IUS Commemorates Martyrdom of Abdukadir Damolla, Father of the East Turkistan National Movement

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

Indian Uyghur Society Commemorates Martyrdom of Abdukadir Abdulvaris Damolla, Father of the Modern East Turkistan National Movement

SRINAGAR — The Indian Uyghur Society (IUS) solemnly marks 14 August as a special day of mourning for East Turkistan and its people, commemorating the martyrdom of Abdukadir Abdulvaris Damolla, widely regarded as the father of the modern East Turkistan national movement. On 14 August 1924, Abdukadir Damolla was assassinated in Kashgar by traitors collaborating with Chinese occupation forces, silencing a visionary scholar, reformer, and national leader who had dedicated his life to awakening his people through education, faith, and the struggle for self‑determination.​

For Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples, Abdukadir Damolla symbolizes the fusion of intellectual, spiritual, and political resistance against foreign domination. His teachings and leadership laid the foundations for the 20th‑century independence movements that later gave rise to the First East Turkistan Republic, and his legacy continues to inspire East Turkistanis to resist ongoing genocide, cultural erasure, and colonial rule. His assassination was intended to extinguish a movement, yet instead it transformed him into a martyr whose example endures across generations.​

“On this day of mourning, we remember Abdukadir Abdulvaris Damolla not only as a historical figure, but as a living conscience for our nation,” said Wasim Abdullah, President of the Indian Uyghur Society. “Those who betrayed and killed him sought to secure occupation and slavery, but his life and sacrifice continue to guide our struggle for freedom, dignity, and an independent East Turkistan.”​

The Indian Uyghur Society calls on governments, human rights organizations, and people of conscience to recognize the historical roots of East Turkistan’s national movement and to support the East Turkistani people’s right to self‑determination and liberation from colonial rule. On 14 August, IUS stands with East Turkistanis worldwide in honoring Abdukadir Damolla’s memory and renewing the commitment to complete the unfinished work for which he gave his life.​