TABLE OF CONTENTSI. Letter from the Secretary-General....................................................................................................................................3

II. Letter from the Under-Secretary-General.........................................................................................................................4

III. Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................5

IV. The Background of the Issue.......................................................................................................................................6

A. Chinese History...........................................................................................................................................................6

B. The Uyghur History....................................................................................................................................................7

V. The Modern Day..............................................................................................................................................................8

A. Modern Day Xinjiang (East Turkistan).......................................................................................................................8

B. The People's Republic of China and its Opinions........................................................................................................9

VI. Regions with significant populations.........................................................................................................................10

VII. Current Issues Affecting the Uyghur Community.....................................................................................................11

A. Population Policies....................................................................................................................................................11

B. The Naming Issue......................................................................................................................................................12

C. Religious Repression.................................................................................................................................................12

D. Re-Education Camps.................................................................................................................................................13

E. Economic Policy.......................................................................................................................................................14

F. Press Freedom...........................................................................................................................................................15

G. Paper Autonomy........................................................................................................................................................15

H. Health Issues.............................................................................................................................................................16

İ. Sanitization Policy.....................................................................................................................................................16

VIII. The Riots...................................................................................................................................................................16

IX. Stances of the Member States....................................................................................................................................19

A. Russian Federation....................................................................................................................................................19

B. United States of America...........................................................................................................................................19

C. European Countries, Australia...................................................................................................................................19

D. Greece, Cyprus, Armenia, Bulgaria...........................................................................................................................19

E. The Republic of Turkey.............................................................................................................................................20

F. Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan Kyrgyzstan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan...............................................................20

G. Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran......................................................................................................................20

H. Japan and South Korea..............................................................................................................................................20

İ. Mongolia Vietnam Indonesia Nepal India Singapore................................................................................................20

J. North Korea and Cuba...............................................................................................................................................21

K. United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia.........................................................................................................................21

L. Ireland, Ukraine, Venezuela, Myanmar, South Africa, Rwanda, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Brazil, Argentina............................................................................................................................................................................21

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I. Letter from the Secretary-GeneralEsteemed delegates of the Disarmament and International Security Committee,

It is such an honor for me to welcome you all to the 11th edition of Y-MUN Training

and Development Conference as the Secretary-General. Organized by the oldest Model

United Nations Club in Turkey, every year we try to exceed all expectations and give

participants a unique Model United Nations experience.

This year in Y-MUN, we are going to simulate 14 extraordinary committees. The

committees will provide you the opportunity of being the center of seeking solutions for peace

in this time of global crisis taking over the world and give you the chance of showing your

ambition to protect people and planet. In the Disarmament and International Security

Committee, the participants will discuss the status of Xinjiang autonomous region in respect

to Chinese oppression.

My colleague and precious friend Doğa Çakar will be in the position of Deputy

Secretary-General along with the rest of our academic team consisting of successful Under-

Secretary-Generals and Academic Assistants. While I have full faith in our academic team

helping you improve your academic skills, our amazing organization team in the leadership of

Ömer Cem Sipahi and his deputies Didem Durukan and Umur Kervancıoğlu will take the

quality of Y-MUN to the highest level. I have abiding confidence in both teams since every

team member is very dedicated, hardworking and striving to advance your experience at this

conference.

Concluding my letter, I would like to thank Ali Emre Öztürk for his amazing academic

skills and writing a study guide that will certainly enlighten the delegates about the crucial

matters of today. Let the journey begin!

Best regards,

Beril Pamir

Secretary-General of Y-MUN Training and Development Conference 2018

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II. Letter from the Under-Secretary-GeneralGreetings Delegates,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you all to the YMUN 2018. My name is Ali Emre Öztürk. I am a fifth-year medical student in the Medical Faculty of Yeditepe University. Thanks to my MUN friends, our conference’s SG Beril Pamir and the DSG Doğa Çakar along with respective DG Ömer Cem Sipahi and his most esteemed deputies, I will be serving you as your Under-Secretary-General responsible for the Disarmament and International Security Committee. Also a special thanks for my close companion and classmate Berker Altıntaş for helping me to prepare our committee by acting as my not officially but de facto assistant. Also another special thanks to my friend from the Republic of China, Taiwan, Whei-Chen David Chein, who is also a medical student and also a MUNer, for helping me with his knowledge on the issue. So this study guide which you are reading at the moment has been prepared by three medical students which I believe is undeniably uncommon for Turkish MUN society standards.

