News Article
World Uyghur Congress President - Mr Dolkun Isa visits ICC
21 January 2019
Written by: Dr. Mozammel Haque
The
President of the World Uyghur Congress, Mr. Dolkun Isa along with his
delegation visited the Islamic Cultural Centre, London on Monday, the 21st
of January, 2019 and met Dr. Ahmad al-Dubayan, the Director General of the
London Central Mosque Trusts and the Islamic Cultural Centre and his staff at
the Board Room of the Centre. Dr. al-Dubayan introduced the Islamic Cultural
Centre and gave a brief history, background of the foundation of the Centre as
well as the activities of the Mosque and the Centre.
World Uyghur Congress President - Mr Dolkun Isa
The
President of the World Uyghur Congress Dolkun Isa introduced the situation of
Uyghur in Eastern Turkestan. He said, “Xinjiang is autonomous, China does not
call Eastern Turkestan. China calls Xinjiang; it is a Chinese name. Xin is new
and jiang is border territory. It is a new territory for China. The territorial
size is 1.6 million square kilometres (640,000 square miles); it is five times
larger than Germany; may be, five or six times larger than the United Kingdom. Most
of the places are mountain; only 4.6 per cent inhabitable; 94 per cent is
mountainous; but it is rich territory; it is rich in resources, uranium, gold. This
is the main reason for the Chinese government. Though the territory is rich,
but we the Turkestani people are very poor, because we cannot use all the
natural resources; never been benefitted by the Uyghur people. It is used by the
Chinese government.”
Speaking
about the political climate of China, Uyghur President mentioned, “In 1949 the
Communist Party came into power and took control of Eastern Turkestan and in
1955 they gave autonomy to Eastern Turkestan but Turkistani people never seen
the real autonomy; just the fake autonomy; or paper autonomy. Even today we
have also lot of rights according to constitution. Article 36 of the Chinese Constitution
guarantee freedom; everybody can believe their religion; but today in practice we
don’t believe in religion. Particularly the constitution did not really practice
since the current president of China, Xi Jinping. Since 2013, he attacked all
religions; not only the Uyghur Eastern Turkestani Muslims even Han Chinese, Tibetan
and all the people already persecuted.”
President
Dolkun Isa then talked about the Chinese Cultural Revolution of 1966. There was
ten years cultural revolution. “At that time lots of religious people were put
in jail. People are talking about genocide, people talking of justice. May be, Hitler
killed 20 million people or Stalin killed more than Hilter; but Mao Se Tung
already killed 48 million people. But nobody was talking about this. He killed
during Cultural Revolution time,” mentioned about Chinese Cultural Revolution
period.
The
current Communist Party Secretary Xi Jinping was party secretary in Tibet. In
August 2016, he was appointed communist party secretary in Turkestan. About him
President Isa said, “He brutally killed Tibetan people. From 2014 to 2016 more
than 160 Tibetan people burned themselves. That is the only choice they have.”
Concentration camps
President
Isa then talked about re-education camps. He said, “Xi Jinping used his
experience in Tibet and implemented very strong way that rule in Turkestan. In
March or April 2017 he started new regulation called re-education camp. It is
actually concentration camp. Some international media called this re-education
camp; others called it detention camps; some called concentration camp. However
it is re-education centre. Today it has more than 3 million people; in 2018,
its number was one million. Since then only after one year passed, we heard
every day new people sent to the camp; never heard people came out from the
camps. So many killed,”
Muhammad Salih 82 was killed
President
Isa talked about Muhammad Salih. “Muhammad Salih translated Qur’an in Uyghur
language in 1980s by the order of the Chinese government. But thirty years
later because of this job, he was put in the camps in November 2017 and two
months later he died in the camp. He was 82-years old,” he mentioned.
Mosques destroyed or demolished
Chen
Quanguo became party secretay of the region in August 2016, moved from
Tibet. Speaking about him, WUC President
Isa mentioned, “In 2016 after the Chen Quanguo appointed party secretary first
and he started confiscation of the Qur’an. In 2016-2017, he destroyed 3,000 to
5,000 mosques in Turkestan. We tried to explain the whole of the world; but
nobody listened to us really. Within one year, 3000 to 5,000 mosques completely
destroyed. Step by step all the Islamic scholars arrested and sent to
re-education camps; step by step in 2016 they issued some special cards to
enter to mosques; and step by step they forbidden Ramadan fasting.”
