From Orkhon to East Turkestan: A 1,300-Year-Old Warning

Bilge Khan, one of the greatest statesmen in Turkish history, had the following warning inscribed on the Orkhon Inscriptions some 1,300 years ago—a warning that concerned not only his own era but also future generations:

“The Chinese people’s words are sweet, and their silk cloth is soft. With sweet words and soft silk cloth, they deceive and draw distant peoples close to themselves. Once they have drawn them close, they then devise evil schemes.”

“You have become servants to the Chinese khan; your pure daughters have become concubines, your valiant sons have become slaves.”

These words were not a call for hostility towards a nation; they were a historical warning directed at the policy pursued by the Chinese state of that era. Bilge Khan was explaining to the Turkic people that the greatest danger could come not only through arms, but also through politics, economic dependence, cultural assimilation and the gradual erosion of national identity over time.

Thirteen centuries have passed. Geographies have changed, states have changed, the world has changed. Yet the news coming today from East Turkestan and the Uyghur Turks shows that this warning in the Orkhon Inscriptions remains as relevant as ever. For the issue is not merely one of security policy in a particular region; it is also a matter of the systematic suppression and erasure of a people’s language, religion, culture and identity.

Since 2017, numerous organisations – primarily Western media outlets and international human rights organisations – have published reports detailing China’s systematic human rights violations against the Uyghur Turks in this region.

The main findings highlighted in these reports are as follows:

1. Internment camps: It is alleged that hundreds of thousands of Uyghur and Kazakh Turks are being held in camps described by the Chinese authorities as ‘vocational training centres’; it is claimed that political indoctrination, ideological reprogramming and brainwashing activities are being carried out in these centres.

2. Forced labour: There are numerous reports that Uyghurs are being made to work for low wages or under duress in cotton fields, textile factories and mines. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and independent studies have revealed findings indicating that cotton and textile products produced in Xinjiang are reaching the global market through forced labour. Consequently, the US, the European Union and certain other countries have imposed sanctions on products originating from Xinjiang and on certain companies.

3. Religious and cultural repression: There are numerous allegations that mosques have been demolished, Qur’anic education has been restricted, fasting during Ramadan has been prevented, Turkish and Islamic names have been banned, and freedom of worship has been severely curtailed. These practices have caused a significant stir in the international community.

4. Interference in family life: It is reported that, under the policy of ‘sending one Han Chinese official to every family’ (Fang Hui Ju), Uyghur families are regularly visited by state officials and subjected to ‘teaching Chinese culture’ programmes. Independent sources claim that these practices violate family privacy and increase the risks of forced marriage and sexual abuse.

5. Measures aimed at reducing birth rates: Allegations of compulsory birth control and sterilisation have also been reflected in United Nations reports.

6. Restrictions on freedom of communication: It is reported that Uyghur Turks are unable to speak to family members living abroad by telephone, that letters are not delivered, and that means of communication have been largely eliminated. There are many families who are unable to find out whether their relatives are alive, or whether they are detained or at liberty.

7. Arbitrary detentions and the denial of legal recourse: There are serious allegations that individuals seeking to pursue legal remedies against the Chinese authorities’ practices are being detained, imprisoned and denied contact with their families.

These headings do not represent isolated human rights violations; rather, they highlight the various dimensions of a systematic state policy that has been built up step by step over many years.

For some time now, the Chinese authorities have been using the Counter-Terrorism Law, the National Security Law, the Regulations on Combating Extremism and various administrative regulations specific to Xinjiang as pretexts to increase state control across a wide range of areas, from religious education to worship, and from the use of one’s mother tongue to family life. Consequently, practices that restrict fundamental rights and freedoms are moving beyond the scope of temporary security measures to become a permanent approach to governance.

One of the most significant stages of this process has been the ‘Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress’, which was adopted in 2026 and came into force on 1 July 2026. Numerous human rights organisations and Uyghur civil society representatives have assessed that this legislation, for the first time, provides a comprehensive legal basis for the assimilation policies that are alleged to have been in practice for years.

According to the World Uyghur Congress Foundation, which has published a detailed analysis on this matter, although the law’s title includes the concepts of “unity”, “peace” and “progress”, its primary aim is to institutionalise the Chinese Communist Party’s concept of a “Single Chinese Nation” more firmly. The Foundation states that the legislation further expands state control over native languages, religion, cultural heritage and national identity, covering not only Uyghurs but also Tibetans, Mongols and other indigenous communities.

Another notable point is that the legislation is not limited to communities within China’s borders. Citing statements by Chinese officials, the World Uyghur Congress Foundation warns that this law could provide a legal basis for pressure and surveillance activities targeting the Uyghur diaspora living abroad.

All these developments further reinforce international concerns that the measures the Chinese government claims to have initiated on security grounds have now moved beyond being temporary measures and have become a permanent state policy underpinned by legislation.

Therefore, what must be done today is not to incite hatred against any nation, but to defend universal human rights, to demand the effective enforcement of international law, and to resolutely uphold the right of all peoples to protect their language, faith, culture and identity.

