This content originally appeared on The Real News Network and was authored by The Real News Network.
This post was originally published on Radio Free.
-
This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.
-
This content originally appeared on Democracy Now! and was authored by Democracy Now!.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
-
After a successful beta-launch this month, PodTalk.live has now called for people to register as foundation members — it’s free to join the post and podcast social platform.
The foundation membership soft-launch is a great opportunity for founders to help shape a brand new, vibrant, algorithm-free, info discussion and debate social platform.
“PodTalk.live has been put to test by selected individuals and we’re pleased to report that it has performed fabulously,” said the the platform developer Selwyn Manning.
Manning is founder and managing director of the company that custom-developed PodTalk.live — Multimedia Investments Ltd.
PodTalk.live . . . a new era. Image: PodTalk screenshot APR MIL is based in Aotearoa New Zealand, where PodTalk.live was developed and is served from.
And now, PodTalk.live has emerged from its beta stage and is ready for foundation members to shape the next phase of its development.
An alternative platform
PodTalk.live was designed to be an alternative platform to other social media platforms.PodTalk has all the functions that most social media platforms have but has placed the user-experience at the centre of its backend design and engineering.
PodTalk.live has been custom-designed, created and is served from New Zealand.
“We ourselves became annoyed at how social media giants use algorithms to drive what content their users see and experience,” Manning said.
“And, we also were appalled at how some social media companies trade user data, and were unresponsive to user-concerns.
“So we decided to create a platform that focuses on ‘discussion and debate’ communities, and we have engineered PodTalk to ensure the content that users see is what they choose — rather than some obscure algorithm making that decision for them.
“PodTalk.live is independent from other social media platforms, and at best will become an alternative choice for people who seek a community where they are the centre of a platform’s core purpose.
Sign-up invitation
““And today, we invite people to sign up now and become foundation members of this new and ethically-based social community platform,” Manning said.What PodTalk.live provides includes:
- user profiles with full interactivities with other users and friends;
- user created groups, posts, video, images, polls, and file sharing;
- private and secure one-on-one (and group) messages;
- availability of all the above for entry users with a free membership;
- premium membership for podcasters and event publishers requiring easy to use podcast publication and syndication services; and next-level community engagement tools that users have all on the one platform.
Manning said PodTalk.live was founded on the belief that for social, political and economical progress to occur people needed to discuss issues in a safe environment and embark on robust debate.
- Go to https://PodTalk.Live for more information and to register
This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.
-
A popular account on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo was forced to change its name from “Voice of Comrade” as the term refers to homosexuality, prompting intense criticism of Chinese regulators, known for censoring content with gay themes.
The word “tongzhi” or “comrade” – widely used by China’s Communist Party to address cadres – has in recent decades been embraced by the country’s gay community to refer to homosexuals in an effort to replace derogatory words that previously defined them.
On Tuesday, the account name “Voice of Comrade” was suddenly deleted and replaced with the original user ID number. A day later, the account name was changed to “Voices of Pride” to be in compliance with the country’s Internet regulations, its moderator said – sparking widespread outrage by Chinese netizens over the apparent censorship.
“The sudden ban on the use of the name can be seen as another example of China’s suppression of human rights,” said human rights activist Pan Jiawei, noting that the Weibo account has served as a valuable source of information for sexual minority groups in China since it was set up in 2009.
“It shows the Chinese government’s discrimination against sexual minorities, and at the same time it allows the outside world to see how the authorities use ridiculous methods to force companies to toe the party line,” Pan told Radio Free Asia.
On Tuesday, the “Voice of Comrade” account on China’s version of X – which boasts two million followers – put out a post expressing concern over the platform’s move to delete the name it has been known by for over 16 years.
But in a separate post on Wednesday, it said that the account name “Voice of Comrades” has been changed to “Voices of Pride” to meet the relevant requirements of the “Internet User Account Information Management Regulations.”
In that post, the moderator also emphasized that the renamed account will abide by Chinese laws and regulations, firmly support the position of the Party and the country, and continue to serve sexual minorities.
