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World Uyghur Congress Newsletter No.16 Published: 22 November 2011

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World Uyghur Congress Newsletter No.16 Published: 22 November 2011 World Uyghur Congress Newsletter No.16 Published: 22 November 2011 Newsletter No. 16 November 2011 Official Website of the WUC | Unsubscribe | Subscribe | Older Editions | PDF Version Picture of the second Republic of East Turkestan in 1944 Top Story National Day of East Turkestan Featured Articles 110th Birthday of Muhammad Amin Bughraa Uyghur Political Prisoners Mehbube Ablesh's and Abdulghani Memetemin's Prison Sentences Expire Media Work Uyghur PEN: The Plight of Uyghur Imprisoned Writers Past Events 4th Freedom March in Berlin, Paris, Rome Uyghur Demonstration Salzburg and Vienna Rebiya Kadeer in Norway Japan Uyghur Association: Lecture "Imagining Terrorism" UNPO and Members Lobby Dutch Government On China Upcoming Events Mongolian-Chinese International Seminar on Nationality and Democracy UN Forum on Minority Issues, Geneva EP Subcommittee on Human Rights Hearing on China Anniversary of Karamay Tragedy Symposium by Vaclav Havel Library in Prague Cultural Bazaar Munich Highlighted Media Articles and reports on Uyghur Related Issues STP: New Chinese Anti-Terror Law Authorizes Crack Down on Uyghurs Testimony on China’s Political Prisoners before the Committee on Foreign Affairs Uyghur Refugee Threatened by Pro-Chinese Groups CECC Article: Students in East Turkestan Continue to Harvest Cotton More Media Articles 1 / 9 http://www.uyghurcongress.org World Uyghur Congress Newsletter No.16 Published: 22 November 2011 TOP STORY National Day of East Turkestan Since the foundation of the first Islamic East Turkestan Republic on 12 November 1933 and the second East Turkestan Republic in 1945 in Ghulja, the people of East Turkestan consider 12 November as National Day of East Turkestan and have been cherishing the memory of their forefather's who fought for the freedom of the Uyghur nation. Twice, in 1933 and 1944, the Uyghurs were successful in setting up an independent Islamic Eastern Turkestan republic. But these independent Islamic Republics were overthrown by the military intervention and political intrigues of the Soviet Union. It was in fact the Soviet Union that proved a deterrent to the Uyghur independence movement throughout this period. In 1949 the Nationalist Chinese were defeated by the Chinese communists. After that, East Turkestan fell under Chinese communist rule. The WUC and its member organizations all around the world organized different kinds of activities to commemorate the establishment of the East Turkestan Republics. The following activities took place this year: Australia The East Turkestan Australian Association (ETAA) organized an event on 12 November in Adelaide to commemorate the establishment of East Turkestan Republics. In addition to more than 500 Uyghurs from Australia, a number Members of the South Australian Parliament attended the event as guests of honor. WUC vice president Hussen Hesen, president of the ETAA and the Uyghur Australian Association as well as the members of the South Australian Parliament made speeches during the event. Germany Organized by the East Turkestan Union in Europe (ETUE), a commemoration event took place in Munich on 13 November. More than 150 people including Uyghurs from Munich, the former president of the WUC Erkin Alptekin, the president of the former East Turkestan National Congress, the Director of the East Turkestan Information Center, members of the WUC Standing Committee as well guests from Belgium and Netherlands attended. Followed by the speeches from the WUC vice president Asgar Can, Erkin Alptekin, and the WUC General Secretary Dolkun Isa, Uyghur music and dance were performed by young Uyghur musicians and dancers from Munich and the Netherlands. During the event, the ETUE also awarded Uyghur youths in Germany who will start to study at German universities and the members of the Germany Uyghur youth football team with a special prize for their excellent achievements during the recent "Freedom Cup" Uyghur Youth Football Championship in late July in Netherlands organized by the WUC. Japan The Japanese Uyghur Association commemorated the establishment of the East Turkestan Republics on 12 November in Tokyo . Kazakhstan Organized by the WUC representative in Kazakhstan, Uyghurs in the Kazakh capital Almaty commemorated the establishment of the East Turkestan Republics on 12 November. WUC vice president Khahriman Hojamberdiyev made a speech during the event and briefed the participants on the recent activities of WUC's international campaign for freedom, human rights and democracy for the Uyghur people. Kyrgyzstan On 11 November, organized by the Kyrgyzstan Uyghur Union, more than 200 people including Uyghurs in Kyrgyz capital Bishkek and veterans of the revolution that led to