The 15th East Turkistan International Brotherhood Meeting and the 6th East Turkistan National Unity Council have begun

"The 15th East Turkistan International Brotherhood Meeting and the 6th East Turkistan National Unity Council, hosted by the East Turkistan Education and Solidarity Association, began in Istanbul on September 23, 2023.

The meeting, which continued for 3 days, was attended by intellectuals, statesmen, academics, representatives of various civil society organizations, elders, and pioneers of the East Turkistan cause from all over the world."

"The opening ceremony of the meeting began with the recitation of the national anthems of Turkey and East Turkistan, followed by the Quranic recitation by Qari Kaurra Hafiz Abdujalil.

The first opening speech of the meeting was delivered by Mr. Hidayetullah Oğuzhan, the President of the East Turkistan Education and Solidarity Association and the International Union of East Turkistan NGOs. He expressed his gratitude to all the guests who had come from all over the world, summarized the current situation of the East Turkistan cause in the diaspora, and highlighted the inhumane atrocities in East Turkistan. He also emphasized the importance of taking advantage of the opportunities that will arise when a new world order is established, summarizing the progress made from the first steps taken towards the independence of East Turkistan. Additionally, he expressed hope that the blessed steps taken towards the independence of East Turkistan would lead to the liberation of the oppressed people."

"After the President's speech, a short film with Turkish subtitles was presented to the participants, narrating the journey of the past 15 years and the hardships and challenges that brought them to this point.

Following this, the respected leader Abdulkadir Yapchan delivered a thank-you speech, emphasizing that the East Turkistan Cause is a matter of homeland and territory. He noted that this noble cause has now become global, refuting China's claims of "East Turkistan" ever being a part of China. He mentioned that in those lands, Turks were honored with Islam, and the once-civilized regions are currently under occupation, with the people subjected to systematic genocide. He concluded by stating that at this stage, the East Turkistan Cause is a cause for all of humanity."

"He also expressed gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoghan for bringing up the Uyghur issue in his speech at the 78th United Nations General Assembly. He added, 'Even though we do not accept the term 'Xinjiang,' we thank President Joe Biden of the United States for drawing attention to this point.'"

"Following this, greetings and speeches were delivered by distinguished individuals, including Dr. Muhammed Ayyash Kubaisi, a faculty member at Qatar University; Dr. Erkin Ekrem, Vice President of the World Uyghur Congress and President of the Uyghur Research Center; Ms. Ayyuce Turkesh, a member of the 28th Adana Good Party (İYİ Parti) parliamentary term; Ms. Rukiye Turdush from Canada; Mr. Halil Aydin; Ms. Gulbahar Celilova, a witness of the camps; Mr. Erkin Alptekin, the son of the late Isa Yusuf Alptekin; Mr. Mustafa Kaya, a former member of the 28th parliamentary term representing the Felicity Party (Saadet Partisi) from Istanbul (II); and Mr. Mehmet GUNEY, President of the Human and Civilization Movement, among other esteemed individuals from Serbia and Turkistan (Central Asia)."

"Additionally, Mr. Ahmet Selim Koroghlu, Senior Advisor to the President of Turkey, in his welcoming speech, conveyed the greetings of President Erdoghan and emphasized the responsibility of Turkey, which takes on the role of guardian for all Muslims worldwide. He underscored the need to trust Turkey and its President, stating that Turkey views this issue not through the lens of China or the West but through the perspective of kinship and blood ties. He pointed out that the term 'respect for China's territorial integrity' is a standardization used in the political arena and that no one can change the fact that East Turkistan is the land of the Turks. He expressed his satisfaction with the efforts of those who organized this gathering and wished for the continuation of success."

"Following this, Mr. Ayhan Oghan, Advisor to the President, congratulated the brothers and sisters who continue the struggle for the independence of East Turkistan. He recalled witnessing the first Brotherhood Meeting years ago and stated that the sight today is the result of 15 years of hard work and dedication. He emphasized that viewing the East Turkistan issue solely as a human rights issue is not sufficient. He noted that Turkey will always stand against oppressors, wherever they may be in the world, especially when they oppress the Uyghurs, who are blood relatives of the Turks. He highlighted the important role Turkey has in taking advantage of the various opportunities emerging in the new world order. He expressed his hope that together with the Turkic world, Turkey would enter a new century, and this new era would be the 'Century of Turkey.'"

"Following this, Mr. Prof. Dr. Jalal Erbay, a passionate advocate of East Turkistan and one of its strongest supporters, who is also a former AK Party member of the 23rd parliamentary term and the Dean of the Faculty of Law at Yeni Yuzyil University, stated that Turkey has always stood behind the cause of East Turkistan. He expressed that Turkey would embrace its brothers and sisters like Medina Munawara and emphasized that Turkey is the homeland of Uyghurs.

Next, Mr. Yasin Aktay, former AK Party Member of Parliament from the 26th parliamentary term and Chief Advisor to the General Chairman, emphasized that the East Turkistan issue is a matter for the entire Muslim ummah (community). He pointed out, as evident from this gathering, that the East Turkistan cause is a concern for the entire Islamic world and stressed the need to go beyond words and formulate strategic plans for resolving the issue."

"Following this, Mr. Mustafa Desteci, the Chairman of the Grand Unity Party (Büyük Birlik Partisi), stated that he has always been an unwavering advocate of the East Turkistan cause. He mentioned that since 1949, East Turkistan has been under occupation, and many people are still held captive in camps. He expressed that Turkey's efforts in this regard are still insufficient.

'ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EAST TURKISTAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE IS NECESSARY'

The last speaker invited to the podium was Mr. Nazif Yilmaz, the Deputy Minister of National Education of the Republic of Turkey. He stated, 'The issue of East Turkistan is an open wound within us. This cause is the legacy left to us by our elders.'

Regarding the further development of this cause, he expressed his thoughts: 'I believe it's important for this cause to be well-developed in academic fields, and for solution-oriented strategies to be developed. Special institutes affiliated with universities can be established. An East Turkistan Research Institute should be established. We should make East Turkistan folk tales, novels, stories, and various works available to children.'"

"In the first and second sessions of the gathering, which brought together representatives from over 30 countries and more than 40 civil society organizations, Nurmuhammed Türkistan, President of the East Turkistan Human Rights Monitoring Association, moderated a presentation titled 'The East Turkistan Issue from the Perspective of the International Agenda.' Presentations were delivered by Nicat Turgun, Dr. İsam Abdulshafi, Prof. Dr. Muhammed Afendi Salih, Prof. Dr. Yashar Sarı, and Abdulhakim İdris on this topic."

"Following that, discussions and consultations continued in a question-and-answer format. The first day of the program concluded after the first and second sessions, concluding with a prayer.