Washington DC [US], April 4 : The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) will solemnly commemorate the 36th anniversary of the Baren Uprising on April 5, paying tribute to what it described as nearly 3,000 Uyghurs who lost their lives during a violent crackdown by Chinese authorities in Akto County, East Turkistan, between April 5 and 10, 1990.
"This year marks the 36th year since the Baren Uprising, which cost the lives of thousands of brave Uyghurs," WUC President Turgunjan Alawdun said, as cited in the WUC press release. He added that the victims must be honoured and accountability must be sought for those who lost their lives while defending fundamental freedoms.
According to the WUC press release, the organisation has planned protest demonstrations on April 5 to mark the occasion and to denounce what it termed China's ongoing genocide against Uyghurs. The protests are scheduled to take place in front of the Chinese Consulate in Munich from 15:00 to 16:30 at Max-Joseph-Platz, and outside the Chinese Embassy in Berlin from 12:00 to 14:00, calling for justice for the victims of the Baren Uprising and for Uyghurs currently facing persecution.
The WUC described the Baren Uprising as one of the earliest signs of organised resistance by Uyghurs against what it characterised as escalating repression by the Chinese government. As per the press release, on April 5, 1990, around 200 Uyghurs marched to a local government office in Baren, Akto County, protesting policies that they said imposed political, religious, and cultural restrictions.
The demonstrations, according to WUC, were triggered by anger over forced abortions and sterilisation policies imposed on Uyghur women, which it described as part of broader efforts by Chinese authorities to control the Uyghur population.
In response, the WUC alleged, Chinese authorities launched a military crackdown, reportedly deploying over 18,000 troops in a town that had a population of around 19,000 at the time. Over the following days, thousands of Uyghurs were killed, the organisation claimed, adding that no independent investigation has been conducted into the incident to date.
The WUC further stated that the Baren Uprising was not an isolated episode but rather an early indication of what it described as increasing state repression against Uyghurs in East Turkistan over the decades.
According to the press release, this repression has since escalated into what the organisation termed genocide, citing mass detentions of over one million Uyghurs in camps, forced sterilisation and birth prevention measures, widespread forced labour, and severe curbs on religious and cultural expression. It also alleged instances of transnational repression, including harassment, surveillance, and deportations of Uyghurs living abroad.
The World Uyghur Congress called on the international community to pursue reparations and justice for victims of the Baren incident and urged countries to take concrete steps to hold the Chinese government accountable, as stated in its press release.