By: Abdurehim Gheni Uyghur with Gulfiye Y
A Uyghur event of remembrance and celebration of independence and freedom over the tyranny and genocide by China be held Sunday, November 13, at Dam Square.
Am I to be denied the remembrance of our history of struggle for independence, freedom and self determination? The genocide of our people says “yes”.
For the last five years I had no contact with 19 family members and I made every effort to look for them through different channels. I try my best to survive in this world. The remembrance of the Uyghur national day is one way to keep my roots and identity.
I started a one-man protest at Dam Square in Amsterdam on June 23, 2018; a major tourist attraction and internationally known. It was to raise awareness to the Chinese government’s genocide in East Turkistan to as wide an exposure I could hope for as one man. I have been receiving threats from Chinese, and death threats from within this country. I have asked the Dutch Interior Ministry for security. The Dutch government has paid close attention to this matter, and now, when I set up my protest the police watch for my safety until I leave the protest site.
The Dutch Parliament has recognized the Chinese government’s actions in East Turkistan as crimes against humanity and genocide.
I feel that it is my responsibility and obligation to the nation to keep alive the memory of independence day of East Turkistan on November 12, 1933 and 1944. I have arranged the 2022 East Turkistan Republic Day activities at the Amsterdam Dam Square differently than previous years. I invited representatives of the Tibetans, South Mongolians, Hong Kong people, and Cantonese people who share similar oppression and persecution as us under the tyranny and occupation of the Chinese state. They will participate in the celebration and will have something to say. Even the founder of the China Democratic Party and the party’s overseas foreign chairman, Chen Zhonghe, made a video presentation to announce that he would participate in the event. From Amsterdam, we demonstrate to the world that we are celebrating this day in history when the Uighurs declared their desire for independence and freedom to the world, in English, Dutch, Turkish, Arabic, and Chinese. It is put upon the conscience of every East Turkistan national to remember the Republic Day of East Turkistan; an historical event that the genocide and extermination of the Uyghur people will erase from history.
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