Many Chinese netizens questioned why the account had not been renamed to “Voice of Homosexuals.” Still others said the forced name change is reflective of the Chinese government’s discrimination against homosexuals and signals growing restrictions on content about the gay community.
Although the Chinese government has not criminalized homosexuality, in recent years many groups and platforms advocating gender equality have been unable to carry out public activities, said Li Maizi, a Chinese LGBT rights advocate.
The name change shows “…the government wants the voices of sexual equality and sexual minority groups to fade out of Chinese society, which is related to the government’s hostility to Western ideology,” said Li.
“The environment of public opinion is very tight, and if various homosexual art groups want to exist, they have to stay low key. Many organizations have actually changed their names; (for them) at least there is a space for survival,” she added.
In 2012, the Contemporary Chinese Dictionary, regarded one of China’s most authoritative dictionaries, excluded the homosexual definition of the term “comrade.” At the time, the director of the committee entrusted with updating the dictionary said they omitted the term’s gay reference to avoid encouraging its usage.
Homosexuality – illegal in China until the late 1990s – was defined as a mental disorder until that classification was removed in 2001.
“Homosexuality is still a taboo and sensitive word in official circles, so when people use the word “comrade” to refer to homosexuality, the Chinese government is very unhappy with it,” independent commentator Hu Ping who lives in the United States told RFA.
“But I think they cannot reverse it. You can change the name … but ordinary people will still regard ‘comrade’ as a synonym for homosexuality. They will still do that,” Hu said.
In 2018, Weibo had announced plans to censor cartoons, games, and short video content about homosexuality as part of a campaign to “create a healthy and harmonious community environment.” But the company was forced to cancel the plan after it faced a major backlash from users using the hashtag #IAmGay.
Edited by Tenzin Pema and Mat Pennington.
This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Chen Zifei for RFA Mandarin.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
-
Carla Flagg remembers the joy of growing up in west Altadena.
“We had these great pool parties where all the cousins and everybody would come to the Fair Oaks house,” she says, smiling, as tears welled up in her eyes. Her parents owned the house and passed it down to her sister and her sister’s kids. “ We had that home for 50-some odd years, and there are still people who know the original phone number.”
Flagg’s family home was one of some 9,400 structures that were destroyed in the Eaton Fire in January. It was also one of many homes passed down within the Black community by family members. Discriminatory redlining of the 1960s steered her parents away from Pasadena, and realtors encouraged them to purchase on the west side of Altadena.
The post These Black Architects Are Helping Rebuild Altadena After The LA Wildfires appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.
This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.
-
As a handy person, Devon Curtin spends a lot of time helping people enrich their living spaces. Recently, while working with a friend to remodel their floor, Curtin noticed that the cost of do-it-yourself projects is already rising because of Donald Trump’s tariffs.
“The cost of mahogany was the same as Douglas fir, which is kind of wild, but the cost of oak was double. And I was like, ‘Oh, we’re probably getting oak boards from Canada, and so the tariff cost on that is going to skyrocket,’” said Curtin. “And so all of a sudden, this project of building an oak countertop doubles in price because the tariffs are there.”
The post ‘No Tariffs On Sharing’: Tool Libraries Offer Resilience Amid Federal Chaos appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.
This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.
-
An analysis of data from 2017 and 2022 by the Pew Charitable Trusts points to a direct connection between high housing costs and homelessness rates in the United States. Unsurprisingly, a Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury 2024 report stated that the city, which the National Low Income Housing Coalition ranked as America’s most expensive rental market in 2023 and 2024, has the most people experiencing homelessness in California per capita.
A University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), research project called No Place Like Home labeled Santa Cruz as “the least-affordable small city in the U.S.”
The post The Homeless Garden Project: Opening Doors To The Unhoused appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.
This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.
-
Your community needs leaders who care about the environment. As climate change, pollution, and loss of biodiversity threaten our planet’s health, we can’t afford to wait for governments or corporations to solve these problems. We need individuals who are willing to take action, inspire others, and make a difference. And those differences need to happen right in our backyards.
That’s why we need people like you. You know your community best, which means you can see right through the politics in community meetings and get to the heart of the issues.