Fasting
During Ramadan Forbidden
WUC
President spoke about Fasting in Ramadan was forbidden. He said, “In 2016, may
be, you have heard this news in the BBC, CNN or all the international media
reported over the fasting. Fasting was forbidden but some people felt to fast;
so they started fasting secretly. Then Chinese government does not care whether
the government employees eat and drink during lunch time; but in 2016 and 2017,
Chinese government during the lunch time in Ramadan provided water and food;
forced to eat and drink; otherwise they will be punished. Fasting is the
personal choice; you fast or not; but in the 21st century in my
country, fasting is forbidden.”
“It
is the old tradition of the Turkestani people to fast during Ramadan. During
the Ramadan time, all restaurants are closed; just open at Iftar time; but the
government forced to open, you should open the restaurants during the daytime.
Whoever closes the restaurant during the daytime in Ramadan, will have to close
all the time. Their business will be closed. Plus they are forced to sell
alcohol and cigarettes in all the Muslim restaurants,” he mentioned.
Alcohol-drinking competition in Ramadan
WUC
President also mentioned about alcohol beer-drinking competition during
Ramadan. He said, “In 2015, for the first time alcohol beer-drinking
competitions during Ramadan time was introduced and implemented and last year
in 2018 implemented among the woman. In
2016, Chinese government gathered all the imams and all the sheikhs and forced
them to dance in front of bus. And today China is not only against Turkestani
people, not only against Uyghur people; it really starts war against Islam.”
China starts really war against Islam
Speaking
about the Qur’an, WUC President mentioned, “In 2016 and 2017, government orders
all the people to bring the Qur’an to the local government or to the police
station before July 2017; Uyghurs who have Qur’an should bring to the local
government; if you don’t bring and if they find this; then you would be
punished. The local government asks why you keep the Qur’an; are you reading? Does
not matter whether they read it or not. Some scholars do not read the Qur’an
but just keep it; but then there are lots of questions and then they did arrest
the people who were afraid to bring the Qur’an to the local government but there
is one river Ulja river; people in the middle night throw the Qur’an into the
river. This is the situation.”
Muslim names Forbidden
President
Isa also mentioned about the Muslim names. He said, “When China saw there was
no response from the Islamic world, it started step by step other harsh
actions. China said, okay, I can do more; step by step they today you cannot
give Muslim names even to your baby, to your children; Muhammad, Ahmad, Shahid,
Ayesha, Khadija all these names are forbidden. You cannot give such a name to
any baby today. Even then came the next regulation: under 16-year old if you
have already such a name you have to change.
The government orders: ‘Please change the name, you don’t have to pay
alteration and admission fee to the government. So nice of the Chinese
government!”
Cannot greet Islamic greeting:
It is a cultural war
WUC
President talked about the cultural war. He mentioned, “Today all the mosques
are closed in East Turkestan but some mosques are open. China has two types of
Muslims: East Turkestani Muslims,
Uyghur, Kazak, Uzbek and the Qui Muslims; then there are Tunqa Muslims; they
are 11 million Muslims. They speak in Chinese language. But they are Muslims.
They go to the Mosques but Turkestani people are not allowed to go to Mosque;
cannot read the Qur’an, and today you cannot greet each other in Islamic
greeting – Assalamu Alaikum. It is a cultural war; you cannot greet each other
Assalamu Alaikum.”
Check point every 200 meters
WUC
President then mentioned about the checking of smart phone. He said, “On your
way police will stop you and ask you for smart phone. Every 200 meters there is
check point. In the capital of Turkestan 960 police man in the station; it
means every 200 to 300 meters there is check point. They ask the people to stop
and ask for their smart phone. In any phone, if they find any word religious or Islam that
will be a big problem for you. That’s why people today, really afraid to use
smart phone.”
President Isa lamented on the
silence of Muslim world
President
Isa lamented, “All these things are happening in Eastern Turkistan, Muslim
world just silent on this. Three years ago, one of the catholic pastors in New
York burnt Qur’an on the street; world Muslims stood up; Turkestani people
gathered and protested against him and it was stopped because it was in
America. But today China burnt the Qur’an but no news, no reaction from the
world. We cannot give the names; we cannot say Salam alaikum.”
Mother
passed away in the
concentration
camp
Speaking
about his personal tragedy, Isa mentioned, “I personally lost communication in
the middle of April 2017. Since then I have no news; my mother passed away in
the concentration camp; my mother was 78 years old lady; and I lost contact
with her. Just 12 June last year 2018 suddenly I got the sad news; breaking
news that my mother passed away.”
