Indian Uyghur Society Commemorates 28th Anniversary of the Ghulja Massacre

5 February 2025
Press Release – For Immediate Release
Indian Uyghur Society (IUS)
IndiaUyghur.org
indianuyghursociety@gmail.com

SRINAGAR — The Indian Uyghur Society (IUS) solemnly observes 5 February 2025 as the 28th anniversary of the Ghulja Massacre, a tragic day etched in the memory of the East Turkistani people. On this day in 1997, thousands of Uyghur youth gathered peacefully in the city of Ghulja to demand equal rights, religious freedom, and an end to cultural suppression. Instead of dialogue, the Chinese government responded with brutal force, deploying security forces to crush the demonstration, leading to the massacre of hundreds of innocent protesters and the arrest of thousands more.

The Ghulja Massacre stands as a stark reminder of the Chinese government’s relentless and inhumane interventions against the people of East Turkistan, who have struggled for decades to secure their human rights and independence in their own homeland. The crackdown that began on 5 February 1997 did not end in the streets; it was followed by mass executions, torture in detention, and a campaign of terror that laid the groundwork for the current genocide.

"On this painful anniversary, we commemorate with mercy our sainted martyrs who died standing up for their faith and freedom," said Wasim Abdullah, President of the Indian Uyghur Society. "Their courage continues to inspire us, and their blood cries out for justice. We will never forget their sacrifice, nor will we cease our struggle until the people of East Turkistan are free."

The Indian Uyghur Society calls on the international community to honor the victims of the Ghulja Massacre by breaking its silence on China’s ongoing atrocities. We urge governments and human rights organizations to take concrete action to hold the perpetrators accountable and to support the East Turkistani people’s just cause for liberty and self-determination.