Washington DC [US], November 25 : The East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) paid tribute to the 44 Uyghur lives tragically lost in the November 24, 2022, Urumqi fire, along with countless others who had reportedly died due to China's deliberate neglect under its oppressive "Zero-COVID" policies.
In a post on X, emphasising the enduring pain of these losses, ETGE stated, "The Urumqi Fire tragedy is a stark reminder of the ongoing genocide and systematic oppression faced by the Uyghur and other Turkic people in occupied East Turkistan."
On November 24, 2022, a fire broke out in a residential high-rise apartment building in a Uyghur-majority neighbourhood in Xinjiang, Urumqi. Local authorities reported that ten people, all Uyghurs, died, and nine others were injured. However, there were concerns about underreporting, with some questioning whether Beijing's strict enforcement of the Zero-COVID policy prevented residents from leaving the building or interfered with firefighting efforts. Chinese authorities have denied these claims.
The fire became a trigger for protests in several cities across China and in other countries. Protesters targeted the Chinese government's Zero-COVID policy, and in some cases, also called for an end to the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) one-party rule and for General Secretary Xi Jinping to step down.
In its statement, ETGE condemned China's actions, saying: "The Chinese occupation regime aims to eradicate Uyghur and Turkic culture, identity, and life itself, subjecting them to extreme neglect, deprivation, and violence as part of a broader campaign of colonization and genocide that demands immediate global attention and accountability." The ETGE called on the international community to act decisively to end these atrocities and ensure that justice is served.
ETGE further stated, "The silence of the international community only prolongs the suffering of the East Turkistan people. China's prolonged campaign of colonization, genocide, and occupation in East Turkistan must be stopped."
The Uyghur issue in China is a complex and deeply rooted human rights crisis that revolves around the persecution, cultural suppression, and systemic discrimination faced by the Uyghur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region. Since 1949, when China gained control of Xinjiang, the Uyghurs have faced increasing efforts by the Chinese government to assimilate them into the dominant Han Chinese culture. Over the years, the Chinese authorities have implemented policies that severely restrict Uyghur cultural, religious, and linguistic practices.