Becoming an environmental leader is not easy. It requires knowledge, skills, values, and habits that go beyond recycling, using reusable bags, and turning off lights.
The post Guide To Becoming An Environmental Leader appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.
This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.
-
“Our movements are pretty much just made of our relationships — whether we can move together, coordinate, collaborate, figure out disagreements [and] stay loyal to each other when the repression comes down,” says Dean Spade. In this episode of “Movement Memos,” Spade and host Kelly Hayes discuss the lessons of Spade’s new book, Love in a F*cked-Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up…
This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.
-
This content originally appeared on Human Rights Watch and was authored by Human Rights Watch.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
-
Atlanta, Georgia – On Saturday, February 22, over 40 organizations and vendors came together for Community Connect Fest in the West End. Hundreds of community members kept the venue full throughout the time of the event. Attendees got to meet and learn about dozens of the organizations working to make a difference around Atlanta.
The event, organized by the Atlanta Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, aimed to connect fighting organizations to people who want to get involved.
The post Festival Brings Atlanta’s Community And Organizations Together appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.
This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.
-
“We are really good at finding what’s wrong with each other,” says author and podcaster Margaret Killjoy. “We really need to challenge ourselves to be ready to let people be better.” In this episode of “Movement Memos,” Killjoy talks with host Kelly Hayes about preparedness, collective survival, and the organizing lessons we need in these times. Music by Son Monarcas, Curved Mirror, Pulsed &
This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.
-
This content originally appeared on Laura Flanders & Friends and was authored by Laura Flanders & Friends.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
-
“Our power comes from knowing who’s around us, from trusting who’s around us, and from strategizing with every lever that we have,” says tenant organizer and Abolish Rent coauthor Tracy Rosenthal. In this episode of “Movement Memos” Rosenthal and their coauthor Leonardo Vilchi talk with host Kelly Hayes about what rent strikes and tenant unions can teach us about the work of collective survival in…
This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.
-
Heartbreak and fear are already spreading through the U.S. as Donald Trump acts on his racist campaign promises to systematically crack down on immigrants and expand deportations. He’s signed a host of draconian executive orders, some of dubious legality, that include ending birthright citizenship, enlisting the military against the “invasion” of immigrants and declaring a “national emergency” at…
This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.
-
This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
-
This content originally appeared on Democracy Now! and was authored by Democracy Now!.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
-
Comprehensive coverage of the day’s news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice.
- Trump administration orders freeze on federal grants and loans, Federal judge blocks move until next week
- San Francisco resolution affirms sanctuary city, solidarity with immigrant residents
- UNRWA says Israel’s ban on agency will cripple Gaza aid, undermine ceasefire when it takes effect in 2 days
- Wildfire survivors urge government leaders to keep community needs in mind at Los Angeles wildfire community meeting
- Study finds climate change increased fire weather that fanned southern California wildfires
The post Judge blocks Trump administration freeze on federal grants and loans; LA wildfire victims get aid, ask to keep community needs in mind – January 28, 2025 appeared first on KPFA.
This content originally appeared on KPFA – The Pacifica Evening News, Weekdays and was authored by KPFA.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
-
By Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson
For Doddy Morris, a journalist with the Vanuatu Daily Post, the 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Vanuatu last month on December 17, 2024, was more than just a story — it was a personal tragedy.
Amid the chaos, Morris learned his brother, an Anglican priest, had died.
“My mom called me crying and asked, ‘Did your brother die?’. I wasn’t sure and told her I was heading to Vila Central Hospital right away,” he recalled.
- READ MORE: Vanuatu election 2025: Earthquake aftershocks expose high cost of democracy
- Other Vanuatu earthquake reports
Morris arrived at the hospital to confirm the worst. “My heart sank when I confirmed that my brother had indeed passed away. At that moment, I forgot about my job.”
Doddy’s brother’s coffin . . . Doddy bids him farewell before the casket is flown to their home island. Image: Doddy Morris The New Atoll Despite his grief, Morris joined his remaining brothers at the hospital mortuary that night, staying by their deceased sibling’s side and mourning together. “We were the only ones there. We spent the whole night drinking kava outside while he lay in the cool room,” he said.