establish the second East Turkestan Republic in 1945, gathered in Bishkek to commemorate the both important events of the recent Uyghur history. Netherlands Organized by the East Turkestan Education Association in Europe, more than 100 Uyghurs living in Netherlands gathered in the Dutch city Haarlem to celebrate the establishment of East Turkestan Republics and the traditional Muslim festival Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) on 12 November. Norway Organized by the Norway Uyghur Committee (NUC), more than 50 Uyghurs gathered together in Norwegian capital Oslo on 12 October to commemorate the two East Turkestan Republics. Followed by the speech of the NUC president, a documentary film about the history of the Republics was presented. Uyghur musicians in Norway also performed Uyghur music especially made for this special day. Sweden 2 / 9 http://www.uyghurcongress.org World Uyghur Congress Newsletter No.16 Published: 22 November 2011 More than 100 Uyghurs attended an event organized by the Sweden Uyghur Committee on 12 November in Stockholm to commemorate the establishment of the East Turkestan Republics. A documentary about the history of two East Turkestan republics was presented during the event to educate especially the youth attendees about the meaning of the important event in the recent Uyghur history. Turkey On 12 November, The East Turkestan Foundation, The East Turkestan Education and Solidarity Association and East Turkestan Youth Association jointly organized a symposium at the municipality building of the Zeytinburnu district in Istanbul . During the event which was opened with a documentary film presentation about the life of Muhammad Emin Bughra , a number of scholars including Prof. Dr. Alimjan Inayet from the Turkish World Research Institute of the Ege University, Dr. Erkin Emet from the Langue and Literature Faculty of the University of Ankara as well as Dr. Abdullah Bikir from the Süleyman Demirel University presented academic papers about the life and leadership personality of Muhammad Amin Bughra. More than a 150 people attended the symposium. U.S. More than 200 Uyghurs gathered in the Washington, DC on 12 November to commemorate the day of establishment of the former East Turkestan Republics and the traditional Muslim festival Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice). WUC president Rebiya Kadeer presented a speech during the event which was jointly organized by the Uyghur American Association and the International Uyghur Human Rights and Democracy Foundation, to emphasize the historic meaning of the former East Turkestan Republics and call the Uyghurs to make more efforts for continue the international campaign for freedom, human rights and democracy for the Uyghur people. back to top FEATURED ARTICLES 110th Birthday of Muhammad Amin Bughra Uyghurs all around the world marked the 110th birthday Muhammad Amin Bughra in November 2011. Muhammad Amin Bughra, the founding father of the first East Turkestan Republic, was born in an ordinary Uyghur family in 1901 in Hotan, the seat of the Hotan Prefecture of East Turkestan. He finished the elementary school when he was 9 and received religious education at the local Madrasa in Hotan until the age of 21. He mastered in Arabic and Farsi languages. He lectured on holy Quran and Hadith in several Madrases in Karakash region of Hotan between 1922 and 1933. As being an excellent speaker with a deep knowledge in religion and poetry as well as a man with great social competence, he received enormous respect from a wide range of local population and he was honored with the "Hadrat" title. As a reformist, he had emphasized his students the importance of equipping with knowledge of modern sciences during his time as lecturer at Madrassahs and actively supported the educational reform movement. After a long quest to bring his people freedom and end the Chinese repression, Muhammad Amin Bughra together with his brothers Abdullah and Nur Ahmad, and a number of similarly minded friends and his students he founded the Committee for National Revolution beginning of 1932. Muhammad Amin Bughra led the uprising in Hotan and succeeded in establishing the independent Hotan Emirate in 1933, which was the main founding force behind the First East Turkestan Republic on 12 November 1933 which lasted until 6 February 1934. In 1949, when the Chinese People's Liberation Army invaded East Turkestan, Muhammad Amin Bughra fled to India, then to Turkey, where he joined another exiled Uyghur leader, Isa Yusuf Alptekin, who headed the First East Turkestan Republic. Muhammad Amin Bughra died in exile in Turkey in 1965. Uyghur Political Prisoners Mehbube Ablesh's and Abdulghani Memetemin's Prison Sentences Expire The prison sentences of two Uyghur political prisoners in East Turkestan have expired in summer 2011. However, it is unclear if they have actually been
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