US Political Parties Criticized for Silence on Uyghur Genocide

Washington, DC, August 21 :
Since the Uyghur genocide is not included in either the Democratic or Republican platforms for the 2024 US elections, the continuing humanitarian crisis in China's Xinjiang province has attracted concern from human rights organizations around the world.

According to Salih Hudayar, who is the head of the East Turkistan National Movement and the foreign affairs and security minister of the East Turkistan government in exile, the exclusion is a "grave disservice to those suffering under China's brutal genocidal regime." Hudayar expressed significant unhappiness with the decision.

Hudayar stressed in a statement published on X (formerly Twitter) the need to go beyond acknowledging the genocide. "Acknowledging genocide is not enough; it demands decisive action," said he. Hudayar called on the two sides to take decisive measures to stop the crimes and stand by the Uyghur people's right to freedom and self-determination.

The systematic persecution of Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is known as the Uyghur genocide, and it has been acknowledged by both the Trump and Biden administrations.

Mass incarceration, forced labor, forced sterilizations, and the destruction of Uyghur cultural artifacts are among the many human rights abuses detailed in reports from a variety of organizations.

The activists' concerns have been heightened by the lack of tangible actions in recent years, despite international criticism and the US government's recognition of the genocide.

According to Hudayar, it is concerning that the two main US political parties have left this issue out of their 2024 programs.

"Both parties have a moral duty to lead the global fight against genocide and uphold the principles of human rights and freedom," said Hudayar. In response to China's policies in Xinjiang, he urged the United States to be firm in its opposition and back the independence movement in East Turkistan.

As the US election takes place, the lack of a clear stance on the Uyghur genocide in the various party platforms has reignited discussions about the nation's responsibility to promote human rights on a worldwide scale.