The quake — which claimed 14 lives, injured more than 265 people, and displaced more than 1000 — left an indelible mark on Port Vila and its residents. Infrastructure damage was extensive, with schools, homes, and water reserves destroyed, and the Central Business District (CBD) heavily impacted.
In the days following the earthquake, Morris returned to his role as a reporter, capturing the unfolding crisis despite the emotional toll. “When the earthquake struck, I thought I was going to die myself,” he said. Yet, minutes after the tremor subsided, he grabbed his camera and rushed to the CBD.
At the heart of the destruction, he witnessed harrowing scenes. “I was shocked to see the collapsed Billabong building. A body lay covered with a blue tarpaulin, and Pro Rescue teams were trying to save others who were trapped inside,” Morris recounted.
The lack of a network connection frustrated his efforts to report live, but he pressed on, documenting the damage.
A month after the disaster, Morris continues to cover the aftermath as Vanuatu transitions from emergency response to recovery. “A month has passed since the earthquake, but the memories remain fresh. We don’t know when Port Vila will return to normal,” he said.
His photojournalism has been demonstrating the true impact of the earthquake as he continues to capture the mourning of a nation after such a tragic event.
Doddy Morris’ photojournalism . . . demonstrating the true impact of the earthquake as he continues to capture the mourning of a nation after such a tragic event. Image: Vanuatu Daily Post/The New Atoll The earthquake left deep scars, not only on the nation’s infrastructure but also on its people. “Unlike cyclones, which we can predict, prepare for, and survive, earthquakes strike without warning and show no mercy,” Morris said.
Through grief and uncertainty, Morris remains committed to his work, documenting the resilience of his community and the challenges they face as they rebuild. His reporting serves as a testament to the strength of both the people of Vanuatu and a journalist who continues to bear witness, even in the face of personal loss.
Journalist Doddy Morris . . . reporting on the traumatic events of the earthquake meant confronting his own grief while documenting the grief of others. Image: The New Atoll Reporting on his own community while grappling with personal loss is a reality for many Pacific Island journalists who cover disasters. For Doddy Morris, reporting on the traumatic events of the earthquake meant confronting his own grief while documenting the grief of others.
Dr Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson is a Pacific journalism trainer with the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. She expresses her support for Morris and his colleagues in showing extraordinary courage and resilience. This article was first published by The New Atoll and is republished with permission.
This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.
-
The Boston-based Patrick J. McGovern Foundation has announced on 23 December 2024 grants totaling $73.5 million in 2024 in support of human-centered AI.
Awarded to 144 nonprofit, academic, and governmental organizations in 11 countries, the grants will support the development and delivery of AI solutions built for long-term societal benefit and the creation of institutions designed to address the opportunities and challenges this emerging era presents. Grants will support organizations leveraging data science and AI to drive tangible change in a variety of areas with urgency, including climate change, human rights, media and journalism, crisis response, digital literacy, and health equity.
Gifts include $200,000 to MIT Solveto support the 2025 AI for Humanity Prize; $364,000 to Clear Globalto enable scalable, multilingual, voice-powered communication and information channels for crisis-affected communities; $1.25 million to the Aspen Instituteto enhance public understanding and policy discourse around AI; and $1.5 million to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) to advance ethical AI governance through civil society networks, policy frameworks, and knowledge resources.
Amnesty Internationalto support Amnesty’s Algorithmic Accountability Lab to mobilize and empower civil society to evaluate AI systems and pursue accountability for AI-driven harms ($750,000)
HURIDOCSto use machine learning to enhance human rights data management and advocacy ($400,000)
“This is not a moment to react; it’s a moment to lead,” said McGovern Foundation president Vilas Dhar. “We believe that by investing in AI solutions grounded in human values, we can harness technology’s immense potential to benefit communities and individuals alike. AI can amplify human dignity, protect the vulnerable, drive global prosperity, and become a force for good.”
This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.
-
Read RFA coverage of this story in Uyghur.
Uyghurs in Kazakhstan bade farewell to Riza Samedi, a journalist, Uyghur nationalist and influential community leader who died from an illness on Dec. 29 at age 86.
