In 1988, the Uyghur people decided that enough was enough. June 15 is not just a date—it represents honor, courage, and resistance. A personal memory.
Every year since 1988, June 15 has been commemorated as a significant day for Uyghurs and all those who cherish liberty and justice—the anniversary of the Student Demonstration, one of the most unforgettable acts of resistance in Uyghur history. Its 37th recurrence in 2025 reminded the world once again that what happened that day was not just an episode in a protest led by young people but a turning point in the Uyghur people’s struggle for democracy, human rights, and freedom in Xinjiang/East Turkestan.
At that time, I was just a university student in my early twenties. Leading this movement was not only a duty—it was an honor. Even now, I remember the excitement and pain of those days as if they happened yesterday. With this message, I want to honor the spirit of that day, pay tribute to my fellow activists, the leaders we have lost, and the courage of the Uyghur people.
June 15, 1988: The Day the Students Broke the Silence
The spark that ignited the protest came after years of systematic discrimination and humiliation of Uyghur students. On May 5, 1988, racist and degrading graffiti were scrawled in the restroom of the Physics Department at Xinjiang University in Urumqi. The words included vile slogans such as: “Let’s make Uyghur men slaves, and turn their girls into prostitutes.”
Despite the disgraceful nature of this incident, the university administration and authorities remained silent. Uyghur students attempted to voice their concerns through legal and official channels, submitting petitions and seeking dialogue. All efforts were either rejected or ignored. It became clear—silence was no longer an option.
On the morning of June 15, thousands of students gathered at Xinjiang University to hold a “Rally Against Ethnic Discrimination.” They then poured into the streets with banners in hand and slogans on their lips: “We protest ethnic discrimination!”, “Long live human rights!”, “We need democracy”, “We need equal rights”, “No to China’s policies of enslavement!”
The streets were filled not only with the anger of the youth but also with the support of the people. Some wept as they embraced the young protesters. This was more than a protest—it was a struggle for dignity.
The Formation of the Student Science and Culture Union
This movement was not spontaneous. In 1987, Uyghur students at Xinjiang University had already established an organized structure: the Student Science and Culture Union. I served as its president. My deputies were Rushan Abbas and the late Ablimit Memet. Our general secretary was Waris Ababekri, who tragically died in a Chinese internment camp in November 2019.
Our union’s efforts were not only ideological but also practical. We sent volunteer teachers to underserved areas, organized cultural and legal literacy courses, held photo exhibitions, and promoted patriotic education through plays, lectures, and artistic events. We initiated a movement to foster the Uyghur people’s consciousness and spirit.
China’s Repression: Forced Silence
The June 15 protest shook the Chinese authorities. Although it was suppressed, its impact endured. The event was labeled the “June 15 Incident.” As student leaders, we were targeted for investigation. Hundreds of high-level officials and police officers monitored, interrogated, and harassed us. Every step we took was under surveillance. I was placed under house arrest.
After four months of questioning, Waris Ababekri and I were expelled from the university. Others were relocated to rural areas after graduation and denied employment. Many are still under state surveillance today. Waris lost his life in a camp. I managed to escape abroad in 1994 and gained my freedom.
Today: Facing an Ongoing Genocide
What started as discrimination in the 1980s has now escalated into full-scale genocide. Millions of Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples are imprisoned in China’s concentration camps, forced labor centers, and cities that have turned into open-air prisons. Mosques have been demolished, Quran schools have been outlawed, and families have been torn apart. Our culture and identity are being systematically erased.
This is not just assimilation—it is genocide.
Just as we raised our voices in 1988, we must raise them again today. The world’s silence only fuels oppression. To remain silent is to be complicit in the crime.
Lessons for Today and Tomorrow
June 15, 1988, is not merely a memory but a roadmap for today and the future. On that day, the Uyghur youth stood tall for freedom, defying humiliation and refusing to submit to repression. That spirit still lives within our people today. Freedom is not a privilege; it is a fundamental human right. Demanding it is not a crime but a moral duty.
This demonstration is one of the most significant democratic uprisings in Uyghur history. It is our duty to pass on this legacy of resistance to the next generation. To remember is to resist. If we forget, we repeat history. If we remember, we rise again.
June 15 is not merely a date—it represents honor, courage, and resistance. I remember with deep respect all those who joined, supported, and sacrificed their lives in this struggle. The torch of freedom they ignited will one day light up the skies of East Turkestan.
