The East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) has expressed serious concerns about what it describes as a “major deviation” in the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stance regarding the ongoing situation in East Turkistan. In a statement released on Thursday, the ETGE criticized the OHCHR for allegedly downplaying the severity of China’s actions in the region by referring to them as “problematic policies.”
Mamtimin Ala, President of the ETGE, condemned the UN’s handling of the issue, stating, “The UN’s failure to hold China accountable for its genocidal actions represents a betrayal of the very principles of justice and human rights that the international community is meant to uphold. By minimizing genocide to mere ‘problematic policies,’ the UN risks legitimizing China’s crimes.”
The ETGE’s statement emphasized that China’s government has falsely portrayed its genocidal policies in East Turkistan as necessary measures against extremism, terrorism, and separatism. The ETGE argues that these claims are merely a pretext for China’s ongoing campaign of colonization, genocide, and occupation in East Turkistan.
According to the ETGE, the international community, including the US government and several Western parliaments, has recognized China’s actions as genocide and crimes against humanity. The ETGE insists that this global acknowledgment should spur urgent international action.
The ETGE criticized the OHCHR for its perceived failure to fully acknowledge and respond to the gravity of China’s actions. It warned that by categorizing these crimes as “problematic policies,” the UN is falling short of its mandate and potentially legitimizing China’s genocide and crimes against humanity in occupied East Turkistan.
Salih Hudayar, the ETGE’s Foreign Minister, called for immediate and decisive action from UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk and the international community. “The Uyghur Genocide must be prioritized on the UN Security Council and General Assembly agendas,” Hudayar stated. “We also urge global support for East Turkistan’s legal efforts to seek justice through the International Criminal Court.”
The ETGE stressed that restoring East Turkistan’s independence is not merely a regional issue but a global imperative. “It is essential to protect the freedoms and existence of the Uyghur and other Turkic peoples,” the statement concluded. “The world must act decisively now, as history will judge those who stand by in the face of genocide.”