With Berker, we have chosen a topic which is ongoing for centuries while still boils World politics even today. It is an issue that involves both human rights and politics directly. The modern-day globalization faces against the historical and cultural values. Economic priorities are competing for human dignity. While one side blames the other for injustice, it is an undeniable fact that the blamers are doing similar interventions in their internal business. And the superpowers of the World are trying to tackle each other by a mutual mediatic cornering effort.

In this topic, there are multiple sides and neither side is white nor black. There are no proven facts either. Delegates are expected to choose the approach of their country and pave the way for strengthening their arguments. We hope that you will have a great time while struggling to change our simulative World.

After an eight-year of MUN career, I believe it is in my right to say what is “the better MUN” and “the worse MUN”. The “better one “consists of multi-dimensional, clever debates. Where intelligence flows and sides try to outmaneuver one, another by wise arguments while also respecting each other at a maximum level, having fun while learning and of course making new friends. Respecting the rules but first, respect to the people and their rights. The other one, the “worse” is the opposite of these ideals and most probably produce malign people to the World who do MUN to make their ego well-fed. It is in your hands and jurisdiction to do MUN however you desire and find fitting to you.

I hope every one of us will end this conference with the most beautiful memories which are worth to remember for the rest of our lives!

Ali Emre Öztürk

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III. IntroductionFor centuries, the Uyghur people, members of a Muslim minority in northwestern China, have

sought to achieve greater autonomy or outright independence in their own ancestral lands.

Living between two great powers, the Russian Federation (RF) and the People’s Republic of

China (PRC), Uyghurs have given a long struggle for their independence. Today, Uyghurs are

living as an autonomous region in PRC. Yet the Chinese governments have continuously

resisted these efforts of freedom, countering with repression and a sophisticated strategy of

state-sanctioned propaganda emphasizing interethnic harmony and Chinese nationalism. After

decades of struggle, Uyghurs remain ever passionate about establishing and expanding their

power within government while the Chinese leaders continue to push back, refusing to

concede any physical or political ground.

Today, the United Nations gather to decide if the UN will take an action on this human rights

violation claim and if so what actions should be taken. However, if there will be actions taken

for the People’s Republic of China (PRC), will these interpositions be only been only in the

provision of PRC or will it affect the whole World?

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IV. The Background of the Issue

A. Chinese History

China, meaning “the middle kingdom” in Chinese, has always been an important authority in

Eastern Asia. Dynasty after dynasty, the Middle Kingdom grew both in the economy, science

and culture. Chinese (Han) lands bloom with astonishing areas for agriculture, the Chinese

philosophy, mechanics, medicine and manufacture. This enabled them to increase in numbers

and reach a population greater than any other nation of their time. Of course, this vast

economic power was feeding itself by trade roads, such as the Silk Road. However, the

security and the control of these roads were continuous problems to the Chinese rule. Using

their numerical and tactical superiority, the Kingdom conquered its neighbors including the

Turkic regions till the Pamir Mountains. The conquering of these lands was vital for the

control of the Silk Road for a permanent solution. Although these facts, the control over

Uighur regions has never been permanent till the 21st century. Before it, the region kept

boiling with wars and constant border changes. Since the ecology of this particular territory of

the World consists of vast step lands, no force was totally able to keep its presence for long.

Also, the enemy factor was really coercive for the Chinese as well. The Turkic nomads were

never an easy foe, fighting on their horses; they were able to defeat armies with numbers a lot

greater than theirs. However, unlike the Turkics, the Chinese were lasting. While Uyghurs

were having constant throne struggles, the Chinese authorities were able to defeat their

enemies using their superior diplomacy.

In the New Age, China met the Western Powers. Being way superior in military technology,

the Western nations quickly overwhelmed the Middle Kingdom. This unrestful situation

continued while the Xinjiang was usually under the Chinese rule.

