Munich [Germany], June 17 : The Director of the Education Committee at World Uyghur Congress (WUC), Abdureshit Niyazkaramay, highlighted the significance of Uyghur Language Day, which was initiated by the WUC in 2015, and marked the 37th anniversary of the 1988 Uyghur Student Protests in Urumchi, according to a statement shared by WUC on X.
"June 15, International Uyghur Language Day, is a highly symbolic day not only for Uyghurs living in exile but also for our Uyghur people in our homeland who are paying an unprecedented price to preserve their national identity. It also commemorates the second wave of student protests against ethnic discrimination, carried out by students in Urumchi on June 15, 1988", the WUC posted on X.
"The World Uyghur Congress designated this day as 'International Uyghur Language Day' in 2015, reflecting these political events and struggles that are clearly expressed through language. Language reflects historical events and transformations", it added.
In the post, WUC stated, "Today, the 38 different Turkic languages spoken by Turkic peoples have emerged and developed largely due to our language, which is a typical representative of this process. Therefore, protecting our mother tongue does not only mean preserving our customs and traditions but also signifies our contribution to preserving history and Turkic culture, which is an integral part of human civilisation."
https://x.com/UyghurCongress/status/1934177353795543433
The Uyghur community in China's Xinjiang has endured significant and systematic violations of their human rights at the hands of the Chinese government. Since 2017, more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups have been unjustly imprisoned in what are referred to as "re-education" facilities, where accounts of indoctrination, torture, and mistreatment have surfaced.
Authorities have implemented widespread surveillance, limited religious and cultural expressions, and taken children away from their families. There is also evidence linking Xinjiang to programs involving forced labour, where Uyghurs are compelled to work under harsh conditions. Additionally, China's birth control policies aimed at Uyghur women have sparked serious concerns regarding demographic suppression.
Various international organisations and numerous governments have denounced these actions as crimes against humanity, leading to increasing calls for accountability and global measures to halt the repression and safeguard the rights of the Uyghur people.
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