Samedi, also known as Riza Samed, was a prominent figure in the Uyghur resurgence and independence movements of the late 20th century in Kazakhstan and internationally.
Uyghurs and Kazakhs alike recalled Samedi with great respect.
Dolkun Isa, former president of the World Uyghur Congress, an advocacy group, said Samedi was a national leader of the Uyghur people.
“He was someone who had witnessed the birth of the East Turkestan Republic in 1944 and enjoyed living in our independent country,” Isa said. “Not only did he taste the joy of our independence, but he also suffered under [Chinese] colonization.”
“He became our leader and educator in passing the spirit of independence to the next generation after fleeing into Central Asia with the family,” he said.
East Turkestan is the Uyghurs’ preferred name for their homeland, which was absorbed by China in 1949 and today is known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. There were two short-lived independent East Turkestan republics, from 1933-34 and again from 1944-49.
Riza Samedi speaks at the 6th General Assembly of the World Uyghur Congress in Munich, Germany, November 2017. (Abdulhakim Idris/Center for Uyghur Studies)During a funeral prayer service in Kazakhstan’s capital Almaty, Azad Ibrahimov, head of the city’s Auezov district, told mourners that Samedi made great contributions to the development of Uyghur national media and the Uyghur nationalist movement by exposing China’s atrocities against the mostly Muslim group.
“The names of national heroes like Riza Samedi will never be forgotten in the hearts of the Uyghurs,” he said.
Son of a colonel
Born in 1938 in Ghulja, or Yining in Chinese, Samedi was the eldest son of Ziya Samedi, a prominent writer and a colonel in the East Turkestan armed forces during a period of rebellion against the Chinese government in the mid-20th century.
After China took over East Turkestan, Ziya Samedi fell victim to a purge of “local nationalists” in 1957 and 1958 and spent a year in a forced labor camp. He later fled with his family to Soviet Kazakhstan in 1961 during a period of heightened tension between China and the Soviet Union.
Riza Samedi worked as a middle-school teacher in Ghulja. After moving to Almaty, he taught for a couple of years and then worked in Uyghur-language TV and radio broadcasting in the Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Soviet republics until 1968, according to his sister, Beliqiz Samedi.
During the next two decades, Samedi worked as a journalist in the Uyghur service at the State Committee of Television and Radio Broadcasting of the Soviet Union in Moscow.
He also was a member of the Union of Journalists of Kazakhstan and had served as an advisor to the World Uyghur Congress.
After Samedi retired in 2002, he devoted himself to serving the estimated 2 million Uyghurs who live in Kazakhstan, advocating for Uyghur rights and the preservation of Uyghur culture in the diaspora.
Beliqiz Samedi recalled that her brother followed in the footsteps of their late father through his work to preserve the Uyghur people’s national identity.
Riza Samedi (center) shares a meal with other prominent Uyghurs in Almaty, Kazakhstan, June 2024. (Abdulhakim Idris/Center for Uyghur Studies)She said he would often discuss the Uyghur cause and expressed hope about young Uyghurs who lived and studied in Europe and the United States.
“My brother worked in good places and did a lot of work,” she told Radio Free Asia.
‘That day shall come’
Abdulhakim Idris, executive director of the Center for Uyghur Studies, a Washington-based think tank, interviewed Samedi during a visit to Kazakhstan in June 2024.
“He was always proud of the young people advocating for Uyghurs on the international stage,” Idris recalled.
Samedi told him that he encouraged other Uyghurs, especially the young, to never lose hope that the world would rally to the Uyghur cause and gain a renewed understanding of Uyghurs once they formed an independent nation.
“That day shall come,” Samedi said during the interview. “Therefore, let’s all live with prayer and hope each day knowing that our homeland will be free today or tomorrow.”
Samedi was active in various groups that advocated in Kazakhstan and other Central Asia countries for a Uyghur homeland, said Kahriman Ghojamberdi, a political analyst and historian who is chief advisor to the World Uyghur Congress.
“Since Riza grew up in East Turkestan and went to college, he understood the cause to free our homeland well,” Ghojamberdi said. “We learned a lot from him. Therefore, I paid close attention to his opinions.”
