A testimony from our “100 Camp Testimonies” Book
I would like to testify for my family members, who have been persecuted by the Chinese regime.
Zulpikar Ilham, my brother, was born on May 17, 1986, who had a bachelor’s degree. Between 2016 and 2017 he worked at the Bureau of Land Management in Korla city. In 2018, he was dismissed from his job, and taken to an internment camp. One year later, he was released on account of internal injuries sustained during his internment, which could indicate that he was probably subjected to repeated beatings and torture in the camp. Not long after his release he passed away.
Aygül Musa, my mother, was born on January 1, 1964, who is from Cherchen County, Korla. She was a doctor at a hospital in Korla city. In 2018, she was arbitrarily detained and taken to an internment camp. One year later, she was released to take care of my dying brother, Zulpikar Ilham, who had sustained serious internal injuries during his internment.
Ilham Tömür, my father, was born in 1955, who worked at the Bureau of Land Management in Korla city. I have not been able to obtain any information about my father since 2019. He just vanished from my life. Whenever I asked about my father, my family would not answer me and they just kept quiet. My father has disappeared without a trace. He is probably incarcerated in an internment camp, or serving a prison term, or he could be dead.
I hope human rights organizations and the international community can stand up against the Chinese regime for its crimes against humanity, and hold it accountable for its genocidal policies against Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other ethnic groups in East Turkistan.