World Uyghur Congress Marks 10 Years Since Deadly Yarkand Massacre

The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Yarkand massacre, a violent crackdown by Chinese security forces on a peaceful protest that resulted in the deaths of numerous Uyghur civilians.

According to Malaysia Sun, the event, which took place on July 28, 2014, saw thousands of Uyghurs gather to protest against the killing of a Uyghur family by Chinese authorities. However, the situation escalated rapidly, leading to a brutal suppression of the protest.

WUC President Dolkun Isa condemned the ongoing human rights abuses in Xinjiang, stating that the situation for Uyghurs has worsened significantly since the Yarkand massacre. He emphasized that the event remains the deadliest incident since the Urumchi riots in 2009.

While the Chinese government claims that the incident was a terrorist attack, Uyghur groups maintain that it was a peaceful protest against heavy-handed security measures. The discrepancy between the official death toll of 96 and Uyghur estimates of up to 3,000 highlights the lack of transparency surrounding the event.

The WUC has renewed its calls for an independent investigation into the Yarkand massacre and for the Chinese government to disclose the fate of those missing or killed.