dogu-turkistan-sempozyumu

FREEEAST TURKISTAN SYMPOSIUMThere are serious restrictions over Internet communication. During the eventsin Urumchi in July the Internet was blocked and observers and representatives ofthe free press were not allowed into the region; thus, the world was not informed ofwhat was going on in Urumchi, and a basic right, the freedom of communication,was violated. During the events Uyghur young people were forbidden from goingto Internet cafes.There are serious restrictions over freedom to travel for the Uyghur people.The Chinese security forces conduct raids on the residences of people in EastTurkistan and carry out ID checks, arresting innocent people with the claim thatthey have “violated general security rules”. The fate of these thousands of arrestedpeople is unknown. Detainees -most of whom are Uyghur- are sentenced to deathafter mass trials that are biased; they are found guilty of concocted accusationsof drug-trafficking, bribery or infringing public security. Detention houses andprisons are far below standard, and it is claimed that torture is commonplace here.The Chinese authorities tend to try to present any crime as a terrorist actionor affiliation with terrorists. Even ordinary crimes and homicides are deemedterrorist actions, the punishment being the death penalty. When the very samecrime is committed in inner parts of China, the criminal is tried in line withthe penal code. However, when that crime is committed in East Turkistan, thecriminal is tried as a terrorist and inflicted with the highest penalty. Arbitrarydetentions, torture and death penalties are the norm.China has also used her influence on the UN, as well as on other globalorganizations in her so-called fight against terrorism; China is pursuing thestrategy to assimilate the Uyghur people and to eliminate any opposition againstsuch a move. However, China is rather upset that the issue of East Turkistan hastaken up an important place on the international agenda, which has happened asa result of the severe violations that were recently inflicted. The East Turkistanissue is no longer a domestic issue for China, but rather an international one.Moreover, Chinese policies have resulted in attention being focused on EastTurkistan; civil organizations have come together throughout the world, unifyingtheir voices.In conclusion, China should reinstate the historical name of the region ofEast Turkistan and cease all forms of ethnic and religious discrimination. China444