World Uyghur Congress holds protest in Brussels against Chinese repression

The World Uyghur Congress on Tuesday held protests here against Beijing's repressive measures even as mainland China staged a huge military parade to celebrate 70 years of its Communist regime on Tuesday.

The protest was attended by several members of the European Parliament including Phil Bennion, Henri Molosse, Molly Scott Cato, Martin Harwood and Raphael Glucksman.

"As an Uyghur, who has experienced years of repression, it's impossible to take China's claims seriously that 70 years have only brought more and more shared prosperity. Just ask an Uyghur family in Kashgar or Hotan what they think about that," the World Uyghur Congress said in a statement.

"During its 70 years of Communist rule, China has proven time and again that the regime will stop at nothing to silence the dissent. The 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre is another strong case," the statement added.

The World Uyghur Congress called the international community to take action against the unbridled repression and the total state of surveillance imposed by the Chinese government on its people, as well as the Uyghur minorities in particular.

"It is time to take a more peaceful, respectful, and democratic path with China," said MEP Martin Harwood in his address.

President of World Uyghur Congress, Dolkun Isa, while making his remarks at Schumann Square in Brussels, noted, "We cannot accept another 70 years of oppression and hopelessness. We need freedom and restoration of our rights now."

Ray Wong, former leader and activist during the 2014 Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, also spoke in solidarity with East Turkistan and Tibet.

He said, "I am confident that victory will soon come to us. I hope Tibetans and Uyghurs can finally go home to see their families."

Meanwhile, Vanessa Frangville, a professor in Chinese Studies at Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) said in her address, "What kind of world do we want? A world that can close its eyes to millions locked in internment camps on the basis of their ethnic identity?"

Yashar Yalkun, President of the Belgium Uyghur Association also stated that the 70 years of Chinese repression is "enough".

"We will never give up our struggle for freedom," Yalkun said.