Uyghur Movement calls for concrete global action on Ghulja Massacre anniversary

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

ANKARA, TURKIYE — Marking the 29th anniversary of the violent suppression of peaceful protests in the city of Ghulja in East Turkistan, known as the "Ghulja Massacre," the Uyghur Movement has issued a strong call to the international community.

In a statement released to commemorate the events of February 5, 1997, the organization urged world governments to break their silence regarding China's systematic oppression and to implement concrete sanctions against the Beijing administration.

Peaceful march turns deadly

The events of 1997 began after Chinese authorities banned "meshrep," traditional Uyghur social gatherings that preserved cultural identity and strengthened community bonds. In response to this ban and increasing repression, thousands of Uyghur youths organized a peaceful protest march on February 5.

Chinese security forces responded to the demonstrators with a harsh crackdown. Hundreds of people lost their lives, and many were injured. Following the protests, approximately 4,000 Uyghurs were detained. Reports from that period indicate severe human rights violations, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and the public execution of 200 individuals.

'Silence emboldened Beijing'

Rushan Abbas, Executive Director of the Uyghur Movement, criticized the international community's lack of response at the time, arguing that the Ghulja Massacre was a critical moment when the world could have recognized China's trajectory.

"This silence emboldened the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to expand its systematic crimes today—mass detention, forced sterilization, family separation, and cultural erasure," Abbas stated. "Every year that passes without accountability reinforces Beijing's belief that it can continue genocide with impunity."

Call for sanctions and accountability

The Uyghur Movement reiterated its commitment to the fight for justice while honoring those who lost their lives. The organization demanded that world governments go beyond mere messages of condemnation and recognize China as a threat to humanity.

Specifically, the movement called for the rigorous enforcement of existing sanctions, the implementation of laws combatting forced labor and transnational repression, and a firm stance against Beijing's economic coercion.

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