Statement by Chinese Uyghur & Tibetan Solidarity UK on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the founding of the PR China

Statement by Chinese Uyghur & Tibetan Solidarity UK on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

[1 October 2014] The following statement will be read out at a protest outside the Chinese Embassy in London on 1st October 2014 [1], the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China:

Chinese Uyghur & Tibetan Solidarity UK [2], a coalition of activists from China, East Turkestan, Tibet and the United Kingdom, stands united in opposition to the tyrannical rule of the Chinese Communist Party. We share and believe in the fundamental values and principles of human rights, freedom and democracy.

Today, these principles bring us together to resist the groundless life sentence of the Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti, who has merely exercised his right to freedom of expression to promote equal rights for the Uyghur people. The persecution of Ilham Tohti reveals only the tip of the iceberg of gross violation of human rights of the Uyghur people.

Just like Ilham Tohti, senior Tibetan monk Tenzin Delek Rinpoche has been imprisoned for life on spurious charges after peacefully promoting equal rights for his people. Tibetans are being denied the most basic human rights, which has led to at least 132 Tibetans setting fire to themselves in protest against the Chinese Government since 2009.

We also express solidarity with the people of Hong Kong, who are taking to the streets to fight for universal suffrage. Their civil disobedience has gained the name the Umbrella Revolution when protesters started to use umbrellas to protect themselves from the police’s tear gas and pepper spray. The strikes, which started in schools, are turning into a general strike involving trade unions and people from all walks of life. In the mainland China, people are being arrested for reposting news about the Hong Kong protests.

Never has it been more clearly illustrated as it is today that freedom, human rights and democracy are not merely rhetorical concepts. The Uyghur and Tibetan peoples’ exercise of self-determination show the same aspiration for justice and equality as the Hong Kong people’s struggle for democracy, for the equal value of ballots.

Chinese Uyghur & Tibetan Solidarity UK condemns the repression of peaceful protests in Hong Kong. We call for the democratic rights of the Hong Kong people to be upheld. We further call on the Chinese government to release Ilham Tohti and Tenzin Delek Rinpoche with immediate effect.

We call on the international community to stand with and support democracy activists and human rights defenders in Hong Kong, Tibet, East Turkestan and China, to help bring about real freedom, human rights and democracy for all those currently living under the Chinese Communist Party’s regime.

Contacts (available for interview):

Stephen Ng [Chinese]: ngluinam@hotmail.com,

Shao Jiang [Chinese]: t.shaojiang@gmail.com, 07534 366 336

Enver Tohti [Uyghur]: wolfkinler@gmail.com,

Padma Dolma [Tibetan]: padma@studentsforafreetibet.org, 07974 249 260

Paul Golding [British]: paul@tibetsociety.com, 020 7923 0021

Notes:

1. Protest at Chinese Embassy in London. 7pm to 10pm Wednesday 1 October.

Location: opposite Chinese Embassy, 49-51 Portland Place, London W1B 1JL.

Map: http://bit.ly/ChEmLn

United for Democracy Part 2: https://www.facebook.com/events/1542707772626971/

Chinese Uyghur Tibetan Solidarity UK is joining Hong Kong students to call for democracy for all those living under the auspices of the Chinese Communist Party. We will also be calling for the release of all Chinese, Uyghur and Tibetan political prisoners including Ilham Tohti and Tenzin Delek Rinpoche.

2. Chinese Uyghur & Tibetan Solidarity UK is a coalition of organisations and activists that opposes the tyrannical rule of the Chinese Communist Party and works to promote human rights, freedom and democracy for all oppressed people and nations under the CCP. The coalition includes: Chinese Solidarity Campaign, Federation for Democratic China, Friends of Tiananmen Mothers, Students for a Free Tibet UK, Tibetan Community in Britain, Tibet Society, Uyghur Association and Uyghur Community UK.