must not forget the atrocities committed against the Uyghurs.