LRF Condemns Violence in Xinjiang and the Communist Regime’s Unjust Accusation of Rebiya Kadeer

Submitted by Lindsey on

Releases Date: 

Mon, 07/20/2009

Washington D.C., July 20- As the death tolls connected with the Xinjiang riots rapidly approach 200, the world is reminded
of the tragedy associated with interethnic strife under a repressive regime.  Communist crackdown in the
Xinjiang region this past July, has only further demonstrated the consequences of the severe repression of the
Uighur people.   

Laogai Research Foundation Executive Director Harry Wu offered the following, “The recent violence in
Xinjiang is only a small drop of water in a sea of interethnic strife which began in 1949 following the invasion
of the People’s Liberation Army into East Turkestan.”   

In recent days, the Chinese Communist Party has attempted to link President of the World Uighur Congress
Rebiya Kadeer to recent events in the region.  When asked about Kadeer’s possible connection to the July 5th
riots, Wu stated, “Ms. Kadeer has long championed a non-violent movement for her people, and I find the PRC
regime’s rhetoric unconvincing to prove otherwise.  The Chinese government’s attempt to use her as a scape
goat for recent events in the region is only to distract from the real problems in East Turkestan.”   
 
The Laogai Research Foundation is a not-for-profit organization founded by former political prisoner Harry Wu
in 1992.  Its mission is to gather information on and raise public awareness of the Laogai—China’s extensive
system of forced-labor prison camps.  For more information, contact (202) 408-8300 or Lindsey@laogai.org.  

 

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