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B. The Uyghur History

Archeological evidence shows us the first settlements in East Turkistan started by the Huns in

300 BC. These nomadic people ventured the area, living in complainingly small communities,

living a life of hunting and gathering and often pillaging each other. After the Hun rule, the

other Turkic tribes, the Tuoba (386–534) and then the Gokturks (550–765) occupied the

region. After the decline of the Gokturks, Uyghur State formed. Unlike their precursors, these

people were not nomads but settled and formed cities. Used paper and printing Work and used

an alphabet of their own. In 840, Kirghiz invasions tackled the Uighur civilization grievously,

never to be standing upright. After long struggles the region was under the rule of the Turco –

Mongolian Empire until 1759 which caused by the invasion of China. During this hundred

year occupation, 42 rebellions occurred until, in 1862, an independent Uighur State led by

Mehmet Yakup Begh was formed. Even though the support from the outside World, from the

neighboring Turkic communities to even the Ottoman Empire, this free state was short lived.

In 1865, Uyghur Regions were occupied by the Russian Tzardom. However, after an eight-

year bloody war, it was re-occupied by Manchurian China in 1884. During the internal

conflict of China, in 1911 the Chinese nationalists brought down the Manchurian Empire.

This led the region to fall into the rule of warlords sent by the Manchurian authorities. During

this disorder, the Uyghur nationalists rebelled against the foreign Chinese rule and the

Russian influence over the region. These struggles ended by the foundation of two

independent states in 1933 and 1944 which both were destroyed by the military interventions

of the Soviet Union and China. During these struggles, the Soviets who supported the Uighurs

against China in the beginning in order to suppress the Chinese growth feared the uprising of

possible Turkic nationalism in their own lands and supported the overthrow of a free Uighur

state. However, the fight was unending since China was unable to defeat the Uighur resistance

totally. The Soviets, seeking a balanced policy, forced both sides to reach an agreement in

7

which an autonomous Uighur region would be created under the supremacy of the People’s

Republic of China. In January of 1949, after a 6-year war, Chinese Army managed to occupy

Urumqi and the rest of the region once again, changing the regions name from East Turkistan

to Xingjiang Autonomous Region

.

V. The Modern Day

A. Modern Day Xinjiang (East Turkistan)

Today East Turkistan (Xinjiang) consists of more than 1.6 million km (which nearly makes

three times the size of France) which mostly consists of wide step lands where the populations

are concentrated in certain points. The population is 27 million them being 45% Uyghur 44%

Han (Chinese) and 11% others. This region is the 1/6 of the modern day Chinese lands and

the 1/4 of its borders. Bordering countries like Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan,

Pakistan, India, Tibet, and Mongolia. Just like Tibet, Xinjiang is an autonomous state under

PRC. Urumqi, the capital consists usually of Chinese population. However, according to

historians, sociologist and economists the historic, cultural and economic heart is Kashgar

where the Uyghur population is the majority.

8

B. The People's Republic of China and its Opinions

China, being one of the modern superpowers of the World, keeps its strength by its vigorous

economy. Xinjiang holds an important part in that by keeping most of the gas, oil and

petroleum reserves of the country. If PRC wants to keep combating financially against its

rivals in the future, Xinjiang should not be deserted. On the other hand, Xinjiang holds an

important geopolitics location. It is the door of PRC with Middle Asia. It is an important road

to Europe just as it used to be in the days of the Silk Road.

PRC never hesitates to take the necessary action for its well-being, including economic

pressures such as embargo. If some nations are not acting the way PRC doesn’t wish, they

hold the card to pressure that country economically. On the other hand, PRC holds a strong

military, enabling it the cause fear to its neighbors.

Also geographically, Xinjiang is no doubt the crucial entry from China to Middle Asia and

Europe via a land route which is actually a modern silk road. Recently, a transcontinental

railway from Yiwu to London has been opened to traffic and in order to maintain this kind of

spatial ties with other Eurasian countries controlling Xinjiang is undoubtedly a must. Hence

these borders are paramount importance military positions for the Chinese defense.

