Mehmet Emin Buğra: East TurkIstan's Revolutionary Leader

Commemorated on the 60th anniversary of his passing, Mehmet Emin Buğra (known as "Hazretim") was a foundational figure in East Turkistan's independence struggle and a key architect of both East Turkistan Islamic Republics.

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

Born in 1901 in Hotan, East Turkistan, Buğra came from a prominent family—his grandfather founded the Hotan Khanate in 1863. Orphaned young, he was raised by his uncle and completed advanced religious studies in Arabic and Persian by age 22. Between 1922-1930, he taught Qur'anic exegesis and Islamic traditions, earning the respected title "Hazretim."

REVOLUTIONARY LEADERSHIP

In 1931, after touring the region and meeting with scholar Sabit Damolla, Buğra became convinced that armed resistance was essential for East Turkistan's liberation from Chinese rule. He founded the National Revolutionary Organization in September 1932, which quickly grew to over 300 members.

On February 22, 1933, Buğra launched an uprising with just 60 fighters from Karakaş, rapidly liberating territory from western Kashgar to the Chinese border. His military success contributed to the establishment of the East Turkistan Islamic Republic in Kashgar on November 12, 1933.

EXILE AND CONTINUED STRUGGLE

When the republic collapsed in 1934, Buğra fled to India and later Afghanistan, where he completed his masterwork "History of East Turkistan" (1940). In 1943, he moved to China's wartime capital, Chongqing, founding the Citizens' Society with other East Turkistan leaders. Their 19-point proposal to the Chinese government included changing "Xinjiang" back to "East Turkistan" and recognizing the Turkic identity of its people.

SECOND REPUBLIC AND FINAL YEARS

When the second East Turkistan Republic was declared in Ghulja in 1944, Buğra returned to serve as Minister of Reconstruction and later Vice-Chairman of the Coalition Provincial Government. After Communist China's 1949 occupation, he was forced into exile again.

Buğra arrived in Turkey in 1951, where Prime Minister Adnan Menderes facilitated the resettlement of 1,850 East Turkistani refugees. Becoming a Turkish citizen in 1953, he continued advocating for Turkic unity and East Turkistan's independence until he died in Ankara on June 14, 1965.

Legacy: Buğra remains remembered as a scholar, military strategist, and unwavering advocate for East Turkistan's independence who dedicated his life to the cause of his homeland's freedom.