This year marks the 16th anniversary of the “July 5th Urumqi Massacre” in 2009. On June 30, Legislator Shen Boyang, Legislator Huang Jie, and human rights groups held a press conference. Huang Jie stated that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) constantly conducts extensive propaganda on human rights in Xinjiang, but in reality, it is an illusion created by lies and violence. Xinjiang has turned into a modern concentration camp, and the best weapon against CCP lies is the truth. She called on everyone to stand up together and resist.
On July 5, 2009, thousands of Uyghur people in Urumqi, Xinjiang took to the streets to demand proper handling of the killing of fellow ethnic workers at a coastal factory a few days earlier. The CCP dispatched armed police to suppress the protests. According to official CCP reports, the incident resulted in at least 197 deaths and 1,721 injuries. The Uyghur people see this as a genocide.
Subsequently, the CCP banned residents who practice Islam from wearing traditional clothing like hijabs and men from growing beards. They established controversial “re-education camps”, forcing tens of thousands of Uyghurs to learn Mandarin and renounce their religious beliefs. Dissenters may face punishment and even torture. The authorities rationalize the “re-education camps” using the violence of the “July 5th Incident,” claiming it prevents religious extremism.
To commemorate the 16th anniversary of the “July 5th Incident” in Urumqi, Taiwan East Turkistan Association, the Taiwan Parliament Uyghur Connection, along with Legislator Shen Boyang and Legislator Huang Jie, held a press conference on June 30, inviting numerous human rights activists to urge society to read and pay continuous attention to the human rights issues in Xinjiang.
He Chaodong, Chairman of Taiwan East Turkistan Association, stated that the so-called “75 Incident” began with a violent incident against the Uyghur ethnic group at a toy factory in Shaoguan, Guangdong. Subsequently, Urumqi university students’ peaceful protests were met with a crackdown by authorities, resulting in numerous casualties.
He mentioned that this incident was one of the sources of the later policy of re-education camps in Xinjiang. The United Nations has also recognized the actions as violations of human rights and possibly genocide. Yet, there are still international travelers visiting Xinjiang without realizing the oppression there.
Huang Jie stated that the CCP shapes a beautiful image of Xinjiang through propaganda but masks the reality of surveillance and violence. “Many Uyghurs are forced into imprisonment, giving up their language and beliefs. The entire East Turkistan is like a massive prison.” She emphasized that truth is the most powerful weapon against these lies.
Shen Boyang added that the CCP not only operates similarly in Xinjiang but also in Hong Kong, Tibet, and other regions. The CCP’s military leaders were transferred from Xinjiang to the eastern war zone, indicating a similar oppressive pattern towards Taiwan. Shen Boyang urged the people of Taiwan not only to focus on tourism and trade but to pay attention to the infiltration of information warfare and propaganda control in Taiwanese society.
Legislator Wu Peiyi pointed out that the students at the time were peacefully expressing their demands but were met with military and police repression. While the CCP continues to oppress the Uyghur people, they invite Taiwanese internet celebrities for beautification propaganda, creating a false image of “harmony” in Xinjiang while masking the actual cultural devastation.
Human rights activist Li Mingzhe mentioned that in present-day Xinjiang, the Uyghur people are categorized into three groups: “trustworthy,” “ordinary,” and “untrustworthy.” Those selected as “untrustworthy” or even “ordinary” are sent to “re-education.”
Pan Weiyu, Chairman of the Taiwan Teachers’ Union, stated that Xinjiang is not just a tourist destination but a place where millions of people endure surveillance, re-education camps, forced labor, and cultural annihilation. Taiwan, as a free society, should be a beacon of human rights values. In the midst of the CCP’s attempts to cover up the truth through extensive propaganda, algorithm manipulation, and cultural warfare, the education sector should have the courage to face reality and speak up for the world.