The unrest in Xinjiang (East Turkistan), is near and dear to my heart. I am an Uyghur living in Chicago. My parents and the rest of the family are still in Xinjiang. While they are away from Urumqi where the clashes happened, I still have not been able to get hold of them in past couple of days as the authorities have shut down internet and telephone services. I am praying every moment for their safety.
Uyghurs are the Turkic speaking Muslim people living in the northwest part of China under occupation. Their short lived republic, East Turkistan went under Chinese communist rule in 1950. Since then they have been subjected to severe discrimination because of their Muslim identity and they have seen their 97% majority in Xinjiang shrink to almost 50% in last few decades. There are many underlining sources of tension and humiliation of over 10 million Uyghur Muslims.
I am writing to you for your support in helping spread the word and plight of Uyghur Muslims. I go to Juma prayers and everyone prays about suffering of the Palestinians, Kashmiris, Afghanis, Iraqis and Chechnyans, however not once I have heard someone pray for the Uyghurs.
We are the forgotten people in this world and not even our Muslim brothers and sisters have ever provided any moral support for us. Well I’m asking for the support in this hour of dire need. My brothers and sisters are being persecuted as we speak. They have been captured in mass arrests with no sight of what will happen to their future. Uyghur woman with their children have went on street to protest against the mass arrest of thousands of Muslim Uyghur men.
Under communist Chinese rule we are not allowed to practice our religion until the age of 18 and even after the age of 18 if anyone who works for government like teachers and doctor are not allowed to pray or go to Mosque. Our children and teachers are force fed in schools during the month of Ramadan. There is a governmental agenda to slowly take Islam out of common people’s lives. Majority of the high paying jobs go to the Han Chinese with a lot less qualification in our own home land. Our culture is being slowly disappearing.
I urge you to send this to your friends and families and condemn the killings and mass arrest of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. I ask you to pray for the safety of the people of East Turkistan (Xinjiang), Uyghurs and Han Chinese. I ask you to please stand in solidarity with your Uyghur Muslim brothers. The moral support of Muslim community means a lot to me and the Uyghurs as we are desperate to be seen and heard by our brothers and sisters.
I urge you to send a message of solidarity with Uyghur Muslims and pray for them. I urge you to send this message to at least 5 other family members and friends.
Sincerely,
Zulfiye Osman
Noman Khan (husband)
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