Just like Tibet, PRC is forming puppet states and use the values of the local groups to build

their control over them. Still, huge networks of spies are used to detect any false behaviors.

The communist ideals are hanged frequently throughout the cities making the youth copy their

opinions.

The internment camps are explained to the World to be outposts against the extremists and

their supporters. China faces huge amounts of these groups and is trying to end the Uyghur

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sympathy towards these groups.

The situation in Xinjiang was never totally settled but till today, PRC managed to keep the

control and kept on investing huge amounts of money to the area. The West starts to realize

the strength and treat of Chine and for that, they will try to tackle China by taking away its

precious areas which China won’t give up easily.

VI. Regions with significant populationsChina 11.305.335

Kazakhstan 223.100

Uzbekistan 55.200

Kyrgyzstan 49.000

Turkey 45.800

Saudi Arabia 50.000 (Saudi Labor Ministry)

Australia 5.00-10.000

Pakistan 1.000

Russia 3.696

Canada 1.555

Japan 1.000

Ukraine 19

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VII. Current Issues Affecting the Uyghur Community

A. Population Policies

In order to completely assimilate East Turkistan into China, millions of Chinese are being

settled in this country. Before 1949 there were only 300,000 Chinese in East Turkistan which

makes the 6% of that times total population. According to Chinese statistics now it is 7

million. Observers, however, believe that this figure is much higher.

Almost 250,000 Chinese are being settled in East Turkistan every year and contrary to “one

child” policy in existence across mainland China, Chinese settlers in East Turkistan are

allowed to have more children. At the same time, coercive birth control is being carried out

among the Uyghur women to restrain the growth of the Uyghur population.

The Government has formed a paramilitary organization named Bing Tuan. These farmer-

soldiers are an actual governmental militia to keep the Chinese order. According to the UN

reports, nearly one out of three Hans in Xinjiang is a Bing Tuan soldier which makes 3

million.

B. The Naming Issue

Today one of the ongoing problems is the naming issue. During the Manchurian Ching

Dynasty in the Qianlong era, the Uyghur region was named Shinkyang (Xinjiang) (in the

Manchurian language “Ice Jecen”) which means “the new border”. This name is often

criticized by the Uyghurs who want the region to be called as East Turkistan or Chinese

Turkistan. So far the Chinese governments have overruled these suggestions by seeing the

usage of these names as separatism and Pan-Turkism.

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C. Religious Repression

The Chinese government is directing a crushing campaign of religious repression against the

Uyghurs. According to a report released by Human Rights Watch and Human Rights in China

on April 11, 2005, “the World-Wide campaign against terrorism has given Beijing the perfect

excuse to crack down harder than ever in East Turkistan. Other Chinese enjoy a growing

freedom of worship, but Uyghurs, like Tibetans, find that their religion is being used as a tool

of control.”

However, PRC cannot deny that there is a huge sympathy for the terrorist groups are rising in

recent years. While the experts say that it is this way due to the hopeless situation emerged by

the oppression of the government, Chinese use this as an excuse to take any measure they find

fitting. It is prominent that there are police officers and Special Forces patrolling nearly every

Street in Kashgar, some even say the city is under siege.

Most recently the Chinese authorities have also tightened curbs on Uyghurs, banning any

government official, state employees, Party members, children, and in some cases women

from entering the mosques. At present, the number of mosques in East Turkistan is not

sufficient to meet the needs of the Muslims. The building of new mosques has been

prohibited. There are no private religious schools and private religious instruction is banned.

Another shocking factor is the Communist Party has changed the Koran according to be

similar to the Party’s ideals. It is forbidden to publish any other version of Koran. There is

also a control over the Friday Speeches of imams in the mosques. All speeches are sent to the

imams from Beijing and every word they say is controlled. If the imams do not perform their

duties as Beijing desires they are directly fired, they are made to repay their five years of

wages and then sent to the re-education camps.

In Xinjiang, anyone under 18 is prohibited to perform any religious activities and not even to

enter a mosque. Fasting is also out of order for anyone who wishes. Only the elderly have the

right to have a beard which is a symbol for some Islamic actioners. Another issue is Uyghurs

are not allowed to give their children religious names.

