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Rahima Mahmut

By

Rahima Mahmut,

Byrahima mahmut

Opinion

My people are being murdered by China

'China must close the camps. Release all prisoners. Stop all forced labour, sterilisation and organ harvesting. Restore our religious and cultural freedoms.'

July 23, 2020 08:56
Uighurs being loaded onto trains
2 min read

My name is Rahima Mahmut, I was born in Ghulja, in the north of what was East Turkistan.

On February 5 1997, people in my home town took to the streets protesting against the government’s discriminating policies against Uighur people, demanding religious and cultural freedom and equality. As usual, the government crushed the peaceful demonstrators with military force where hundreds were killed and thousands arrested, followed by mass executions.

I was visiting my mother and family with my son and I witnessed how the military and police terrorised the whole city, searching homes and arresting innocent people. It was heart-breaking to witness the helplessness and despair felt by my people. Many of my relatives and family friends were arrested and later sentenced to long prison terms. 

I came to the UK in 2000 to study and have lived here ever since. For the last 20 years, I have been unable to return to see my family and my beloved homeland because of my involvements in speaking out against the human rights violations imposed on my people by the Chinese government. My last contact with my brother was in January 2017 and he said: “Please leave us to God’s hand, we leave you to God’s hand too.” He indirectly told me not to contact them anymore. I don’t know how they are, if they are safe or interned in concentration camps.