ETEG Calls on the World to Recognize East Turkistan as an Occupied Nation and Support Uyghur Cause Against Genocide
Salih Hudayar, Foreign Minister of the East Turkistan Government-in-Exile (ETEG) revealed that the ICC has neither closed nor formally initiated investigations into the crimes against the Uyghurs, citing a lack of international pressure. “The ICC’s official stance is that they are still considering our case,” he explained. “However, unofficially, they’ve said they need more international momentum and attention before they can fully investigate.”
He noted that the ICC is currently preoccupied with other cases, but there’s hope the East Turkistan case will gain traction once awareness and support increase. Hudayar compared this to the momentum generated for the Rohingya genocide and Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, which led to faster ICC actions. “In our case, governments express concern but fail to take tangible action. We need that same momentum,” he emphasized.
He urged the international community, particularly the United States, to transform their recognition of the Uyghur genocide into meaningful steps by referring the crimes in East Turkistan to the ICC or the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Genocide on an Unimaginable Scale
Hudayar described China’s actions in East Turkistan as “the largest genocide since the Holocaust.” He reported that over a million Uyghur children have been forcibly separated from their families and placed in state-run “boarding schools” or “orphanages.” “These facilities are brainwashing children to hate their heritage, culture, language, and religion,” he explained.
He also highlighted reports of widespread organ harvesting, stating, “At a minimum, 25,000 Uyghurs are killed annually for their organs.” Hudayar called these acts “unthinkable” and demanded a robust international response.
Hope from Trump’s Administration
With Donald Trump’s election as U.S. President, Hudayar expressed optimism, noting that Trump’s previous administration was the first to classify China’s actions in East Turkistan as genocide. “We hope this administration will take even stronger actions, including expanded sanctions and direct support for our government-in-exile, similar to the support given to the Tibetan Government-in-Exile,” Hudayar said.
He stressed the importance of addressing the root cause of the genocide: “This genocide is happening because East Turkistan is an occupied country, and China is a colonial power. The only way to ensure our people’s human rights is by restoring our independence.”
Specific Demands from the United States
Hudayar outlined detailed demands for the U.S. administration:
Recognize East Turkistan as an occupied nation, similar to Tibet.
Appoint a Special Coordinator for East Turkistan Affairs at the State Department.
Support the genocide case internationally at the ICC and ICJ.
Expand sanctions targeting Chinese officials and entities involved in the atrocities.
Provide economic and political support to the East Turkistan Government-in-Exile.
He underscored, “Recognizing genocide isn’t enough; we need actions to stop it.”
A Call to the Muslim World
Hudayar issued a direct plea to Muslim-majority countries and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). “If Muslim nations support Palestine and Kashmir, why not East Turkistan?” he asked, pointing to China’s destruction of over 16,000 mosques and the systematic eradication of Islam in the region. “Even names like Muhammad are banned. Islam is virtually nonexistent in East Turkistan except as a façade for propaganda,” he said.
Hudayar criticized the OIC delegation’s recent visit to China, calling it a “propaganda tour” orchestrated by Beijing. “What the OIC did is not just a betrayal of the Uyghur people but a betrayal of Islam itself,” he asserted.