Commemorating Resistance: The 36th Anniversary of the Baren Uprising

The East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) commemorated the 36th anniversary of the 1990 Baren Uprising, labeling it a "legitimate national anti-colonial resistance" against what they termed China's "colonial occupation" of East Turkistan. Demonstrations were held in Washington, D.C., and Edmonton to honor the fallen and demand international intervention against China.

The ETGE's statement detailed the uprising's origins on April 5, 1990, with thousands in Baren Township protesting coercive population control policies, specifically targeting alleged forced abortions on Uyghur women. Led by Zeydin Yusup, protesters marched to a Chinese administrative office demanding an end to these policies and Chinese rule. They claim Chinese authorities retaliated with a military crackdown involving over 20,000 troops, helicopter gunships, and artillery, resulting in more than 3,000 deaths and 7,600 arrests.

ETGE noted the Baren Uprising as pivotal, forecasting an ongoing genocide in the region, now in its twelfth year, with persistent reports of mass imprisonment, forced labor, and cultural erosion. At the Washington protest, Salih Hudayar, ETGE's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Security, emphasized that the uprising was a fight for full independence, not mere reforms or autonomy. Hudayar highlighted the sacrifices of Baren's martyrs as a guiding force for the movement toward national liberation.

ETGE also flagged developments from February 2026, when Chinese officials called for the perpetuation of current policies, leading to the enactment of an "Ethnic Unity Law," which the ETGE says mandates erasing non-Chinese identities. ETGE President Mamtimin Ala stressed that this anniversary signifies an ongoing struggle for survival, asserting that East Turkistan's people will resist eradication.

A parallel event in Edmonton saw diaspora members urge Canada's government to recognize East Turkistan as an occupied country and support decolonization and independence efforts. Prime Minister of the ETGE, Nur Abdulahat, called on Canada to embrace substantive actions beyond symbolic measures by implementing sanctions, import bans linked to forced labor, and supporting international accountability mechanisms like an International Criminal Court investigation.