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D. Re-Education Camps The training has only one purpose: to learn laws and regulations…to eradicate from the mind

thoughts about religious extremism and violent terrorism, and to cure ideological diseases. If the

education is not going well, we will continue to provide free education, until the students achieve

satisfactory results and graduate smoothly.

—Speech by Chinese Communist Youth League Xinjiang Branch, March 2017

A network of internment camps is said to exist. According to the UN reports 1 million people

are holding a prisoner in them. There they are “re-educated” to be well Chinese communists

again by forsaking their religious and ethical values.

When in detention, Uyghurs are regularly subjected to torture. Dr. Manfred Nowak, the U.N.

Special Rapporteur on Torture, stated that “torture in China is still wide-spread” and groups

including Uyghurs and Tibetans “have been particular targets of torture”. Dr. Novak made

this revelation after visiting detention centers in East Turkistan, Tibet, and Beijing. A United

Nations statement later said that over the years Chinese authorities have used electric shock

batons, whips, hoods or blindfolds, needles, and hot oil to torture prisoners amongst other

forms such as sleep deprivation, water submersion, and bodily mutilation.

Sources have reported that since 2000, almost 190 Uyghurs have died as a result of torture in

Chinese prisons in East Turkistan. The most prominent among them was Abdulmejit

Abduhalil, the leader of the Ili demonstration on February 5, 1997. He was tortured to death

on October 17, 2000. According to Amnesty International, in the year 1997 alone, more than

100,000 Uyghurs were arrested throughout the country.

13

The government explains to the media that these are vocational centers for minor crimes such

as thefts and that the criminals are got back to society with the help of them. It is also said that

the government holds the extremists in these centers and fights of terrorist groups such as Al

Qaida and ISIS.

Amnesty International reports that the death penalty is extensively used in East Turkistan and

the number of death sentences imposed in East Turkistan is significantly higher than in the

rest of China. Amnesty International also believes that many of those executed have been

victims of extra-judicial executions or deliberate killings.

Also in recent years, the Chinese government has devoted enormous financial, human, and

technical resources for social control in Xinjiang. Authorities have hired tens of thousands of

additional security personnel while building numerous “convenience” police stations and

checkpoints in the region. They have closely monitored people’s familial and social networks

as indicators of their level of political trustworthiness.

E. Economic Policy

The ever-increasing Chinese population in East Turkistan has brought about widespread

unemployment amongst the Uyghur population. The Chinese have taken control of most

political and economic platforms. As a result, there is very little unemployment among the

Chinese, but Uyghurs unemployment is growing at an alarming state. Despite East

Turkistan’s natural wealth, the Uyghur people live more or less at mere subsistence level with

almost 80 percent living below the poverty threshold.

According to a report released by the “Xinjiang Provincial Government” in October 2004, the

average income of the Chinese settler in East Turkistan is four times higher than that of an

Uyghur. Almost 85 percent of the Uyghurs are farmers. According to the same official report,

the average annual income of an Uyghur farmer is 820 Yuan (US$100) whereas a Chinese

farmer in East Turkistan earns an annual income of 3.000 Yuan (US$ 400). This is due to the

new policies of Beijing which encourages the Han population to start a business in Xinjiang.

For example, Han is given the best lands and always funded by the government to continue.

Most private businesses are contracted to the Chinese. The rich resources of East Turkistan,

including oil, gas, uranium, gold, and silver reserves are transported to mainland China. The

exploitation of these natural resources is strictly controlled by the Chinese Central

Government.

14

F. Press Freedom

International media outlets face huge obstacles to working in the region. Information is

strictly controlled by the State and so accurate statistics or reports are hard to come by.

Chinese authorities are willing to issue incorrect or false information in order to block issues

pertaining to East Turkistan from becoming known on an international scale as made evident

in a secret document of the Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. The

document, entitled “Defending the Stability of Xinjiang, adopted on March 19, 1999, briefly

states that “…through disinformation, prevent, by all means, the separatist forces from

making the so-called East Turkistan problem international”. The internal press also has no

idea on the issue.