Samedi also organized numerous interviews on Uyghur advocacy topics as a reporter for Kazakhstani radio, he said.
Abdugopur Kutlukov, Kazakhstan’s honorary writer and a famous poet, said with Samedi’s death, Uyghurs had lost a distinguished individual.
Deeply affected by his passing, Kutlukov, also born in Ghulja, wrote a poem about Samedi:
Goodbye, my friend Riza, I’ve lost you,
As though I’ve lost a wing,
We’re scattered across the world like threads,
Is this why we’re born, to feel such sting?Tell me, who cries, if not me?
The sorrow won’t release its hold,
My cries don’t reach God’s ears,
No one hears the pain I’ve told.No one cares for the refugees’ plight,
Each day becomes a harder fight.
Tell me, who cries, if not me?
Our elders leave, one by one,
While the rest of us are lost,
Wandering beneath a fading sun.In our homeland, they struggle each day,
Shot down while seeking love their way.
Tell me, who cries, if not me?Translated by Alim Seytoff for RFA Uyghur. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.
This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Oyghan and Ekrem for RFA Uyghur.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
-
If you are moved by the abundance of waste in your neighborhood, are concerned about your neighbors in need, are a fan of building and strengthening community, want to take action to reject capitalism, or just enjoy the mystery of seeing colorful displays of random items, each with a story, you’re not alone! And that’s great news because teamwork is the dreamwork for creating a free store or neighborhood sharing hub. Free stores are an extension of the gift economy, where all items are available to anyone at no charge.
The post How To Start A Free Store In Your Community appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.
This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.
-
This content originally appeared on Laura Flanders & Friends and was authored by Laura Flanders & Friends.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
-
Updated Nov. 15, 2024, 6:50 p.m.
Read RFA coverage of this topic in Uyghur.
U.S. lawmakers gathered on Capitol Hill in Washington this week to mark “East Turkestan National Day,” the anniversary of two short-lived independent Uyghur states, pledging their support for Uyghurs facing persecution in northwestern China.
Nov. 12 marks the founding of the two republics called East Turkestan in 1933 and in 1944 in what is now known as China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
The United States and parliaments of other Western countries have declared that China has committed genocide or crimes against humanity in Xinjiang based on credible evidence of mass detentions in camps, forced sterilizations of Uyghur woman and other severe rights abuses.
Wednesday’s event was attended by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Tom Suozzi, Uyghur studies scholars, and officials from the Uyghur American Association, or UAA.
The commemoration began with the national anthems of the U.S. and East Turkestan, followed by remarks from UAA President Elfidar Iltebir and a short film about the two independent republics.
Statements of congratulations were delivered by Congressional-Executive Committee on China chairs Rep. Chris Smith and Senator Jeff Merkley. CECC Commissioner Senator Marc Rubio, who was recently tapped by President-Elect Donald Trump to lead the State Department, issued a statement marking the anniversary, which was read at the event by an aide.
RELATED STORIES
US blacklists 3 more Chinese textile firms over Uyghur slave labor
British foreign secretary under fire for failing to raise Uyghur genocide in China
Turghunjan Alawudun elected head of World Uyghur Congress
After the film, Pelosi described Uyghur culture and governance as “treasure[s] to be preserved, continued and strengthened.”
She also reaffirmed what she called “strongly bipartisan” support for the Uyghurs in both houses.
“In China, millions of Uyghurs and other Muslims have endured outrageous barbaric abuses,” she said. “We want to make sure that those in prison … are not forgotten.”
“I always say if we don’t speak out for human rights in China … We lose all moral authority to speak out for human rights in any other place in the world,” she added.
Call for stronger measures
Congressman Suozzi acknowledged the work and sacrifices that the diaspora has put into highlighting the persecution Uyghurs face in China, pointing out that their activism subjects them to “transnational repression in the process.”
He vowed to continue working with the community to help bring relief to their friends and family members back in Xinjiang.
