What Is Baren Revolution That Uyghurs Worldwide Have Gathered To Commemorate?
On April 5, 2023 (Thursday), members of the Uyghur diaspora from East Turkistan, under the leadership of the East Turkistan Government in Exile, held peaceful demonstrations in various locations such as Istanbul, the Washington DC metropolitan area, Brussels in Belgium, and Bangladesh. These demonstrations were held to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the Baren Uprising that occurred in 1990 in Xinjiang, it is also referred to as the Baren Massacre or the Baren Revolution.
Istanbul, Turkey
Uyghur activists assembled outside the Chinese Consulate in Istanbul on April 5 to voice their opposition to the atrocities committed by China against the Uyghur community. They held protests despite the adverse weather conditions.
At approximately 11 am (local time), the protest commenced with the recitation of Quranic verses. Roughly 120 Uyghur individuals, both men and women, participated in the protest, which was addressed by Abdullahad Udun, a local Uyghur leader, as well as Omer Qarim, an activist and General Secretary of East Turkestan Human Right Watch (ETHR). During the protest, the demonstrators chanted slogans condemning the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party, while also displaying banners that highlighted the atrocities being committed by China.
Abdullahad Udun, in a press statement, strongly condemned the brutalities committed by China, which have resulted in the deaths of numerous innocent Uyghurs. Udun highlighted that China has been perpetrating genocide in East Turkistan, which is referred to as Xinjiang in China. He emphasised that the world has been watching as mere spectators. Udun called upon Turkey and the Islamic world to take immediate and effective measures to prevent the forced genocide of the Uyghurs, which is being carried out by China in East Turkistan.
During the protest, Omer Qarim, who represents the East Turkestan Scholars Union, called on the Islamic world to take a firm stand against the enslavement of Uyghurs in East Turkistan. It is worth noting that Turkey is home to one of the largest Uyghur diaspora communities in exile. The Uyghur community in Istanbul has been actively protesting against the atrocities being committed by China, and they have been seeking information about the whereabouts of their missing family members.
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Meanwhile, across various regions of Bangladesh, demonstrations and gatherings were organised to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the Baren Revolution in East Turkistan, also known as Xinjiang in China.
In Dhaka, a conference was held by the Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan (BKA) with its leader, Shaheed Zaidin Yusuf, presiding over the event. At the gathering, participants expressed their condemnation of China’s unlawful annexation of East Turkistan (Xinjiang) and the mistreatment of innocent Uyghur Muslims.
Following the conference, a protest was organised to bring attention to the issue of resettling Han Chinese in East Turkistan, which has the effect of diminishing the Uyghur population. The protestors strongly urged the Chinese government to cease such actions. The Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan (BKA) expressed their solidarity with the people of East Turkistan in their quest for freedom from China’s illegal occupation, and appealed to the international community to support the cause of Uyghur Muslims.