In Xinjiang, everyone has to download an application to their phone which tracks every

website the user searches and calls they make. Security experts report that this app scans

phones for digital fingerprints of illicit files and informs it to the officials. This enables the

government officials to keep their control 24/7 on the Uyghur social media.

PRC and their supporters report that anyone can enter Xinjiang but if anyone ones to shout the

security buildings, once again they can but with a permission, as it is in every other country in

the World.

Recently PRC has invited World press to shout in these centers and afford to cleanse their

name. This has been seen as a fooling attempt by PRC and not really taken into consideration.

G. Paper Autonomy

Although East Turkistan is called “Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region” there is no self-

rule or self-government for the Uyghurs. More than 90 percent of all important political,

administrative and economic bodies in East Turkistan are occupied by Chinese employees.

For instance, the Regional Party Standing Committee, which is the ruling body of the

Regional Party Committee, has 15 members. Only three of them are Uyghurs and ten are

Chinese. Experts refer to this as a Puppet Government.

H. Health Issues

Health care in East Turkistan for the Uyghurs is basic. In the majority of hospitals, there are

no operating tables, gynecological equipment or disinfectant. At best, some antibiotics or TB

medication are available. Almost all the doctors working in hospitals in East Turkistan are

Chinese and do not speak Uyghur so cannot communicate with the Uyghur patients who in

15

turn, have difficulty explaining their problems. In recent years, cholera, leprosy, hepatitis, and

HIV have become common medical problems.

I. Sanitization PolicyWhat they want is to force us to assimilate, to identify with the country, such that, in the future, the

idea of Uyghur will be in name only, but without its meaning.

—Tohti, who left Xinjiang in 2017, March 2018

A fierce campaign is being conducted to weaken the Uyghur language and increase the level

of Chinese spoken in the region. Prior to the Chinese occupation of East Turkistan, the literary

language of the Uyghurs contained no Chinese loanwords. Now, a large number of Chinese

words have been introduced into Uyghur vocabulary, and several thousand Uyghur words

have been removed stating that they are “not favorable to the socialist construction”, or inhibit

“national unity”. Uyghur language schools have been banned or merged with Chinese

language schools, and Chinese has been imposed as the language of instruction. Young

Uyghur children are being sent to mainland China to learn Chinese. Throughout the country,

hundreds of thousands of books written in Uyghur language have been burned.

Also, the Uyghur architecture and cultural heritage are being cleansed from the World. Their

buildings are not being well-taken care, getting demolished every single year. Today, Kashgar

has one of the most authentic bazaars in the World. The old town is as if it stayed untouched

till the middle ages. UNESCO wanted to make Kashgar a World Heritage but PRC

Government objected.

VIII. The RiotsThe Chinese government has long carried out repressive policies against the Turkic Muslim

peoples in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in northwest China.

In recent years, there had been several protests which have costs many civilian and police

lives. Being suppressed in all social parts of life pushes Uyghurs to resist and protest. These

riots have various causes but most sources complain about the imbalanced police

interventions. Experts report that the oppression towards Uyghurs causes them to abandon

their more tolerant way of Islam and be drawn into extremist groups. This sometimes causes

the Hans to be attacked which has increased in recent years, especially since 2009. Uyghurs

16

who find the chance leave their lands, migrating to Turkey and to the European countries. For

those who remain the only choice is to either revolt or to be assimilated.

On July 5th, 2009 riots China has responded to a peaceful Uyghur protest with a military

crackdown that resulted in about 1000 Uyghur civilian deaths and about 5000 arrests. This has

increased fear and intimidation faced by the Uyghurs. Those who have been detained are at

great risk of torture and other forms of ill-treatment. Given these alarming developments and

given the history of over 60 years of human rights violations by the Chinese authorities in

East Turkistan

One of the reasons for the protests in Urumqi was the government’s inaction after a number of

Uyghur workers had been killed and several hundred more injured in a Guangdong toy

factory on June 25th. In addition, the Chinese government announced that only 2 Uyghur

workers had been killed and 118 injured in that ethnic clash and that the violence had started

with an Internet posting in which a former Han employee of the toy factory wrote that a

number of Uyghur workers had raped two Han Chinese girls. The World Uyghur Congress

(WUC) believes that this is an incorrect representation of what happened. It is unlikely that

one accusation posted on the Internet can mobilize several thousands of Han workers to take

up iron pipes and other weapons, to come to the factory campus, and to start beating any

Uyghur worker, in most cases until they died.