Rep. Tom Suozzi speaks at a commemoration of East Turkestan National Day on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Nov. 13, 2024. In a message delivered to attendees by a representative, Rubio emphasized the genocide Uyghurs are facing and the need for stronger, more practical measures against it.
“We need to take further actions to impose economic and reputational costs on the CCP,” he said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party.
“Countries around the world also need to do more to stop the goods produced with [Uyghur] forced labor from entering their countries, press the CCP to release innocent members, intellectuals, religious scholars and cultural icons who are still in prison, and to stop the CCP from subjecting Uyghur women to horrific crimes, including forced abortion, sterilization, sexual violence and separation from their children,” he said.
A statement by CECC Co-chair Christopher Smith said that he expected Rubio, if confirmed as secretary of state, would further elevate the Uyghur issue as part of U.S. policy.
“We do have our work cut out for us,” he said. “But I believe that together with your leadership here, we can prevail.”
Sen. Jeff Merkley, the other CECC co-chair, noted in a statement that while some steps have been taken regarding the Chinese government’s Uyghur genocide, China hasn’t changed its ways, and the incoming Trump administration needs to take stronger measures.
20th century states
The first East Turkestan Republic was founded by Turkic – mostly Uyghur – intellectuals on Nov. 12 in 1933 as the only independent republic of Turkic people outside of the Republic of Turkey, formed a decade earlier at the end of the Ottoman Empire.
The budding nation was formed around the capital of Kashgar city – a key node in the ancient Silk Road trade route between China and the West – and had its own flag, constitution, passport, and complete state administration system.
Hui Muslim warlords nominally allied with the Kuomintang-led nationalist government in Nanjing sacked Kashgar in 1934, leading to the dissolution of the republic on April 16 that year, a mere six months after its founding.
Demonstrators display the flag of East Turkestan during a protest in Istanbul, Turkey, July 10, 2009. The first republic served as an example for the second, lengthier republic founded in 1944, following the Ili Rebellion in Xinjiang.
The second East Turkestan Republic, which lasted until 1949, was more fully formed and boasted its own standing army with modern weaponry, multilingual media outlets, currency and postal system.
The state was initially backed by the Soviet Union, but funding ceased as a result of Moscow’s wartime alliance with the Chinese nationalists’ Republic of China.
It was dissolved when communist forces prompted nationalist troops to retreat from mainland China to the island of Taiwan and Mao Zedong formally declared the establishment of the People’s Republic of China on Oct. 1, 1949.
While the two republics were brief, they demonstrated the Uyghur community’s capacity to manage an independent state based on democratic principles, Uyghur activists say.
Gratitude for US support
Speaking after the lawmakers on Wednesday, George Washington University Professors Sean Roberts and Eric Schlussel elaborated on the Uyghur experience of nation-building.
Roberts noted that the Uyghurs are not just a minority demanding equal rights in China, but rather a community aspiring for national self-determination.
Schluessel lamented that both Uyghur republics fell victim to power politics between China and the Soviet Union.
He said that the 91st and 80th anniversaries of the republics are a time to reflect on “the ongoing experiments that are [part of] the struggle for Uyghur political rights.”
“I look forward to witnessing the next experiment, whatever form it takes and wherever it may be,” he added.
Musicians perform at a commemoration of East Turkestan National Day on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Nov. 13, 2024. At the end of the event, UAA President Iltebir expressed gratitude for the “tremendous support” that the U.S. government has provided to the Uyghur community.
“East Turkestan Republic Day holds great significance for us,” he said. “This event is incredibly meaningful because it demonstrates that the U.S. government continues to have our backs.”
Translated by RFA Uyghur. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.
An earlier version of this story mistakenly said that the second East Turkestan Republic lasted until 1946.
This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by RFA Uyghur.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
-
As thousands take to the streets this week to “honour” the country’s 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, the largest daily newspaper New Zealand Herald says the massive event is “redefining activism”.
The Hīkoi mō te Tiriti has been underway since Sunday, with thousands of New Zealanders from all communities and walks of life traversing the more than 2000 km length of the country from Cape Reinga to Bluff and converging on the capital Wellington.
The marches are challenging the coalition government Act Party’s proposed Treaty Principles Bill, introduced last week by co-leader David Seymour.
