Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) has reiterated its call for justice and accountability as the organization commemorates the 15th anniversary of the July 5th Urumchi Massacre. On that day in 2009, thousands of Uyghurs gathered in a peaceful assembly to mourn those killed in the Shaoguan Massacre the previous month. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) responded with lethal force and mass arrests, actions reminiscent of their response during Tiananmen Square protests two decades earlier.
Chinese authorities used tear gas, stun batons, and live ammunition against protesters, leading to significant unrest. Official Chinese media later depicted the demonstration as a riot orchestrated by U.S.-based Uyghur rights activist Rebiya Kadeer without mentioning the Shaoguan incident. In subsequent days and months, numerous Uyghurs were shot, arbitrarily detained, and forcibly disappeared by government forces and Han Chinese mobs. Security measures were heightened across the region with checkpoints and curfews imposed. The exact number of deaths and casualties remains unknown.
Executive Director Rushan Abbas commented on this event: “The Urumchi Massacre is a stark reminder that the CCP will not tolerate any dissent or pursuit of justice and human rights. For decades, the regime has systematically labeled the Uyghur community’s religious expressions and longing for freedom as ‘extremism’ and ‘separatism,’ laying the groundwork for justifying their genocidal policies. In 2009, rather than addressing the legitimate human rights concerns raised by the Uyghur community, the Chinese government evaded accountability with propaganda and brute force. This led to the deaths of countless innocent Uyghurs and set a dangerous precedent for the ongoing genocide we witness today.”
Systematic repression continues through mass detentions, forced labor, and cultural erasure. CFU stands in solidarity with victims and families affected by the Urumchi Massacre, demanding accountability for those responsible for this violence and calling for release of unjustly detained individuals. CFU urges governments, international organizations, and civil society to prioritize human rights issues related to Uyghurs.
To commemorate this date, CFU along with several other organizations invites participation in a demonstration at the Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C., on Friday, July 5th, 2024.