During the riots, the fact that the Uyghur demonstrators carried Chinese flags shows that they

did not intend for the protest to turn violent. Chinese authorities knew about the upcoming

protest by its announcement on the Internet. Beating, chasing and arrests by the police started

immediately and lasted for many hours. They cut off the electricity of the city of Urumqi for

90 minutes. In these 90 minutes, the police, fully armed with armored vehicles and machine

guns, surrounded the crowds and fired with full military power. The sound of gunshots can be

heard in many YouTube videos made that night. Adam Grode, an English teacher living in the

neighborhood where the crackdown took place, said that by midnight when some of the

armored vehicles had already left, the gunfire could still be heard. According to witness

reports, an estimated 1000 or more people, most of them ethnic Uyghurs, were shot dead

during that one and a half hour period of time.

Some Uyghur witnesses reported that those Han Chinese mobs are likely to have been

military personnel in civilian clothes because they acted like well-trained professionals when

17

they were beating and killing Uyghurs. The Turkish Prime Minister has compared this

violence to genocide.

In May 2014, China launched its “Strike Hard Campaign against Violent Terrorism” in

Xinjiang. Since then, the number of people formally arrested has leaped three-fold compared

to the previous five-year period, according to official figures and estimates by the

nongovernmental organization Chinese Human Rights Defenders. The army has sieged

Urumqi and 18 civilians and 9 police officers lost their lives during the protests.

The efforts of suppression have been dramatically scaled up since late 2016 when

Communist Party Secretary Chen Quanguo relocated from the Tibet Autonomous Region to

assume leadership of Xinjiang.

On 17th August 2015, a gang of 10 Uyghur's planted a bomb at the Brahma (Hindu God of

creation) shrine in downtown Bangkok Thailand, killing 20 and injured 163 bystanders of 13

nationalities. All the other gang members are said to have fled to Turkey. A year later, a Thai

wife of one Uyghur terrorist member was extradited back to Thailand and she confessed

details to Thai police. This incident once again drew the attention to the Uyghur issue.

However, the Chinese government links these incidents with terrorist groups such as;

The Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP): It is an Islamic extremist terrorist organization

seeking the expulsion of China from "East Turkestan". Since its emergence in 2007, it

has claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks, and the Chinese

government accuses it of over 200, resulting in 162 deaths and over 440 injuries.

Al Qaeda

Taliban

ISIS

China answers to the World that “It is anti-terrorism by Western standards but it's suppression of minority if this is China. That is the double standard of Western perception when dealing with China.”

18

IX. Stances of the Member States (I must remind you that this part is only about how the respective countries have been analyzing this issue till now and what has been their usual approach. Therefore this is not the definitive guide for your choices. Being the representatives of the member states, the delegates have the right to choose their policy in their own strategy, of course within the logical standards. This part is solely to help you)

A. Russian Federation

Being an important ally of PRC, RF still contains huge numbers of citizens of Turkic ethnicity and Muslims. RF does not look positively on the territorial loss to the separatist movements of these groups for one day, the same can happen to itself. Also, a weaker PRC would create a weaker RF. Understanding these; RF will support PRC at all costs.

B. United States of America

Being the superior superpower, USA is waging a race against PRC in the World market while also competing against it in the Pacific influence. Being an ally of RF, PRC’s rise is a major threat for a unipolar World that is dominated by the USA. With the politics of Trump, although having better relationships with the PRC, USA does not hesitate to start embargo to the ones who do not fit their ideals.

C. European Countries, Australia

Being the allies of the western alliance along with the USA, their politics are hugely similar to it too. However, there are some minorities inside these well civilized and modernized countries too such as the Catalans and Basks in Spain, old Yugoslavian issues, Scottish and Irish problems of UK, enormous numbers of Muslim immigrants in Germany, France etc. and the list goes on… While supporting the cornering of PRC, these countries should keep in mind that, “Is giving rights and autonomies to the religious minorities and ethnics is a wise plan for the future?”, for if they do not be careful it may affect them one day.