- READ MORE: Labour’s Willie Jackson ejected from House for calling David Seymour a liar during Treaty Principles Bill reading
- NZ’s Treaty Principles Bill passes first reading after Māori MP evicted over haka
- Senior NZ lawyers call for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned
- Hikoi day four – From Huntly towards Rotorua
- Live hīkoi coverage on RNZ news blog
- Other Hīkoi reports
The Bill had its first reading in Parliament today as a young first time opposition Te Pāti Māori MP, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, was suspended for leading a haka and ripping up a copy of the Bill disrupting the vote, and opposition Labour Party’s Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson was also “excused” from the chamber for calling Seymour a “liar” against parliamentary rules.
After a second attempt at voting, the three coalition parties won 68-55 with all three opposition parties voting against.
In its editorial today, hours before the debate and vote, The New Zealand Herald said supporters of Toitū te Tiriti, the force behind the Hīkoi, were seeking a community “reconnection” and described their kaupapa as an “activation, not activism; empowerment, not disruption; education, not protest”.
“Many of the supporters on the Hīkoi don’t consider themselves political activists. They are mums and dads, rangatahi, professionals, Pākehā, and Tauiwi (other non-Māori ethnicities),” The Herald said.
‘Loaded, colonial language’
“Mainstream media is often accused of using ‘loaded, colonial language’ in its headlines. Supporters of Toitū te Tiriti, however, see the movement not as a political protest but as a way to reconnect with the country’s shared history and reflect on New Zealand’s obligations under Te Tiriti.“While some will support the initiative, many Pākehā New Zealanders are responding to it with unequivocal anger; others feel discomfort about suggestions of colonial guilt or inherited privilege stemming from historical injustices.”
The Herald said that politicians like Seymour advocated for a “multicultural” New Zealand, promising equal treatment for all cultures. While this vision sounded appealing, “it glosses over the partnership outlined in Te Tiriti”.
“Seymour argues he is fighting for respect for all, but when multiculturalism is wielded as a political tool, it can obscure indigenous rights and maintain colonial dominance. For many, it’s an unsettling ideology to contemplate,” the newspaper said.
“A truly multicultural society would recognise the unique status of tangata whenua, ensuring Māori have a voice in decision-making as the indigenous people.
“However, policies framed under ‘equal rights’ often silence Māori perspectives and undermine the principles of Te Tiriti.
“Seymour’s proposed Treaty Principles Bill prioritises Crown sovereignty, diminishing the role of hapū (sub-tribes) and excluding Māori from national decision-making. Is this the ‘equality’ we seek, or is it a rebranded form of colonial control?”
Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke . . . led a haka and tore up a copy of Seymour’s Bill in Parliament. Image: TVNZ screenshot APR Heart of the issue
The heart of the issue, said The Herald, was how “equal” was interpreted in the context of affirmative action.“Harvard philosopher Michael Sandel argues that true equality acknowledges historical injustices and demands action to correct them. In Aotearoa, addressing the legacy of colonisation is essential,” the paper said.
“Affirmative action is not about giving an unfair advantage; it’s about levelling the playing field so everyone has equal opportunities.
“Some politicians sidestep the real work needed to honour Te Tiriti by pushing for an ‘equal’ and ‘multicultural’ society. This approach disregards Aotearoa’s unique history, where tangata whenua hold a constitutionally recognised status.
“The goal is not to create division but to fulfil a commitment made more than 180 years ago and work towards a partnership based on mutual respect. We all have a role to play in this partnership.
“The Hīkoi mō te Tiriti is more than a march; it’s a movement rooted in education, healing, and building a shared future.
“It challenges us to look beyond superficial equality and embrace a partnership where all voices are heard and the mana (authority) of tangata whenua is upheld.”
The first reading of the bill was advanced in a failed attempt to distract from the impact of the national Hikoi.
RNZ reports that more than 40 King’s Counsel lawyers say the Bill seeks to “rewrite the Treaty itself” and have called on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and the coalition government to “act responsibly now and abandon” the draft law.
This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.
-
This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.This post was originally published on Radio Free.