Press conference against the statement of the Palestinian President

The International Union of East Turkistan organizations held a joint press conference with the delegation of the Palestine Scholars 'Association against Mahmoud Abbas' deplorable position on the East Turkistan issue. The press conference was also attended by Palestinian NGOs, the Union of Turkmen-Yurok Associations and other NGOs. The Palestinian delegation also paid a visit to the International Union of East Turkistan organizations.

Text of the press conference:
"Dear members of the press and distinguished participants:
We are here today with the Palestine Scholars Association, the Union of Yurok Turkmen associations, the Mapin Foundation and other distinguished guests to take a stand against the statement of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who expressed his support for the policies of genocide and occupation imposed by the Chinese authorities on Uyghurs and other Turkish Muslims in East Turkistan, and who pointed out that the issue of East Turkistan is not a human rights issue, but the issue of China's fight against terrorism, during his visit to China on June 13-16.

Abbas ' China-aligned statements have deeply angered the people of East Turkistan. According to the statements, the issues related to the so-called Xinjiang (East Turkistan) are not human rights issues, but the fight against violent terrorism, de-radicalization and the fight against separatism. Abbas also stressed that he is firmly opposed to interference in issues related to the so-called Xinjiang (East Turkistan) on the pretext of non-interference in China's internal affairs.

As the International Union of East Turkistan organizations, we reject and condemn this unrealistic statement. While the people of East Turkistan were waiting for an apology from the Palestinian Authority, on June 22, the Palestinian embassy in Ankara issued a statement on its official account denying the alleged statements made by Mahmoud Abbas about East Turkistan during his visit to China. If this is the truth, then it is necessary for Mahmoud Abbas to make an official statement recognizing the fact of the genocide in East Turkistan, condemning it, supporting our bloody cause in order to expose China's lies.
In addition, such statements also harm the Palestinian cause. The Palestinian issue is a more sacred issue for us as Muslims than using it to legitimize the crime of genocide applied by China. The struggle for independence, freedom and access to human rights in East Turkistan is a legitimate struggle for the protection of a people who had nothing to do with terrorism. Accepting the occupation of East Turkistan and denying the reality of the ongoing genocide and describing the resistance and defense as terrorism will lead to accepting the Palestinian occupation and denying the reality of the ongoing violations of human rights in it and describing the resistance struggles as terrorism.

China is carrying out a systematic assimilation policy against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim tribes in East Turkistan, which it has occupied for 74 years. The Chinese authorities are implementing repressive and systematic policies in the context of the destruction of Muslim and Uyghur identities and the Sinicization of East Turkistan. Communist China has been detaining more than 8 million Turkistanis in Chinese concentration camps in East Turkistan since 2016. And also simultaneously with its anti-Islamic policies, China destroyed more than 16 thousand mosques in East Turkistan, turning many of them into amusement parks, discos and entertainment centers. She also imprisoned and killed community leaders, religious scholars, journalists, writers, businessmen, academics and others, subjecting them to various forms of brutal torture. In addition, millions of East Turkistan children imprisoned in so-called Children's camps are assigned kindergartens. These repressive policies of China have been called crimes against humanity and genocide by many organizations defending human rights in the international arena, States, the London Uyghur genocide tribunal, the UN Human Rights Council.

The people of East Turkistan have never stopped opposing the oppression suffered by the Palestinian people. They have been and continue to be sensitive to the Palestinian cause, appreciate the good struggle of the Palestinians by adopting the same point of view of the international community and Muslim communities, support the human rights activities of the Palestinian people and recognize their legitimacy from time immemorial.
In addition, the people of East Turkistan expect the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian people and NGOs to show the same sensitivity and understanding on the East Turkistan issue, accept the fact that East Turkistan is a territory occupied by China in 1949, subjected to oppressive occupation policies for 74 years and systematically subjected to genocide to this day, stand by us in our resistance struggles and reject efforts to legitimize Chinese oppression in East Turkistan.
As the International Union of East Turkistan organizations, we carry out political, social and cultural activities within the framework of the fact that East Turkistan is part of the Islamic world, on the basis of religious values and human rights, taking into account regional balances, with the aim of making the cause of East Turkistan known, accepted and supported in the Islamic world. Although we draw attention to the fact that today's press release is very valuable and meaningful, we describe Mahmoud Abbas ' joint statement with China and the statements of individuals and institutions claiming to represent the Islamic world in previous periods that legitimize China's persecution as major mistakes that harm the spirit of Islamic Solidarity.
Over the past year, China has engaged in political interference in the Middle East region. China, which covets the rich resources of the Middle East, considers the region a source of energy security for its expansionist policies. China's expansion in the Middle East will mean more civil wars, persecution, instability in the region and countries falling into the debt trap, destroying the understanding of Islamic Solidarity. China's opening up to Palestine is a well-thought-out public relations exercise that China is doing only to cover up its illegal bloody and criminal attitude, and no good will come from China to the Palestinian people at all.

In conclusion, we express our gratitude to the leader of the Nationalist Movement party, Mr. Davut Bahceli, who condemned the statements of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in East Turkistan at the Turkish Grand National Assembly, as well as to Ankara's deputy of the Good Party, professor kurchat Zorlu, and members of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. We also extend our sincere thanks to the delegation of the Palestine Scholars ' Association headed by Nawaf hail Takruri, who came to visit us in a spirit of solidarity, to the Union of Turkmen-Yurok associations led by Irfan tatlioglu and Ismail Mansur Ozdemir, and to all representatives of Turkish and Palestinian organizations and citizens. We also thank our journalist friends for their efforts to convey our voice to the world and support the cause of East Turkistan.