D. Greece, Cyprus, Armenia, Bulgaria

These countries that usually have problems with Turkey and also directly with their own Turkish minorities do not look positively towards increasing the rights for Uyghurs. While desiring to leave Turkey alone in the political stage, some are allies of the Western Alliance while Armenia has to take its steps careful to not provoke any Russian wrath.

E. The Republic of Turkey

As the successor of the Ottoman Empire, an Empire which had an influence for the Turkics and the Muslims globally, Turkey is still an important figure in World politics. Turkey still takes up the role of the protector and the representative of Turk existence. However, in the last years, Turkey has been struggling in the economy, military, and political influence. While struggling against the current economic crisis, the situation in the Middle East is complicated. The Anatolian Turks and the Uyghurs speak a very similar version of Turkish and also a tolerance understanding of religion. Turkey wishes to protect human rights and also the

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existence of their ethnic cousins. Turkey has an indispensable relation with the West while also being an ally of the Western alliance. However, in the last decades, they are questioning their place in the so-called alliance. Therefore this pushes them to seek new friends. Nevertheless, PRC and RF hold an important place in the Turkish economy and politics. Will they face their possible friends for the sake of Uyghurs or will they close their eyes to this call for help?

F. Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan Kyrgyzstan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan

These countries with populations of Turkic and Islamic majorities are natural allies of the Uyghur people. However, most also being former parts of USSR, they are still heavily influenced by it. The situation in Xinjiang is a battlefield for them to decide if they will support their values over the benefits of RF and PRC and their suppression or bend the knee to the oppression.

G. Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran

These countries with Islamic majority wish to defend their religious beliefs and their rights although PRC and RF hold an important place in their economy and politics. Iran, although being a Muslim country, has an indispensable alliance with these two superpowers,

H. Japan and South Korea

These well-developed Asian economic powers befriend the Western World and rival the PRC. A strong PRC is a treat for their existence. However, they may also choose not to draw the arrows towards them.

I. Mongolia Vietnam Indonesia Nepal India Singapore

Neighbors of PR China They have nothing directly common with Uyghurs although they feel the oppression by the Chinese from time to time. They have to choose between to support the Chinese methods or the creation of a weaker China. However, in recent years, the situation in East Turkistan caused many Uyghur citizens to join extremist groups such as terrorist organizations like Al Qaida and ISIS. These terrorists cause to PRC as well as to these adjacent countries. This fact causes some of the neighbors of PRC to support the cleansing of any resistance against governments in Xinjiang.

J. North Korea and Cuba

Like the Communists, the allies of PRC are usually standing with them in these internal and also external issues.

K. United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia

Although being Muslim countries, they usually care little about what is happening around the World. It is known globally that the violation of human rights in these specific countries is very often although they may stand with their political supporter. However, they must keep in mind that the Chinese influence is rising in the Middle East each day.

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L. Ireland, Ukraine, Venezuela, Myanmar, South Africa, Rwanda, Congo,

Democratic Republic of Congo, Brazil, Argentina

Uyghurs are neither the only nor the first ethnicity to face oppression from another. Especially South American and African nations know this cruel fact well. Being the victims of modern imperialism, they may stand up for the downtrodden.

However, in the case of Africa, PRC has been investing Africa a lot in the last decade. If used well by China, this may create a negative factor for these countries view on Uyghurs.

Ukraine is having a hard time dealing with the RF. They are supported by the EU and becoming a rival of RF.

Although the Irish has no direct relationships with PRC or RF, they know it well how it feels to be ruled by others.

Bibliography

Uyghurs: Strangers in Their Own Lands – Gardner Bovington

The Reports of World Uyghur Congress

The Reports of Human Rights Watch

Turkey East Turkistan Society’s Reports

Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı’s Report on November 4, 2018

China's Geography Problem – Wendover Productions

Uyghurs – Ego Productions

Uighur Dilemma (2009)

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