![File photo of Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. Photo Credit: State Department Photo by Freddie Everett / Public Domain]](https://www.eurasiareview.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/a-17-800x445.png)
Blinken Must Take A Stand For Uyghurs In East Turkistan – OpEd
By The East Turkistan Government in Exile
The East Turkistan Government in Exile and the East Turkistan National Movement are calling on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to stand up for justice, human dignity and self-determination during his June 18 trip to China. We urge immediate action from the Biden Administration.
“The Uyghur and other Turkic peoples in East Turkistan are facing genocide, and the U.S. must not compromise their plight for China’s false promises of economic benefits and political expediency,” said East Turkistan Government in Exile Prime Minister Salih Hudayar. “Secretary Blinken must not sell out the Uyghurs during his engagements with China; it is the United States’ moral obligation to ensure that the Uyghurs receive the justice, support, and protection they urgently require and deserve.”
The East Turkistani people are imploring Secretary Blinken to use his trip as an opportunity to:
- publicly condemn China’s genocide,
- demand an end to genocidal and slave labor practices, and
- advocate for the reunification of nearly one million Uyghur and other Turkic children separated from their families.
In addition, they demand that the right to external self-determination be recognized and supported, and for international attention to be drawn to state-sponsored rapes of Uyghur and other Turkic women.
The United States has a responsibility to support justice and humanity, especially in moments such as this when the rights of oppressed people depend on it. Secretary Blinken must take a stand and ensure that the East Turkistani people receive the protection they need and deserve.
