Ottawa [Canada], April 6 — The Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project (URAP) commemorated the 36th anniversary of the Baren Uprising, calling it a pivotal moment in Uyghur history and a continuing symbol of resistance against repression and the fight for fundamental rights.
URAP said the uprising began on April 5, 1990, in Baren Township, Akto County, East Turkistan, where Uyghurs protested escalating political, cultural, and religious repression by Chinese authorities, including alleged coercive population control measures and forced abortions. The organisation said the protests were met with a violent military crackdown; reports suggest thousands of Uyghurs were killed, detained, or forcibly disappeared, and no independent investigation has established a definitive casualty count.
URAP described the Baren events as a turning point that preceded intensified state repression in the region. Quoting Mehmet Tohti, URAP said, “Thirty-six years later, the legacy of Baren lives on. It was not an isolated incident, but an early warning of the policies that have since escalated into genocide, including mass arbitrary detention, forced labour, and transnational repression targeting Uyghurs worldwide.”
URAP said Uyghurs across the diaspora and their allies continue to honour those who died in the uprising while pressing for justice and accountability. The organisation urged governments, international institutions, and civil society to recognise historical and ongoing injustices against Uyghurs, support independent investigations into past atrocities including the Baren Uprising, and take concrete measures to address current abuses such as forced labour and transnational repression.
URAP called for global solidarity with Uyghur communities seeking justice, dignity, and self-determination, and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring victims’ voices are not forgotten and to inspiring international action.
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