Steps to Be Taken Today

The United Nations

• should strengthen international investigative mechanisms to examine the allegations raised regarding the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in an independent, impartial and transparent manner.
• It should regularly monitor and publicise allegations of arbitrary detention, forced labour, and violations of freedom of religion and conscience, as well as cultural rights.
• It must undertake more effective diplomatic initiatives to ensure that relevant special rapporteurs and human rights mechanisms have unimpeded access to the region.
• It must develop international protection mechanisms to which victims and diaspora communities can safely turn.
• It must effectively implement the avenues provided for under international law to ensure that allegations of crimes against humanity are investigated by independent legal mechanisms and that impunity is prevented.

The Roles of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation:

• It should develop a common and consistent human rights policy amongst its member states.
• It should adopt a clear and principled stance regarding the Uyghur Turks’ freedom of religion, right to worship and cultural identity.
• A significant proportion of the oil that China most urgently requires is sourced from Islamic countries. This situation could be considered as a factor to be utilised in joint diplomatic initiatives on human rights.
• In relations with China, human rights must be placed at the centre of the agenda alongside economic interests.
• Where necessary, it should support observation and investigation initiatives in the region.
• It must not remain silent in the face of repression against Muslim communities and should develop joint diplomatic initiatives.

Steps Human Rights Organisations Should Take:

• They must continue to document violations in the region, gather testimonies and bring these to the attention of the international public.
• Detailed reports must be prepared on forced labour, arbitrary detentions, the separation of families and cultural assimilation.
• They must provide legal and psychological support to victims and offer guidance on international appeal processes.
• Technical and legal investigations must be carried out into digital surveillance, the collection of biometric data and restrictions on communication.
• They must demand greater oversight and transparency from international companies regarding the risk of forced labour in their supply chains.

What Should the Organisation of Turkic States Do?

• In line with the Turkic world’s shared history, culture and spirit of solidarity, it should closely monitor developments in East Turkestan and establish joint consultation mechanisms amongst member states.
• It should support joint cultural and academic projects aimed at preserving the language, culture and historical heritage of the Uyghur Turks.
• It should strive to develop common principles and stances on human rights and fundamental freedoms within the United Nations and other international organisations.
• Scientific research, symposia and awareness-raising programmes on East Turkistan should be encouraged amongst universities, think tanks and civil society organisations across the Turkic world.

Initiatives Turkey Can Undertake:

• Turkey should invite the Organisation of Turkic States to develop a common diplomatic stance aimed at safeguarding cultural identity, language and fundamental human rights in East Turkistan.
• Turkey should ensure that developments in East Turkistan are regularly included on the agenda of the Organisation of Turkic States’ Heads of State Summits and Foreign Ministers’ Meetings.
• Turkey should encourage the implementation of joint cultural and academic projects within the Organisation of Turkic States aimed at safeguarding the language, culture and historical heritage of the Uyghur Turks.
• Turkey should support the drafting of joint recommendations through the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation of Turkic States (TÜRKPA) regarding the protection of fundamental human rights and cultural rights.
• Turkey should propose the establishment of a joint working group or monitoring mechanism within the Organisation of Turkic States to monitor developments in East Turkestan from the perspective of international law and human rights.

• Turkey should ensure that the historical and cultural heritage of the Uyghur Turks is given a more prominent place in activities aimed at preserving the shared historical, linguistic and cultural heritage of the Turkic world.

China is an important trading partner for Turkey. Furthermore, the strategic cooperation developed under Turkey’s Middle Corridor vision and China’s Belt and Road Initiative necessitates that Ankara maintain a balanced diplomatic approach. Whilst Turkey supports initiatives at the United Nations concerning the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Uyghur Turks, it also takes care to avoid a direct crisis with China.

At this juncture, I believe the most appropriate approach is constructive diplomacy conducted on the basis of mutual respect, international law and human rights. I am confident that Turkish and Chinese diplomats can develop a joint and constructive solution.

Such an approach will contribute both to the healthy continuation of Turkey-China relations and to the production of lasting and constructive solutions on human rights issues.

Turkish epics and the Orkhon Inscriptions do not advocate harbouring animosity towards China; rather, they advise the Turkish nation to safeguard its independence, language, culture and traditions. The real warning is that threats from outside may manifest not only through the sword, but also through economic dependence, cultural assimilation and the erosion of identity.

We continue to be the voice of the Uyghur Turks. We call upon the Chinese officials frequently seen on our television screens to put an end to the inhumane practices directed against the Uyghur Turks; and to show respect for fundamental human rights, freedom of religion and conscience, cultural identity and international law.

For Turkish nationalism is not merely about keeping the glorious memories of the past alive; it is the resolve to defend the rights of any Turk, wherever they may be in our heartland, whenever their language, religion, identity or dignity is under threat. To be the voice of East Turkistan is a responsibility not only to our history but also to the collective conscience of humanity.

It must not be forgotten that history records not only what nations have done, but also whether they remained silent in the face of oppression. I have faith in the Turkish state’s wisdom. They will do what is necessary.