June Newsletter
News Headlines
The international press serves as a platform for uncensored investigation into and discussion of the ethnic cleansing in Xinjiang. As the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to crack down on the flow of information coming from the region, it is essential that we collectively support and share the diligent work of the free press. Below are some notable headlines and articles related to the Uyghur people from the past few weeks along with brief summaries.
One Woman’s Journey Through Chinese Atrocities
In this Op-Ed piece for The New York Times, Nicholas Kristof...
highlights one Uyghur woman, “Nancy” (a pseudonym), and her family’s experiences with ethnic persecution and China’s concentration camps.
analyzes evidence of China’s systemic suppression of Uyghur births, including statements from Chinese officials and statistics on how contraceptives are disproportionately used in Xinjiang.
argues that it is not enough to merely to label China’s actions as a genocide, rather it is imperative that that the global community holds China accountable by leveraging the upcoming Beijing Olympics and the extensive trade of Xinjiang products to place economic pressure on China.
Indian American Journalist Wins Pulitzer for Exposing China's Uyghur Detention Camps
This news article covers a journalist, Megha Rajagopalan, whose coverage of Uyghur camps in Xinjiang won her the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting. A summary of the progression of Rajagopalan’s investigative journalism below:
She first visited Uyghur internment camps in 2017, at a time when the Chinese government still denied the existence of such camps. Since then the CCP has acknowledged the camps but insisted that they are “education centers”.
In 2018, Rajagopalan was reportedly “forced out of China” after China’s Foreign Ministry did not offer her a new journalist visa.
Six of her team’s articles, from a series of work starting in August of 2020, were recognized for the Pulitzer Prize:
Her work involved using “satellite imagery and architectural expertise, as well as interviews with two dozen former prisoners” to uncover and identify the CCP’s new concentration camp buildings and infrastructure.
If Uyghur Lives Matter, the Olympics Should Move
In this commentary piece for The Wall Street Journal, Rayhan Asat, a Uyghur exile, recounts her brother’s incarceration in China’s internment camps and she…
writes that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is treating the Uyghur treatment in China, and the potential global response, as just another political issue by not taking action against China.
argues that having “concerns for victims of a genocide”, is far from political, and that some sort of protest against China is necessary.
notes that while some American companies, like Coca-Cola, have been vocal about taking stances on domestic issues, such as with the controversy surrounding Georgia’s recent voting laws, the same companies are set to profit from the 2022 Olympics and have been silent about the oppression the Uyghurs face.
New Studies Show the Depths of the Unfolding Uyghur Catastrophe
In this Editorial piece, The Washington Post’s Editorial Board...
Refutes baseless claims from Cui Tiankai, the Chinese ambassador to the US, in which Tiankai characterizes the reports on human rights violations and genocide against Uyghurs and Muslim minorities in Xinjiang as “systematic slandering”.
Describes findings from two new studies analyzing the intent behind Chinese population control actions in Xinjiang:
One study concluded that the CCP has stated “long-term” intent in limiting the Uyghur population growth.
The other study surveyed incarcerated minorities in Xinjiang on factors that contributed to their incarceration as well as what type of treatment they faced in the concentration camps.
Uyghur NextGen Updates
The Uyghur NextGen Project is excited to announce our first major development project: Palwan community center in Istanbul, Turkey. Palwan is a recently established community center for Uyghur teenagers. The center is a shared learning space for martial arts & self-defense, English & math classes, as well as preparation for University entrance exams. Additionally, it supports vulnerable members of Istanbul’s Uyghur community by helping find work and housing for them.
While Palwan has already opened its doors to hundreds of members of the Uyghur community, it does not charge for its services and needs our support to stay running. Because of that Uyghur NextGen is announcing a week-long virtual fundraiser for Palwan. We are seeking to raise $2,000 in direct support of Palwan’s ongoing operations. 100% of the donations will go to the community center.
Palwan is a safe gathering place for the Uyghur diaspora, many of whom have uncertain legal status in Turkey. It is a place of happiness and positive, personal growth for Uyghur children who need community role models. Most importantly it is a testament to the will of the Uyghur people to continue practicing their culture and religion in the face of persecution. We hope that you will help us keep their doors open!
Please donate any amount you can on our website (www.uyghurnextgen.org) or through Venmo (@uyghurnextgen).
What Can You Do to Help the Uyghur Cause?
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Donate to the Uyghur NextGen Project here or Venmo us at @uyghurnextgen!