“It
is 21st century I tried to contact; communication is not the issue
for the people. I am trying to contact world institutions how she was passed
away? Still I did not have an idea about this. What was happening? She passed
away in camps and I had no idea. International media rung the police station
two three weeks later and I heard my mother was arrested one year ago; put her
into concentration camps and she passed away nearly one year later. She was 78
years old lady. We believe in God, we believe in Allah; I can meet her in the
next life. My father is 90 years old but I had no idea whether he is alive or dead.
No news coming; no news,” lamented Isa.
WUC
President also mentioned about his other relations. He said, “After I got the
news of my mother passed away I was crying. I suffered quite a couple of
months; okay I make dua for her; but I have no idea about my father; whether he
is alive or dead. My younger brother has disappeared since May 2017; he was in
concentration camps. This time just a couple of weeks ago, I heard about my
older brother; he was a professor; he was sentenced for thirty years.”
What type of re-education is this?
WUC
President questioned about the type of re-education is this. He said, “Today
couple of hundreds professors, scholars, lawyers are in the camps. China said,
we are re-educating them. Do you really re-educate the professors, for what
purpose? Even some professors already 90 years-old; 90-years-old professors
will be educated; yes. Actually the Chinese government have the ethnic
cleansing policy there. They actually start war against Islam. We are suffering
because we are Muslims. That’s the issue.”
Double-faced Chinese government
President
Isa mentioned about the double-faced China. He said, “The Chinese government
has two faces: if they visit Western countries they say woh, we are victim of
terrorism, because the Western world believes Muslim and Islam is terrorism;
yes China uses the same. Uyghur is Muslim. That’s why, China argued they are
victim of terrorism; and on the China’s list I am on the top of the terrorist
list. My name was in the Interpol; I have been suffering 21 years; fortunately
last year 2018 February finally my name is deleted from the Interpol. I have been
fighting; never stopped fighting. I have never seen bomb in my life. I have
never seen real gun in my life; I just saw in the movie; but I am top number of
terrorism.”
“China
is trying all; if you read Qur’an you are terrorist; if you are saying Salam Alaikum
you are immediately called terrorist; because in January 2016 China has passed
a new bill Counter-terrorism Law. If you say Salam Alaikum; it is terrorism;
everything is terrorism. If China has diplomatic communication with the Western
countries they say we are victim of terrorism. We Turkestani are terrorists,”
said President Isa and added, “If they go to Muslim countries, they say we have
Muslim minorities. They cheat the people; because of ethnicity, because of
religion, we really suffer for this.
Step by step they are doing it. They are coming to the other parts of
China. Muslims in China as well. So it
is really an unimaginable situation now in Turkestan.”
We Turkestani seek help from the Muslim World
WUC
President urged the Muslim world to help Turkestani Muslims. He appealed to the
Muslim world. “We seek help from the Muslim world; your help; we need because
it is 21st century if someone say China to stop; it works. Lot of
lobbying work are needed. There is United Nations; there are more than 15
European countries; we have to work with them.
6th of November, 2018, United Nations review China’s human
rights report. More than 4,000 Turkistani people gathered in the United Nations
Geneva; we held a big demonstration. Before
this, on 27 April, another 5000 Turkistani people gathered before the European
Council in the Brussels. We held big demonstrations. Now slowly slowly
international media pay attention to the Uyghur situation and the United
Nations special session on China 14 countries sit all and they asked the
Chinese government to close immediately these camps and they closed these
camps. UK also spoke; Germany also spoke. Unfortunately, no one Muslim country
except Malaysia.”
Islam
is illness and this must be
Eradicated:
It’s a slogan
Dr.
Ahmad al-Dubayan wanted to know the human rights situation in other parts of
China and also enquire about the other religious communities in China.
President Isa replied, “There are lots of problem also; there is lots of human
rights lawyer, human rights defenders were in jail and some persecution of
Christians as well; because Chinese communists party is anti-religious government.
Today Chinese Christians are also victims of Chinese persecution. Today Buddhists
in Tibet also.”
“But
if you compare the situations of Muslims with some other religious groups; it
is unbelievable; because Chinese government say Islam is illness; yes, they
openly say this. Islam is illness and this illness must be eradicated; it is a
slogan,” mentioned WUC President Isa.
Written by: Dr. Mozammel Haque
