The East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) officials and Uyghur community members demonstrated in the US and Canada, urging accountability for what they termed Beijing’s “ongoing genocide” in Xinjiang, China. The protests, held outside the White House in Washington and Alberta Legislature in Edmonton, marked the 17th anniversary of the 2009 Urumchi Massacre. Uyghur communities globally observed the day as a time of “national mourning and resistance,” calling on governments to address China’s actions in Xinjiang.
On July 5, 2009, Uyghurs peacefully protested in Urumchi, demanding justice for murdered Uyghur workers in China. The response from China was violent, with mass arrests and disappearances, leading to numerous deaths and forced disappearances of Uyghur individuals. The ETGE described the Urumchi Massacre as a prelude to the ongoing genocide in Xinjiang, where millions have been detained, subjected to forced labor, and stripped of basic rights.
During a gathering outside the White House, ETGE Foreign Minister Salih Hudayar emphasized the importance of supporting East Turkistan’s independence struggle. In Edmonton, ETGE Prime Minister Abdulahat Nur called on Canada to formally recognize East Turkistan as an occupied country and support its right to independence. The ETGE urged the US, Canada, and the global community to acknowledge Xinjiang as an “occupied country” under international law and back the region’s self-determination and independence.
