December 10 is the Human Rights Day. As you know, this date was designated as such on December 10, 1948, when the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In its Article 2, the declaration stipulates as follows:

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 2:

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

To our regret, however, the Uyghurs are currently exposed to distinction of race and religion, and are deprived of freedoms of speech and assembly in clear violation of the Human Rights Declaration. Young Uyghurs are abducted forcibly by the Chinese government. This way the Uyghurs are faced with all kinds of oppression and ethnic extermination attempts by China.

Local reports say that, In July 2014 in Yarkant County in the Xinjiang- Uyghur Autonomous Region, the Chinese military started a massacre of innocent Uyghurs. China virtually imposes military domination on the region, blocks the flow of information, strictly prohibits residents from going out of their homes or changing places, and skillfully shroud inconvenient truths.

In parallel, China launched a propaganda campaign to the world, calling the Uyghurs terrorists without showing no objective proof at all. In this move, Uyghur economist Ilham Tohti was arrested and later sentenced to life in prison on November 21 on separatism charges. This occurred in spite of the well-known fact that Mr. Tohti did not use any violence as means of resistance or insist on independence but only demanded the lawful right of self-determination, as guaranteed by the Chinese constitution.

The global community in the 21st century must never allow the Chinese government to commit such a grave violation of the Human Rights.

We appeal the following three points to the Chinese government and the global community today on the Human Rights Day.

1.The Chinese government must immediately stop all kinds of oppression against the Uyghurs and accept human rights inspections by the global community and the freedom of the media.

2.The Chinese government must release Mt. Tohti immediately and unconditionally.

3.The United Nations and the global community are required to call on the Chinese government to dispatch human rights inspectors and release Mr. Tohti right now, and warn China of any possible sanctions for human rights violations if China refuses to listen.

December 10, 2014

Japan Uyghur Association

Chairman
Iliham Mahmut

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https://uyghur-j.org/statement/2014_human_rights_day_uyghur_english.pdf